"O Holy Night" (original title: Cantique de Noël) is a well-known sacred song for Christmas performance. Originally based on a French-language poem by poet Placide Cappeau, written in 1843, with the first line "Minuit, Chrétien, c'est l'heure solennelle" (Midnight, Christian, is the solemn hour) that composer Adolphe Adam set to music in 1847. The English version (with small changes to the initial melody) is by John Sullivan Dwight. The carol reflects on the birth of Jesus as humanity's redemption.
In Roquemaure in France at the end of 1843, the church organ had recently been renovated. To celebrate the event, the parish priest persuaded poet Placide Cappeau, a native of the town, to write a Christmas poem.[1] Soon afterwards, in that same year, Adolphe Adam composed the music. The song was premiered in Roquemaure in 1847 by the opera singer Emily Laurey.
Transcendentalist, music critic, minister, and editor of Dwight's Journal of Music, John Dwight, adapted the song into English in 1855.[2] This version became popular in the United States, especially in the North, where the third verse (including "Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother, And in his name all oppression shall cease") resonated with abolitionists.[1]
The wide vocal range of the song makes it one of the more difficult Christmas songs to execute properly.[3] In French-language churches, it is commonly used at the beginning of the Midnight Mass.[4]
On record charts
The song has been recorded by numerous well-known popular-music, classical-music, and religious-music singers. It makes a frequent appearance in the annual performances of the Choir of King's College, Cambridge.[5] Several renditions by popular artists have appeared on record charts:
1971: Tommy Drennan and the Monarchs reached Christmas No. 1 in the Official Irish Singles Chart[6]
1994: Mariah Carey, from her first studio holiday album, Merry Christmas, reached No. 70 on the US BillboardHoliday 100 chart.[7] It was re-released as a single in 1996 and 2000; a re-recorded live rendition is included on her 2010 follow-up album Merry Christmas II You. In 2019, her single was certified Gold in the US by RIAA.[8] It reached No. 31 in Italy and it was certified Gold.[9] It reached the top-twenty in Iceland, peaking at number 19.[10]
2012: Ladywell Primary School in Motherwell, Scotland, released "O Holy Night" as a digital download on November 21, 2012. The school donated 90 percent of proceeds from the song to the Meningitis Research Foundation in memory of a student who had died of meningococcal septicaemia. The remaining 10 percent went to school funds.[18] It reached No. 39 on the UK Singles Chart.[19]
^ abCollins, Ace (2001). Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas. Grand Rapids: Zondervan. pp. 132–138. ISBN9780310873877.
^Nobbman, Dale V. Christmas Music Companion Fact Book. 2000. p. 36. Google Books
^Forget, Dominique (December 24, 2017). "Minuit, chrétiens et l'aigu fatidique". Québec Science. from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^Bronze, Jean-Yves (December 6, 2003). "The Minuit, Chrétiens in Québec". La Scena Musicale. 9 (4). from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^"What are the original lyrics to 'O Holy Night' – and who has recorded it?". Classic FM. from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
^"Every Christmas Number 1 on the Official Irish Singles Chart". www.officialcharts.com. from the original on May 24, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
^"Mariah Carey Chart History (Holiday 100)". Billboard.com. from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
^"Mariah Carey 'O Holy Night'". RIAA.com. from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
^"Certificazioni - FIMI". Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
^(PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir – Tónlist. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
Free sheet music for voice and piano, Cantorion.org
Sheet music and musical details, artsongcentral.com
"Minuit Chrétien" on YouTube, Charles Jauquier [fr] (original French version)
December 29, 2022
holy, night, other, uses, disambiguation, night, divine, redirects, here, trace, bundy, album, night, divine, album, original, title, cantique, noël, well, known, sacred, song, christmas, performance, originally, based, french, language, poem, poet, placide, c. For other uses see O Holy Night disambiguation O Night Divine redirects here For the Trace Bundy album see O Night Divine album O Holy Night original title Cantique de Noel is a well known sacred song for Christmas performance Originally based on a French language poem by poet Placide Cappeau written in 1843 with the first line Minuit Chretien c est l heure solennelle Midnight Christian is the solemn hour that composer Adolphe Adam set to music in 1847 The English version with small changes to the initial melody is by John Sullivan Dwight The carol reflects on the birth of Jesus as humanity s redemption Cantique de Noel O Holy Nightby Adolphe AdamAdolphe AdamNative nameMinuit chretiensGenreClassical ChristmasTextPlacide CappeauLanguageFrench EnglishComposed1847 1847 Recording source source Performed by the United States Air Force Heritage of America Bandfilehelp Contents 1 History 2 On record charts 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditIn Roquemaure in France at the end of 1843 the church organ had recently been renovated To celebrate the event the parish priest persuaded poet Placide Cappeau a native of the town to write a Christmas poem 1 Soon afterwards in that same year Adolphe Adam composed the music The song was premiered in Roquemaure in 1847 by