I don't care how pretty it is,

Jen · Senior Bucketkeeper

I don't care how pretty it is,

Poncho29 · Senior Bucketkeeper

Uh, what are you talking about?

Cat lost interest in being in the choir several years back because the choir director always chose arrangements that were especially difficult and strange for the men. Which they have had trouble getting men to join the choir as a whole since then come to think of it.

I agree, it is sacrelige to rewrite the words to Silent Night! What an outrage!

bokbadok · Senior Bucketkeeper

If the words were rewritten, it wouldn't be silent night anymore, would it?

Silent Night is my least favorite Christmas song. The words are fine, the message is beautiful, but the tune is boring. I think perhaps I sang this song a few too many times as a member of a community youth choir.

LEVE · Veteran Member

Then it should be played simply, on a guitar....

Roper · Senior Bucketkeeper

The choir and orchestra got it just right on the Christmas devotional tonight.

Jen · Senior Bucketkeeper

Not rewritten words, rewritten music.

Poncho29 · Senior Bucketkeeper

Isn't that kind of like stealing someone else's lyrics? You know, kind of like plagerism?
Of course, I don't know, I don't think there were copyright laws back when Franz Gruber wrote Silent Night.
I'm trying to imagine some other tune to those words. Nope. Can't picture it.

Jen · Senior Bucketkeeper

I think that Silent Night is public domain by now, I don't know! Good question.

Yes, it's very disconcerting to me to have it sung to a totally different melody. And unneccesary. WHY?!

I'm all about tradition at Christmas.

alabamabelle · Senior Member

hmmm. nope. I'm trying, but inagadadavida just doesn't bring the Christmas spirit in for me.

ooops. maybe that wasn't what they had in mind.

why do some folks get hung up on 'new and improved' when the traditional brings such a warm and beautiful Spirit into the meetings?

new is good once in a while, don't get me wrong.

but there are too many times that new is a distraction instead of an enhancement.

DaKnife · Senior Member

Ahh yes another of my Holiday pet peeves, musicians who feel they must put their personal stamp on the classics. Sing the classics as they were written or at least in the form that has been recognized as classic. If you want ot put your own personal stamp on Christmas write your own songs, don't improvise till your performance is barely recognizeable as the original.

Oh and Stille Nacht should be sung in the original German (Since everybody understands german right?

). It's meaning is sooo much better than the Catholicised english translation we have. For example, rather than singing about just the "Virgin" mother and child, in includes Joseph by referrring to the "most holy parents" in the opening verse.

Cat Herder · Understander of unimportant things

Original German lyrics:

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knab im lockigen Haar,
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Gottes Sohn! O wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da schlägt uns die rettende Stund,
Christus in deiner Geburt!
Christus in deiner Geburt!

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Die der Welt Heil gebracht,
Aus des Himmels goldenen Höhn
Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt seh'n
Jesum in Menschengestalt,
Jesum in Menschengestalt.

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Wo sich heut alle Macht
Väterlicher Liebe ergoß
Und als Bruder huldvoll umschloß
Jesus die Völker der Welt,
Jesus die Völker der Welt.

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Lange schon uns bedacht,
Als der Herr vom Grimme befreit,
In der Väter urgrauer Zeit
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß,
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß.

Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Alleluja.
Tönt es laut bei Ferne und Nah
Christus, der Retter ist da!
Christus, der Retter ist da!

As may be noted, there are three verses that are omitted in the English translation. We tend to only sing the 1, 2, and 6th verses. There have been a few minor wording modifications from original German to more modern German, but for those that understand the German language, the lyrics to this song are perhaps some of the most beautiful and yet most simple.

http://www.stillenacht.info/en/kapelle/e_webcam.asp

rayb · Hot Air Balloon

I love Silent Night in all forms. Few christmas songs capture the still nature of a lonely night, like that song. It's not the most upbeat, however... and it sounds really pretty played on a good recorder or better yet, something like a lone panflute... I think it's probably in my top five faves... along with "Oh Come, Oh Come Emanuel" and "Oh Come all ye Faithful"... and a couple others...

Just have fun with it, Jen. I'm sure you'll come up with something brilliant. :)

--Ray

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

I was choir accompanist for a long time ('till I asked to be released

) and we had a director who liked to sing, uh... different stuff sometimes. She and I didn't always see eye to eye concerning what would bring the Spirit into the meeting. But I'm more on the liberal end (at least with music in Church

) when it comes to letting people have some leeway, so didn't ever complain or "suggest" anything. It all worked out. Maybe her take on things will reach some people in your congregation that wouldn't otherwise be touched.

You can do it, Jeneraci!!