Many people associate Christmas with time off from school, spending time with friends and loved ones at home, going over to visit their relatives, and adorning their houses with a barrage of Christmas-themed decorations. They do everything they can to make their houses look merry with Christmas trees to ensure everything is ready for jolly old Santa Claus’s arrival.
But even better, the spirit of Christmas can be communicated through the gentle melodies of beautiful carols, one including “O Holy Night”. This rendition of the song is an a cappella arranged by music producer MattNickleMusic and performed by:
- Junior Maile
- Leland Lealaitafea
- Moana Haretuku
- Hona Seumanu
- Matt Nickle
Before we get to the song, let’s just rewind back time and look into the significance of this charming, timeless holiday melody that is still being sung after 150 years.
The Birth of “O Holy Night”
“O Holy Night” was based on a French poem known as “Midnight, Christians” written by poet Placita Cappeau in 1843. It wasn’t until composer Adolphe Adam turn this poem into a song in 1847, but it still had been sung at that time.
By the end of 1843, a church organ in southern France had been renovated. It’s actually interesting about this carol’s story is that the poet Cappeau wasn’t actually a religious person himself. Despite that, he was convinced by a parish priest to develop a Christmas song and he did just that. Then Adam came later into the picture to compose the music for the carol and the song was first performed in 1857.
Sweet, harmonious melodies aside, the main gist of the song is that it talks about the miraculous birth of Jesus to the virgin mother Mary which celebrated on the night of the 25th of December. The gift of God’s Son to the earth is remembered with thankful hearts that is the spirit of Christmas
Jesus’s birth is otherwise known as the ‘nativity of Jesus’ that has been referred to in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. Both accounts detail that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea at the time when King Herod the Great was still ruling the land, that he was born to the Virgin Mary without being touched by a man, and his birth was the result of divine intervention.
And this is why Christians celebrate Christmas as a way to commemorate and celebrate the moment the savior of man brought glad tidings and goodwill to all who would believe and accept His gift to mankind. as the lyrics say:
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth . . . A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new glorious morn.
You won’t even miss the instruments as these men cover the song with such harmony in their a cappella style that they take the song to new heights.
Their version has earned over 7 million views, watch below to hear their beautiful rendition.
