Category Archives: Music History

Silent Night. The History of a Famous Carol

Christmas Eve 1818.  In 1818, the carol “Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht” was heard for the first time in a village church in Oberndorf, Austria. The congregation at that Midnight Mass in St. Nicholas Church listened as the voices of the … Continue reading

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Here Comes Santa Claus

Sinter Klaas Comes To New York St. Nicholas made his first inroads into American popular culture towards the end of the 18th century. In December 1773, and again in 1774, a New York newspaper reported that groups of Dutch families … Continue reading

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Who is St. Nicholas?

St. Nicholas was a Christian bishop who provided for the poor and sick, and is the basis for the popular character of Santa Claus. Born in Patara, a land that is part of present-day Turkey, circa 280, St. Nicholas was … Continue reading

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