This is certainly the King of all Christmas carols, translated into no less than ninety languages around the world. Any song as beloved as this is bound to be the subject of countless fables as to its origin. But we have this modest but touching account from the composer himself in 1854:
"It was on December 24 of the year 1818 when Joseph Mohr, then assistant pastor of the newly established St. Nicholas' parish church in Oberndorf, handed to Franz Gruber, who was attending the duties of organist, a poem, with the request that he write for it a suitable melody arranged for two voices, chorus, and a guitar accompaniment. On that very same evening the latter, in fulfillment of this request made to him as a music expert, handed to the pastor his simple composition which was thereupon immediately performed on that holy night of Christmas Eve and received with acclaim."
