Tuesday, at the Hamilton Monument in Trinity Churchyard, Austria’s Kroll Family Singers and Trinity ensembles performed Silent Night, in celebration of this favorite Christmas Carol’s 200^th anniversary. Although now sung in 300 languages, across many nations, the experience shared between audiences is a message of peace.

Nothing stirs the soul, evokes emotion, and creates memories in the way music does. A familiar tone, or well-known refrain, can return us to a moment, an impression, or arouse sentiment deep within our hearts.

Music has many individual or cultural resonances, yet at times, we can be surprised to find, what we think belongs to us, was actually a gift passed through time and place.

The classic song was first composed and performed on Christmas Eve in the chapel of a small village near Salzburg in the year 1818. In 2011, UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) recognized the song as part of Austria’s cultural heritage, while noting the “universality” of the song.

As a child, my introduction to Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht! (Silent Night, Holy Night) was in German. When I heard it sung in Italian, the melody was instantly recognizable, the impression unchanged. I would hear it sung in Croatian, and English among others, yet with each new introduction to Silent Night, my awareness of its sweeping embrace deepened. My acquaintance evolved to see this song through its connection across borders, across language, across centuries, across lives of people who would never hear it sung in the same way yet were left with a shared feeling – a feeling of gratitude, a feeling of presence, and a kinship with humanity that is PEACE.

I extend my sincere, and profound gratitude to the Austrian Tourist Office for hosting this magnificent event, to the Restaurant Schilling for preparing an excellent, authentic Austrian meal, and to the exquisite Kroll Family singers and Trinity ensembles for their enchanted performance of the Silent Night Christmas Carol on it’s 200th anniversary.

My joyful appreciation and gratitude to the elegant Master of Ceremonies of the evening, my favorite culture & history of music Professor, Fred Plotkin.

I hope you enjoy this short clip of Mr. Plotkin interviewing one of the Kroll Family singers.

Ciao,

Wanda