Last evening (Wed. the Second) choir rehearsal at Eastwood Christian Church (Disciples) was of course all Advent-Christmas carols and hymns we'll be singing the next few Sundays. we finished up with an awesome rendition of "Silent Night". It starts out unison singing of first verse, then repeats it in the original Deutsch (German), then wraps up with the final verse (in English) with a soprano descant. According to the score this last verse can be sung with the congregation accompanying on the melody.
Now, three times in the past week or so on the radio I've heard reference to "Silent Night" and how it got composed and sung the very first time. In brief, in the 1800s for the Christmas (Eve) worship at the church in Obendorf, Austria, a mouse had rendered the church organ inoperable. So Franz Gruber and Joseph Mohr composed the carol and introduced it to the congregation using guitar as accompaniment.
This history of "Stille Nacht" (Silent Night) charms and moves yours truly, especially the detail about guitar accompaniment (me being a guitar picker from way back). So I feel that I've been blessed thrice over the airwaves -- and Xmas isn't even for three more weeks!
Perhaps this is an explanation for why, as we rehearsed the carol last evening, I truly felt transported up to Heaven! Into the very presence of Abba! Right there with He whose birth on a silent night ('til the angels came to the shepherds!) is lauded in this carol!
Thank You, Lord!
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