French Horn in F & Piano - Early Intermediate - Digital Download Composed by Robert Schumann. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Romantic Period, General Worship, Repertoire, Anniversary, Recital. Score, Set of Parts. 6 pages. Published by jmsgu3

French Horn,Piano - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.549460 Composed by Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Instructional,Romantic Period,Sacred,Standards. Score and part. 15 pages. Jmsgu3 #3497289. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.549460). Score: 10 pages, solo part: 2 pages, piano part: 3 pages. Duration: 4:25. Not difficult, but requires sensitivity & dynamic control. Suitable for recitals, church meditations, or school programs. School Years First of all, Sullivan attended music school at the Royal Academy of Music. Because Sullivan was so talented, the Academy awarded him the Mendelssohn Scholarship for two years in a row. He, therefore, studied with John Goss, who studied with Thomas Atwood, who in turn studied with Mozart. Sullivan similarly studied the piano at the Academy with Arthur O’Leary. Study Abroad During his first year, he also earned money by singing solos in the Chapel Royal. At the end of his second year, the Academy consequently continued his scholarship and sent him to study at the Leipzig Conservatoire. He certainly studied composition, and likewise counterpoint and piano. Hence, during his final year in Leipzig, Sullivan finally completed his graduation composition project: Incidental Music for Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Association with Gilbert It seems like Sullivan built the bulk of his composing career largely in the 1860s. As a result, he became famous for his incidental music for the Tempest and his Irish Symphony. He, therefore, began collaborating with the poet W. S. Gilbert in the 1870s. Rather than focus on serious opera, Gilbert and Sullivan, in contrast, concentrated on comic opera such as H. M. S. Pinafore, the Pirates of Penzance, and the Mikado. Therefore, certainly as a result of his education and experience, Sullivan composed a total of 24 operas, 11 symphonic works, 10 choral pieces. Even more, he wrote a large number of noteworthy hymns such as Onward Christian Soldiers. Lost Chord The general style of his music is maybe similar to Mendelssohn, Schumann, and perhaps Liszt. It seems like Sullivan was fond of writing distinct melodies for each character in his operettas. His melodies combine together as the characters did. Furthermore, he was a master orchestrator, and therefore played the flute, clarinet, trumpet, and trombone fluently. The Lost Chord Sullivan wrote his most noteworthy song the Lost Chord in 1877. As a result, it was a great success and was certainly performed all over the world by a variety of singers such as Enrico Caruso. Because Sullivan was the most famous composer in England, the Lost Chord became the most famous of all British or American songs of the 1870s and 1890s. Consequently, in 1888 Thomas Edison recorded The Lost Chord for the phonograph. It was one of the first songs ever recorded. Furthermore, Queen Victoria knighted Sullivan in 1883.  

French Horn,Piano - Level 5 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1470146 Composed by Cecile Chaminade. Arranged by Ralph Sauer. 19th Century,Romantic Period. Score and part. 35 pages. Gordon Cherry #1047893. Published by Gordon Cherry (A0.1470146). Cécile Chaminde was a French composer and pianist who gained so much popularity with her musical compositions that she was awarded the Légion d'Honneur, a first for a female composer.Chaminade's Six Romances, Op. 76 for Horn and Piano were originally composed for solo Piano, each one being dedicated to a different gentleman.The six movements are titled:1. Souvenance2. Élévation3. Idylle4. Églogue5. Méditation6. Chanson BretonneThe length of the entire six movement suite as arranged by Ralph Sauer is about sixteen minutes and playable by advanced performers.

