O Holy Night
  • WittManWilsonWittManWilson
    Posts: 76
    Does anyone know of a good standard version of "O Holy Night" for soloist, SATB choir, and organ? The version I am thinking of has a soloist on the verses and then full choir on "Fall on your knees..." and "Christ is the Lord..."

    I thought there might be one in public domain, but I've yet to find one, and can't remember who the publisher or arranger was on the one I am thinking of...but I know it's a very old arrangement that my former church used for years.

  • TL
    Posts: 13
    Not free, but...
    http://www.giamusic.com/search_details.cfm?title_id=1311

    And there is this...
    http://www.free-scores.com/free-sheet-music.php?partition_centrale=18&compositeur=adolphe-charles-adam
  • ClergetKubiszClergetKubisz
    Posts: 1,912
    Thats the arrangement by Gribben. We are doing it this year with children's choir as soloist.
  • GavinGavin
    Posts: 2,799
    I usually use the arrangement by Buck:

    http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/2/20/IMSLP295061-PMLP07252-Adam-Buck_O_holy_night_.pdf
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,945
    For others considering the use of O Holy Night, let me put a plug in for the original French Cantique de Noel instead of the treacly English text (which is not really even a paraphrase). The French is a richer text.

    Minuit! Chrétiens! C'est l'heure solennelle
    Où l'homme Dieu descendit jusqu'à nous,
    Pour effacer la tache originelle
    Et de son Père arrêter le courroux.
    Le monde entier tressaille d'espérance
    A cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur.

    Peuple à genoux!
    Attends ta délivrance: Noël! Noël!
    Voici le Rédempteur: Noël! Noël!
    Voici le Rédempteur!

    De notre foi que la lumière ardente
    Nous guide tous au berceau de l'enfant,
    Comme autrefois, une étoile brillante
    Y conduisit les trois chefs d'Orient,
    Le Roi des rois né dans la dépendance
    En lui confond toute humaine grandeur

    Peuple debout!
    Chante ta délivrance! Noël! Noël!
    Chantons le Rédempteur! Noël! Noël!
    Chantons le Rédempteur!

    [Enfin Jésus a brisé toute entrave;
    La terre est libre et le ciel est ouvert.
    Il voit un frère où n'était qu'un esclave
    L'amour unit ceux qu'enchaînait le fer.
    Oh! Qui dira notre reconnaissance
    A ce Jésus, notre aimable Sauveur?]
    Thanked by 4CHGiffen JonLaird fp ClergetKubisz
  • JPike1028
    Posts: 95
    I love the French version. I always sing at least one verse in French because the text is so much more beautiful than the English. As for a choral arrangement, I just heard the Rutter arrangement and thought it was very well done and true to the original composition.
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