Performances

Introduction

When did guitars appear into the churces for the first time?

No answer is possible but the story written by the author of one of the most popular songs of the Christmas liturgical repertoire provides an unexpected indication for many:

Stille nacht (It. Astro del ciel, En. Silent night)

First Performance – Oberndorf, 1818

"It was the 24th of December of the year 1818, when the then assistant priest Joseph Mohr at the newly established parish of St. Nicholas in Oberndorf handed over to the organist represented by Franz Gruber (who at the time was also school teacher in Arnsdorf) a poem, with the request to write a fitting melody for 2 solo voices together with choir and for accompaniment by guitar." These are the words of Franz Xaver Gruber which he wrote on December 30, 1854 in his "Authentic Account of the Origin of the Christmas Carol, 'Silent Night, Holy Night!'" Later the same day, on the 24th of December, Gruber came to the musically talented Mohr and handed over to him his composition. As Mohr liked what he saw, this song was included in the Christmas mass that evening. Mohr sang the tenor part and provided accompaniment with guitar, while Gruber sang bass. According to Gruber, the song was met with "general approval by all" in attendance (mostly shipping laborers, boat builders and their families).

(from stillenacht.at)

The original score has never been found, but there is an autographed copy dated few years later.
We present here this version in which we have inserted the Italian text.

Astro del ciel