French Horn,Piano - Level 2 - Digital Download SKU: A0.549855 Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Baroque,Concert,Easter,Sacred,Standards. Score and part. 12 pages. Jmsgu3 #3555101. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.549855). Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Awake, the voice is calling us) from Cantata BWV 140. Duration: ca. 4:00, Score: 6 pages, solo part 1 page, piano part: 4 pages. Program this for church services during the Easter season, weddings, or as a recital encore.Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Awake, the Voice is calling us) also known as: Sleepers Awake Bach composed his church cantata Wachet auf (BWV 140) as part of his second annual cantata cycle covering the entire annual church calendar. It is based on the hymn of the same name by Philipp Nicolai (1599). The hymn text covers the readings for the 27th Sunday after Trinity. Bach designed the cantata in seven movements, setting the stanzas in various forms. Among these forms are the chorale fantasia, the chorale prelude, and a four-part chorale. He casts the new lyrics as recitatives – in a manner similar to the opera. Fourth Movement Bach writes the fourth movement, Zion hört die Wächter singen (Zion hears the watchmen singing), in the style of a chorale prelude with the chorale phrases performed as a strict cantus firmus. The phrases seem to enter at times erratically against the famous lyrical melody. The violins play this melody in unison as a foil against the cantus phrases. The violin melody is so independent and complete that when the cantus melody appears it catches the listener at times totally off-guard. Bach later transcribed this movement for organ (BWV 645). This transcription became No. 1 of the Six Schübler Chorales. Bach Overview First of all, Johann Sebastian Bach is maybe the greatest composer in music history. Certainly, he was prolific. As a result, everyone has heard of his works. Furthermore, these works number well over a thousand. It seems like people are probably most familiar with the instrumental works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. But, similarly famous are such noteworthy works as the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Musical Offering, and certainly the Art of Fugue. Seems like his most famous vocal works include the most noteworthy Mass in B Minor. Also, most noteworthy, though, are the St. John Passion, and certainly the Christmas Oratorio.  History Bach came from a long line of musicians and above all, composers. Consequently, he, first of all, pursued a career as a church organist. So as a result, he gained employment in various Protestant churches in Germany. For a while, he worked as a court musician in Weimar and Köthen. Here he probably developed his organ style and likewise his chamber music style. Eventually, he, therefore, gained an appointment as Cantor of St. Thomas in Leipzig. Here he worked until difficulties with his employer ultimately drove him away. The King of Poland finally appointed him as court composer.  Style It seems like Bach created a fascinating new international style. He synthesized elements of the most noteworthy European music ideas into his new style. Even more, this new style was probably his synthesis of European musical rhythm and form. Furthermore, he demonstrated a complete mastery of counterpoint and motivic development. His sense of harmonic organization probably propelled him to the top. Revival               Mendelssohn conducted a Bach revival in the nineteenth century. His effort probably helped to re-familiarize the public with the magnitude of Bach’s works. During this period, scholars published many noteworthy Bach biographies. Moreover, Wolfgang Schmieder published the BWV (Bach Werke Verzeichnis). As a result, this is now the official catalog of his entire artistic output. The BWV number allows us to locate a work in the catalog. Sometimes scholars will simply use an S (Schmieder) as an abbreviation for BWV. &n.

French Horn,Piano - Level 2 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1303414 Composed by Gabriel Faure. Arranged by Harry Walker. 19th Century,Contest,Festival,Romantic Period. Score and part. 8 pages. SCORE EDITIONS #892988. Published by SCORE EDITIONS (A0.1303414). This mélodie is the first in a set of three songs, opus 7, which also comprises Hymne and Barcarolle respectively. All three were composed between 1870 and 1877, then collected and published in 1878 under the title Trois Mélodies. Not originally conceived as a song cycle, these three songs acquired this opus number much later, in the 1890s. The poem for Après un rêve was loosely adapted from an anonymous Italian text by Romain Bussine. It describes, in the form of a dream, the imaginary flight of two lovers who are head over heels in love, although the last verse brings the dreamer inexorably back to harsh reality as dawn is breaking. In this version, the composition was arranged for Horn in F and Piano by Harry Walker.

