Oberndorf bei Salzburg
It was on 24th of December in the year 1818, when the auxiliary priest, at that time Joseph Mohr, presented a poem to the school teacher and organist Franz Xaver Gruber and asked him to write a suitable melody for it. The legend around the origins of the world-famous Christmas song explains the reason, why carols should only be played accompanied by one guitar: exactly on Christmas day the organ had failed. Within one day, Gruber had composed the melody, which today can be heard through out the world sung under Christmas trees.
The lyrics were probably already written in 1816 by Joseph Mohr in "Mariapfarr" in "Lungau" in the form of a poem. At the premiere in "Oberndorf" during the lifetimes of Gruber and Mohr nobody paid much interest. The song may have remained unknown but for Joseph Mohr's job as an auxiliary minister which meant that he had to travel far within the Salzburg County, in his luggage was always the tender full carol "Silent Night"! In 1866 the Christmas song was included for the first time in a church hymn book.
Missionaries and churchgoers spread the song around the world. 1819 it was played in Tirol, 1832 in Leipzig and by 1839, in New York. Today the song has been translated into more than 300 languages and dialects. In "Oberndorf" near Salzburg one can visit the former Saint Nicholas church - today's Silent Night chapel.
In order to get a view of the picturesque chapel, since 2002 there is not even the need to drive to "Oberndorf" anymore, the Silent Night Live Webcam, transfers all year round and around the clock pictures of the small church.
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