Franz Xaver Gruber  (25 November 1787 – 7 June 1863) was an Austrian primary school teacher, church organist and composer in the village of Arnsdorf.

He is best known for composing the music to the carol Stille Nacht (Silent Night).

For more information on the composer.

Josephus Franciscus Mohr  (11 December 1792 – 4 December 1848) was an Austrian Roman Catholic priest and writer.

He wrote the German text to  Stille Nacht (Silent Night)

For more information on the writer.

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht (Silent Night).

This well known Christmas carol was composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber. The German text was written in 1816 by Joseph Franciscus Mohr in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, in Austria.

In 2011 it was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011.

The song was first recorded in 1905. It is the world's most recorded Christmas song, with more than 137,000 known recordings.

For more information about the work.

German text.

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

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Halleluja,
Tönt es laut von fern und nah:
Christ, der Retter ist da!
Christ, der Retter ist da!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'.
Christ, in deiner Geburt!
Christ, in deiner Geburt!


English text.

Silent night, holy night
All is calm all is bright
round yon virgin mother and child,
holy infant so tender and mild!
Sleep in heavenly peace!
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav'nly hosts sing Alleluia;
Christ the Savior is born;
Christ the Savior is born.

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love's pure light.
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.


International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) pronunciation of the German words..

ʃtˈɪlə nˈaxt, hˈa͡ɪlɪɡə nˈaxt,
ˈaləs ʃlˈɛft; ˈa͡ɪnzˌɑːm vˈaxt
nˈuːɾ dˈas tɾˈa͡ʊtə hˈoːxhˌa͡ɪlɪɡə pˈɑːɾ.
hˈɔldɜ knˈɑːbə ˈɪm lˈɔkɪɡən hˈɑːɾ,
ʃlˈɑːf ˈɪn hˈɪmlɪʃɜ rˈuː!
ʃlˈɑːf ˈɪn hˈɪmlɪʃɜ rˈuː!

ʃtˈɪlə nˈaxt, hˈa͡ɪlɪɡə nˈaxt,
hˈɪɾtən ˈeːɾst kˈʊndɡəmˌvaxt
dˈʊʁç dˈɛɾ ˈɛŋəl hˈaleːlˌuːjɑː,
tˈœnt ˈɛs lˈa͡ʊt fˈɔn fˈɛɾn ˈʊnt nˈɑː:
kɾˈɪst, dˈɛɾ rˈɛtɜ ˈɪst dˈɑː!
kɾˈɪst, dˈɛɾ rˈɛtɜ ˈɪst dˈɑː!

ʃtˈɪlə nˈaxt, hˈa͡ɪlɪɡə nˈaxt,
ɡˈɔtəs zˈoːn, ˈoː vˈiː lˈaxt
lˈiːp' ˈa͡ʊs dˈa͡ɪnəm ɡˈœtlɪçən mˈʊnt,
dˈɑː ˈʊns ʃlˈɛːkt dˈiː rˈɛtəndə ʃtˈʊnt'.
kɾˈɪst, ˈɪn dˈa͡ɪnɜ ɡəˈbʊʁt/
kɾˈɪst, ˈɪn ɡəˈbʊʁt/