French Horn,Piano - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.548717 Composed by Martin Luther. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Easter,Instructional,Standards. Score and part. 4 pages. Jmsgu3 #3411743. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.548717). Out of the Depths I Cry to You by Martin Luther arranged for French horn & piano. The first verses feature modified counterpoint and harmony proceeding at quarter = 82. The final verse is reharmonized for maximum dramatic effect at a more contemplative tempo such as quarter = 64. Features the entire range of the instrument. Very powerful selection for Lent or Easter. Duration (3 verses) 3:05, 36 ms. Score: 3 pg. Solo part: 1 pg. The piano reads from the score. Out of the Depths Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (From deep affliction I cry out to you), is, of course, a hymn composed by Martin Luther. Moreover, Luther also wrote the lyrics, essentially a paraphrase of Psalm 130. First published in 1524, it is also one of eight songs in the original Lutheran hymnal. It appears likewise in many hymnals and in different translations. The lyrics furthermore stimulated compositions from the Renaissance to the contemporary. Consequently, composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach built an entire chorale cantata on it. Other composers similarly contributed pieces, such as Felix Mendelssohn and Max Reger. Luther Background Martin Luther, (1483 –1546) was a German professor of theology, composer, priest, and moreover, an influential character in the Protestant Reformation. Luther had a momentous impact on church and society due to his contributions to the musical arts. He wanted to disseminate the gospel among mankind and with this intention thought that the best way to do that was through music. Influence It is important to realize that other musicians, and their descendants, were encouraged by Luther’s songs and wrote their own hymns. Luther, to be sure, had a thorough musical education. For example, he knew secular and sacred songs from an early age. He, in particular, played the lute well and sang in the monastery when he was a monk. That is to say, music was an essential part of his life. He in fact first began writing songs in 1523, sometimes writing the melody as well as the lyrics. Luther was certainly able to evaluate the composers of his time. He thought especially highly of Josquin des and Ludwig Senfl. He was also acquainted, with this in mind, with other composers and their works. Legacy The Lutheran musical ethos soon covered all of Germany and later significantly fashioned Protestant musical culture. Heinrich Schütz and Johann Sebastian Bach are the most compelling evidence of this Protestant musical culture. Additionally, as a point often overlooked, the pedal organ, first refined in northern Germany, became universally prevalent. As a matter of fact, Dieterich Buxtehude established a regular evening organ concert series in Lübeck. Another key point is that this concert series, in turn, spread North German Musical ideas worldwide. Luther was especially convinced that music is a beautiful and exclusive offering of the divine.

French Horn,Piano - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.941201 Composed by Robert Lowry. Arranged by David M. Sampson. Christian,Sacred. Score and part. 19 pages. David M. Sampson #5983835. Published by David M. Sampson (A0.941201). This is an arrangement of the hymn We're Marching to Zion by Isaac Watts, music by Robert Lowry. It's written for solo horn with piano accompaniment.The piece is a rondo with themes also from Oh, Say But I'm Glad and When Love Shines In.This piece is dedicated to Drew Boling, a talented church musician who finally lost his battle with cancer in 2011.  He was a fellow horn player at Highview Baptist Church, Louisville, KY, and a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and formerly served as minister of music and worship at several local churches.

French Horn,Piano - Level 2 - Digital Download SKU: A0.550928 Composed by J. S. Bach - Gounod. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christmas,Easter,Standards. Score and part. 12 pages. Jmsgu3 #4888367. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.550928). This arrangement features the controversial Schwencke measure (ms. 27) that was originally introduced in 1783 by Christian Friedrich Gottlieb Schwencke. The convenient 1st & 2nd endings provide an option for extended performance. Duration with repeat - 4:50. Score: 7 pages. Solo part: 1 page, piano part: 4 pages. Based on Prelude #1 in C Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1. Well suited for church meditations or school programs or recital encores.  Ave Maria Ave Maria is a Catholic prayer that consequently asks for the mother of Jesus (Mary) to intercede. Charles Gounod composed a famous version of the Ave Maria. He was a French Romantic composer who overlaid a new melody on an existing Bach chord progression. The progression is from Bach’s Prelude No. 1 from Well-Tempered Clavier I. This version, as well as Schubert’s version, have become essential items at weddings, masses, and funerals. Bach Overview First of all, Johann Sebastian Bach is maybe the greatest composer in music history. Certainly, he was prolific. As a result, everyone has heard of his works. Furthermore, these works number well over a thousand. It seems like people are probably most familiar with instrumental works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. But, similarly famous are such noteworthy works as the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Musical Offering, and the Art of Fugue. Seems like his most famous vocal works include the most noteworthy Mass in B Minor. Also, most noteworthy, though, are the St. John Passion, and certainly the Christmas Oratorio.  History Bach came from a long line of musicians and above all, composers. Consequently, he, first of all, pursued a career as a church organist. So as a result, he gained employment in various Protestant churches in Germany. For a while, he worked as a court musician in Weimar and Köthen. Here he probably developed his organ style and likewise his chamber music style. Eventually, he, therefore, gained an appointment as Cantor of St. Thomas in Leipzig. Here he worked until difficulties with his employer ultimately drove him away. The King of Poland finally appointed him as a court composer.  Style It seems like Bach created an engaging new international style. He synthesized elements of the most noteworthy European music ideas into his new style. Even more, this new style was probably his synthesis of European musical rhythm and form. Furthermore, he demonstrated a complete mastery of counterpoint and motivic development. His sense of harmonic organization probably propelled him to the top. Revival               Mendelssohn conducted a Bach revival in the nineteenth century. His effort probably helped to re-familiarize the public with the magnitude of Bach’s works. During this period, scholars published many noteworthy Bach biographies. Moreover, Wolfgang Schmieder published the BWV (Bach Werke Verzeichnis). As a result, this is now the official catalog of his entire artistic output. The BWV number allows us to locate a work in the catalog. Sometimes scholars will simply use an S (Schmieder) as an abbreviation for BWV.  Voyager NASA launched two Voyager spacecraft in 1977. Onboard are phonograph records with sounds, music, and images of life on Earth. The purpose of the launch was to inform intelligent extraterrestrial life forms about conditions on Earth. The music on the disc is varied. There is Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Stravinsky among others. However, because Bach is so important in our music history, it contains three times more Bach than all the others combined.

