The melody of this French carol was written by Adolphe Charles Adam, who created his own theater in which to present his own works to the public. He is perhaps best known for his ballet Giselle. The words were written by Clappeau de Roquemaure who wrote poetry for
his own enjoyment. It was later translated into English by John Dwight, a Unitarian minister.
The church authorities of the time denounced the hymn for its lack of musical taste and a "total absence of the spirit of religion"! Perhaps the real objection was that the two authors of this beautiful hymn were Jewish!
On Christmas Eve, 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, the French and German troops were in opposing trenches. One of the Frenchmen stood and sang O Holy Night in honor of the evening. No Germans fired at him.
Instead, one of the Germans reciprocated by singing a German carol.
