转载、综合而来的文字
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平安夜歌曲---Silent Night & O Holy Night
每年的12月25日前后的圣诞节，原来是基督教徒纪念耶稣基督降生的节日。节日期间，各国基督教徒都要举行隆重的纪念仪式，由于人们格外重视，便成为一个全民性的节日，是西方国家一年中最盛大的节日。
西方人以红、绿、白三色为圣诞色，圣诞节来临时家家户户都要用圣诞色来装饰。红色的有圣诞花和圣诞蜡烛。绿色的是圣诞树。它是圣诞节的主要装饰品，
红色与白色相映成趣的是圣诞老人，是圣诞节活动中最受欢迎的人物。儿童在圣诞夜临睡之前，都要在壁炉前或枕头旁放上一只袜子，等候圣诞老人在她们入睡后把礼物放在香香小袜子里。
平安夜最著名的歌曲是“Silent Night”，这首由德奥地区两位小人物莫尔和格鲁伯谱写的优秀圣诞歌曲两百年来脍炙人口，传唱至今。根据路加福音里的记载，耶稣基督降生时，天使向伯利恒郊外的牧羊人报佳音后，高唱颂歌："在至高之处荣耀归于上帝，在地上平安归于他所喜悦的的人"。莫尔牧师写下的歌词是：Silent night, Holy night, All is calm all is bright.
The origin of the Christmas carol we know as Silent Night was a poem that was written in 1816 by an Austrian priest called Joseph Mohr. On Christmas Eve in 1818 in the small alpine village called Oberndorf it is reputed that the organ at St. Nicholas Church had broken. Joseph Mohr gave the poem of Silent Night (Stille Nacht) to his friend Franz Xavier Gruber and the melody for Silent Night was composed with this in mind. The music to Silent Night was therefore intended for a guitar and the simple score was finished in time for Midnight Mass. Silent Night is the most famous Christmas carol of all time!
Silent Night
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love‘s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
另一首同样著名的圣诞歌曲“O Holy Night”就是她的姐妹篇，两首歌曲竟然有着许多相同之处。
“O Holy night”的歌词作者是一位法国的酒场主Placide Clappeau，他在1847年写下这首赞美诗，并由法国的音乐家Adolphe C. Adam 谱写旋律，流传至美国后，由一位波士顿地区的牧师John Sullivan Dwight翻译成英文，歌词有以下三段：
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend!
He knows our need-to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
演唱版本一般只取其中的第一段，加以重唱复唱变化。演唱过这首著名圣诞歌曲的歌星可以说是多不胜数，其中MARIAH CAREY演唱的别有新意，叹为观止。以下是她的演唱版本里部分歌词：
O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior‘s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angels‘ voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine, O night
O night divine
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angels‘ voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine, O night
O night divine
前奏之后，歌手用富有磁性的低音唱出了带有宣示意义的四句歌词，前两句和后两句的旋律有点类似，在后两句的结尾上旋律开始了明显的变化，启示性的预言了将发生的重大变化。
紧接着转入的重复段的前两句是庄严的宣布，旋律的高度开始明显的向上运动，在O night when Christ was born这句上激动略有平复，转为一种深情的歌颂，O night divine, O night的divine上重上一个高度，带来使人深受感动可以泪下的冲击。
漫长的过门以有教堂宗教色彩的电风琴为主奏，和人声的和音一起，伴随着信徒们虔诚的等待。第二次的重复段歌手以高八度开始并以每两句一个八度的音程连续向上上升了两次，带有重复意味的宣告了救主的诞生，如果说在O night when Christ was born上已经是高入云端，那么接着O night divine, O night的divine上已经完全是非人的声音，象是天使们歌唱的天际回音，余音绕梁，可以三日不绝。
祝愿大家圣诞和新年快乐，并在新的一年里喜乐平安。
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