the opera singer Emily Laurey Transcendentalist music critic minister and editor of Dwight s Journal of Music John Dwight adapted the song into English in 1855 2 This version became popular in the United States especially in the North where the third verse including Chains shall he break for the slave is our brother And in his name all oppression shall cease resonated with abolitionists 1 The wide vocal range of the song makes it one of the more difficult Christmas songs to execute properly 3 In French language churches it is commonly used at the beginning of the Midnight Mass 4 On record charts EditThe song has been recorded by numerous well known popular music classical music and religious music singers It makes a frequent appearance in the annual performances of the Choir of King s College Cambridge 5 Several renditions by popular artists have appeared on record charts 1971 Tommy Drennan and the Monarchs reached Christmas No 1 in the Official Irish Singles Chart 6 1994 Mariah Carey from her first studio holiday album Merry Christmas reached No 70 on the US Billboard Holiday 100 chart 7 It was re released as a single in 1996 and 2000 a re recorded live rendition is included on her 2010 follow up album Merry Christmas II You In 2019 her single was certified Gold in the US by RIAA 8 It reached No 31 in Italy and it was certified Gold 9 It reached the top twenty in Iceland peaking at number 19 10 1996 John Berry No 55 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart 11 1997 Martina McBride No 74 on Hot Country Songs chart also No 67 in 1998 No 49 in 1999 No 57 in 2000 and No 41 in 2001 12 1998 Celine Dion No 44 on Billboard s Holiday chart 13 in 2014 Nielsen SoundScan reported that her version had sold 240 000 copies in the US 14 2002 Josh Groban No 1 Billboard Adult Contemporary chart 15 2006 Josh Gracin No 59 on Hot Country Songs chart 16 2010 2011 Glee cast No 1 US Billboard Holiday Digital Song Sales chart 17 2012 Ladywell Primary School in Motherwell Scotland released O Holy Night as a digital download on November 21 2012 The school donated 90 percent of proceeds from the song to the Meningitis Research Foundation in memory of a student who had died of meningococcal septicaemia The remaining 10 percent went to school funds 18 It reached No 39 on the UK Singles Chart 19 2017 2018 Lauren Daigle No 14 US Billboard Christian adult contemporary 20 No 33 US Hot Christian Songs 21 and No 33 US Christian Airplay 22 chartsSee also EditList of Christmas carolsReferences Edit a b Collins Ace 2001 Stories Behind the Best Loved Songs of Christmas Grand Rapids Zondervan pp 132 138 ISBN 9780310873877 Nobbman Dale V Christmas Music Companion Fact Book 2000 p 36 Google Books Forget Dominique December 24 2017 Minuit chretiens et l aigu fatidique Quebec Science Archived from the original on May 22 2021 Retrieved May 22 2021 Bronze Jean Yves December 6 2003 The Minuit Chretiens in Quebec La Scena Musicale 9 4 Archived from the original on January 26 2021 Retrieved May 22 2021 What are the original lyrics to O Holy Night and who has recorded it Classic FM Archived from the original on May 22 2021 Retrieved May 22 2021 Every Christmas Number 1 on the Official Irish Singles Chart www officialcharts com Archived from the original on May 24 2019 Retrieved December 23 2021 Mariah Carey Chart History Holiday 100 Billboard com Archived from the original on December 7 2021 Retrieved May 21 2020 Mariah Carey O Holy Night RIAA com Archived from the original on June 24 2016 Retrieved August 25 2021 Certificazioni FIMI Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana Archived from the original on February 4 2019 Retrieved January 3 2022 Islenski Listinn Topp 40 22 12 1994 27 12 1994 PDF Dagbladid Visir Tonlist Archived from the original PDF on March 13 2019 Retrieved March 14 2018 Whitburn Joel 2008 Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008 Record Research p 49 ISBN 978 0 89820 177 2 Whitburn 2008 p 263 Chart History Celine Dion Holiday 100 Billboard com Archived from the original on November 2 2020 Retrieved November 2 2020 All I Want For Christmas Which Song Renditions Top the Tree Nielsen com Archived from the original on May 19 2021 Retrieved May 19 2021 Chart History Josh Groban Adult Contemporary Billboard com Archived from the original on January 8 2022 Retrieved May 19 2021 Whitburn 2008 p 166 Glee Cast Chart History Holiday Digital Song Sales Billboard com Archived from the original on December 3 2021 Retrieved November 7 2020 Tribute to schoolboy is chart hit Heraldscotland com November 24 2012 Archived from the original on August 25 2021 Retrieved August 25 2021 O Holy Night Ladywell Primary School Officialcharts com Archived from the original on May 21 2021 Retrieved August 25 2021 Lauren Daigle Christian AC History Billboard com Archived from the original on January 8 2022 Retrieved June 12 2021 Chart History Lauren Daigle Hot Christian Songs Billboard com Archived from the original on November 18 2021 Retrieved June 12 2021 Chart History Lauren Daigle Christian Airplay Billboard com Archived from the original on November 17 2021 Retrieved June 12 2021 External links Edit Wikisource has original text related to this article O Holy Night French Wikisource has original text related to this article Minuit chretiens Cantique de Noel Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Free sheet music for voice and piano Cantorion org Sheet music and musical details artsongcentral com Minuit Chretien on YouTube Charles Jauquier fr original French version Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title O Holy Night amp oldid 1129892785, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
