Stille Nacht - the famous Austrian Christmas carol. Imagine all the lights in a church, bar a few, are turned off. It's late; getting towards 1am. Next this folk hymn starts up. Everyone around you and many listening at home know the words because it's like their second national anthem. How can one fail not to be moved.

This particular version features a harp & organ. I don't know if the lights were mostly turned off in the church but in a fair number of churches I know they are when this song is sung. This version is one of the more beautiful ones I've heard and this song is the sole reason I stay up to midnight on Christmas eve every year.

2011-12-25 - Stille Nacht - Der Pfarre Graz-St Peter in der Steiermark mit Kirchenchor Graz-St Peter

Stille Nacht - the famous Austrian Christmas carol. Imagine all the lights in a church, bar a few, are turned off. It's late; getting towards 1am. Next this folk hymn starts up. Everyone around you and many listening at home know the words because it's like their second national anthem. How can one fail not to be moved.

This particular version features just the organ but it features all 6 verses of the song. All 6 are rarely sung so it was a delight to hear every verse. If only every verse was sung everywhere. I don't know if the lights were mostly turned off in the church but in a fair number of churches I know they are when this song is sung. This song is the sole reason I stay up to midnight on Christmas eve every year.

Stille Nacht - Christmette, Der Pfarre Unterstinkenbrunn, Niederösterreich - ÖRF Regional Radio 2010

BBC - Tropical Diseases - 10 - 9-1954 - Side 2 Of Record 2

BBC - The Flying Bedstead - Jul 10 1953 - Side 2 Of Record 2

BBC - Saturday Excursions - Mountain Music (part 2) - Jul 10 1953 - Side 1 Of Record 2

BBC - Saturday Excursions - Mountain Music (part 1) - Jul 8 1953 - Side 1 Of Record 1

In I think it was the late 1990s, Geoff Muldaur was over from America, playing in the UK. Paul Jones got him in for an interview on Jazz FM and Geoff played one of the most beautiful versions of Motherless Child I've ever heard. It is rare that I say a cover is better than the original but I think this is the case.

It would have been broadcast in stereo but I didn't live close enough to London to pick it up in stereo.

walkingtheboogie