Recording

Merry Christmas Tonight The Isles of Rhythm

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Listen to a sample of O Holy Night

This nineteenth century French carol is based on a poem by Placide Cappeau and set to music by Adolphe Charles Adam. It was once so popular in France that many people went to church just to hear it sung, despite disapproval of religious authorities who believed it lacked taste and spirituality. The actual reason for the disapproval could be because Cappeau was the commissionaire of wines in the small French town of Roquemaure, and was known more for his poetry than for attending church. He was probably surprised when the parish priest asked him to write a poem for Christmas mass. Cappeau was so pleased with his work that he asked his friend Adolphe Charles Adam, a well-known classical musician, to put it to music. Adam, who was Jewish, didn’t celebrate Christmas but was so moved by the poem that he honored the request.

It was not unusual for Adam to receive requests to write music. Before Cappeau asked him to write the music for O Holy Night, Adam was already known for his one-act operas, such as Pierre et Catherine, and Richard en Palestine. However, his most highly acclaimed works were his ballets, including Faust, La Fille du Danube, and La Jolie Fille de Gand.

— Kevin Sanders, April, 2009