@gijsje I didn't know it was Dutch! Thought it was German. The organist (you can see him at the lectern in the background) always tells the story of how the song came to be written on Christmas Eve because of a broken church organ. As he's telling the story, the guitarist starts playing and the kids come forward. They sing the song in German (or Dutch!) first, then the congregation sings in English. It's lovely.
@margonaut
Dutch and German have the same title; I think the kids sang the song in German, because that's the language in which the song was written first. Here are the first couplets of both:
In Dutch:
Stille nacht, heilige nacht!
Stille nacht, heilige nacht!
Davids Zoon, lang verwacht,
Die miljoenen eens zaligen zal,
wordt geboren in Bethlehems stal,
Hij, der schepselen Heer,
Hij, der schepselen Heer.
In German:
Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar.
Holder Knab' im lockigen Haar,
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
"Stille nacht" is Dutch...
Dutch and German have the same title; I think the kids sang the song in German, because that's the language in which the song was written first. Here are the first couplets of both:
In Dutch:
Stille nacht, heilige nacht!
Stille nacht, heilige nacht!
Davids Zoon, lang verwacht,
Die miljoenen eens zaligen zal,
wordt geboren in Bethlehems stal,
Hij, der schepselen Heer,
Hij, der schepselen Heer.
In German:
Stille Nacht! Heil'ge Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar.
Holder Knab' im lockigen Haar,
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!