Learn To Play Silent Night

I learned the carol in school in my German lessons and it was a firm favourite. To this day I like to honour the original composers by singing it in their native tongue.

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!

These are the English lyrics so well loved by many people!

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
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour 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

You can play Silent Night with three chords. There are also some jazz type substitutions you can make to spice it up if you like, but this is a simple way to play Silent Night chords. The rhythm is a lilting 6/8, but it can also be played as a simple waltz with just three strums to the bar.

C
Silent night, holy night
G
All is calm,
C
All is bright

F
Round yon Virgin,
C
Mother and Child
F
Holy Infant so
C
Tender and mild,
G
Sleep in heavenly peace,
C
Sleep in
G
heavenly
C
peace.

My First Very Easy Christmas Carol Book [Spiral-Bound]
Carols for beginners to play. Single note melodies with chord letters. Very easy large font notes with notename noteheads.

Traditional Christmas Carols For Guitar Solo [Paperback]
Easy and intermediate arrangements of well loved Christmas carols for fingerstyle guitar. Includes TAB as well as music.

Traditional Christmas Carols for Guitar Ensemble [Paperback]
Arrangements of well loved Carols for flexible sized guitar ensembles, these are full scores, not separate parts.

Why did Mohr ask Gruber to write the Silent Night melody for guitar? There are many romantic legends attesting as to why Silent Night was written. The main one, that the organ was broken or that the bellows had been eaten by mice, is thought to be a later American invention. It may simply be that Mohr just wanted to play his guitar for the new song he had co-written.

Click on the image of Franz Gruber to check out what Wikipedia has to say!