Carol Story: Anniversary of a Silent Night

Mahalia Jackson, Queen of Gospel, with classic rendition of "Silent Night."

This carol is one of 61 on the playlist of “Carol Story,”  a 10-minute play that tells the story of Christ solely through lyrics of Christmas songs as dialogue.  Learn More.

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"Silent Night" is the quintessential Christmas song. It's virtually impossible for any artist to record a Christmas album and not have a rendition.  In this 200th anniversary of the song's creation, we thought  it fun to expand the variety of recordings of the song to show its durability and to underscore the need to not let musicality overshadow the message of the lyrics.

Sis. Vanetta Pinn, who curated our Carol Story YouTube Playlist, included versions by Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber and Boyz II Men for our re-posting consideration.  We've linked these videos to give a glimpse of vocal variations, musical arranging and technical production growth through the years. 

LEARN MORE:  "Silent Night" 200th anniversary observations

We've also included a medley by KIT Ministries co-founder Vikki J. Myers as a sample of how Christmas music can be merged with non-seasonal worship selections to give a sense of how the Christmas message lasts beyond the holidays.

However, for the purposes of our #CarolStory live presentation, the renditions that best  reflect the backstory nuances are by Andrea Bocelli and Mahalia Jackson . 

In the context of #CarolStory,  the 10-minute worship play, “Silent Night" is woven with five other standard carols — “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," "O Holy Night,” “Hark! The Herald,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” and “The Hallelujah Chorus” to establish the atmosphere of fear, awe and respect that the shepherds experienced when the Heavenly Host appeared on “The Night” when Christ was born. (The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2, verses 8-15)

LEARN MORE:  "Carol Story" The Script

Bocelli, singing in Italian, brings to mind the European feel of the original German carol written by Franz Gruber.  We wonder how Gruber may respond to the variety of arrangements of the song, especially considering the urgent and somewhat controversial circumstances  under which he wrote the piece for Christmas Eve 1818.

LEARN MORE:  History of "Silent Night"

There's a nostalgic prejudice for Mahalia Jackson's version.  It was among the first "church" Christmas songs Michael heard and was a family favorite.  His mother,  not a singer, would sing along whenever the record  (as in vinyl) played , or when the Spirit moved her to burst into song  while baking cookies  thinking she was alone in the kitchen in the middle of the night.

As with other selections in this piece, the lyrics of "Silent Night" are woven throughout the play to move the story along and work effectively as scene exposition transitioning between scenes.

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The Singers

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli is an Italian singer, songwriter, and record producer. Celin Dion, with whom he recorded "The Prayer,"  has said that "if God would have a singing voice, he must sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli."

Bocelli has recorded 15 solo studio albums of both pop and classical music, three greatest hits albums, and nine complete operas, selling over 90 million records worldwide. He has had success as a crossover performer, bringing classical music to the top of international pop charts.

He was born with poor eyesight and became completely blind at age 12, following a football accident.

 "The Prayer," his duet with Celine Dion for the animated film Quest for Camelot ,  won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1999. -- Source:  Wikipedia
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LEARN MORE:  Andre Bocelli Today

Mahalia Jackson

Mahalia Jackson was an American gospel singer. Possessing a powerful contralto voice, she was referred to as "The Queen of Gospel."  She became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world and was heralded internationally as a singer and civil rights activist. She was described by entertainer Harry Belafonte as "the single most powerful black woman in the United States". She recorded about 30 albums (mostly for Columbia Records) during her career, and her 45 rpm records included a dozen "golds"—million-sellers.

"I sing God's music because it makes me feel free,"  Jackson once said about her choice of gospel, adding, "It gives me hope. With the blues, when you finish, you still have the blues." -- Source:  Wikipedia.

Mahalia Jackson is also one of the individuals whose story is included in  the Kingdom Impact Theater production, "Faith, Hope & Love:  History-Making Women of Faith," a one-woman performance by Vikki J.  Myers

LEARN MORE:  Mahalia Jackson Biography