Silent Night for SATB, Strings, 2 Horns, and Organ

Silent Night, transcribed from Franz Gruber's 1845 Manuscript for SATB Choir, Strings, Two Horns, and Organ by L. C. Harnsberger. This version features a gorgeous horn solo.

Step back in time with a rarely heard version of Franz Gruber's beloved carol, Silent Night, orchestrated by the composer in 1845. This exquisite transcription, skillfully created by award-winning composer and arranger L. C. Harnsberger, brings to life Gruber’s original manuscript for SATB choir, strings, two horns, and organ. The package includes a full score, instrumental parts, and vocal music, with reproducible vocal sheets to accommodate choirs of any size.

The story of Silent Night is as remarkable as the carol itself. On Christmas Eve in 1818, Franz Gruber, an organist at a small church in Austria, was asked by Joseph Mohr, a young priest from a nearby parish, to set his poem to music. With the church organ broken, Gruber had to compose a melody and arrange it for guitar accompaniment—all in time for that night’s service. Rising to the challenge, he created a timeless masterpiece that went on to become the world’s most popular Christmas carol.

A performance of this transcription is featured in the show “Classical Music Is…Christmas” which is available to view at classicalmusicis.net.

A performance video is available here: https://youtu.be/us-h5lFn424