French Horn,Piano - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.549349 By Barry Manilow. By Bruce Johnston. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Contemporary,Rock. Score and part. 8 pages. Jmsgu3 #3486771. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.549349). Duration: ca. 3:00, score: 5 pages, solo part: 1 page, piano part: 2 pages.Very famous song suitable for church, recital or nightclub. I Write the Songs is a popular song written by Bruce Johnston in 1975 and made famous by Barry Manilow. Manilow's version reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1976[2] after spending two weeks atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart in December 1975.[3] It won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year and was nominated for Record of the Year in 1977.[3] Billboard ranked it as the No. 13 song of 1976.[4]The original version was recorded by The Captain & Tennille, who worked with Johnston in the early 1970s with The Beach Boys. It appears on their 1975 album, Love Will Keep Us Together. The first release of I Write the Songs as a single was by then teen-idol David Cassidy from his 1975 solo album The Higher They Climb, which was also produced by Bruce Johnston. Cassidy's version reached #11 on the UK Singles Chart in August of that year.[5]Johnston has stated that, for him, the I in the song is God,[2] and that songs come from the spirit of creativity in all of us. He has said that the song is not about his Beach Boys bandmate Brian Wilson.[6]Manilow was initially reluctant to record the song, stating in his autobiography Sweet Life: The problem with the song was that if you didn't listen carefully to the lyric, you would think that the singer was singing about himself. It could be misinterpreted as a monumental ego trip.[3] After persuasion by Clive Davis, then president of Arista Records, Manilow recorded the song, and his version of I Write the Songs was the first single taken from the album Tryin' to Get the Feeling. It first charted on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 15, 1975, reaching the top of the chart nine weeks later, on January 17, 1976. Wikipedia

French Horn,Piano - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.549790 Composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Children,Christmas,Romantic Period,Standards. Score and part. 11 pages. Jmsgu3 #3537327. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.549790). Duration: ca 1:00 Score: 5 pages, Solo part: 2 pages, piano part: 3 pages. Short but fascinating Chinese Dance from the Nutcracker Suite. Program this for a recital encore or Christmas pageant. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Tchaikovsky is probably the most popular of the great composers in America. His music certainly appeals to musicians. Likewise, it appeals even to folks who don’t normally listen to serious music. This is probably because of his most noteworthy melodies. Above all, he writes with great emotion. This certainly makes a most noteworthy if not an unforgettable impact. Education First of all, He attended classes at the Russian Musical Society. Even more, He also attended the St. Petersburg Conservatory. There he studied music theory with Nikolai Zaremba. He also consequently studied composition with Anton Rubenstein. It seems like Rubenstein came under criticism from a group of Russian composers known as the Five. The Five The Five certainly rejected Western musical influences. They rather sought to use elements from Russian music. They furthermore wanted to use more exotic musical materials. Western Techniques More than other Russian composers, Tchaikovsky studied modern Western music. He certainly develops his music like the European masters. So, rather than repeating a motive, he moves to a new key. He then introduces a different theme in the new key. Hence, he maintained his independence from the Five. Even more, he became the first Russian composer of international stature. Influences Tchaikovsky was probably influenced in his ballet scoring by Léo Delibes. Richard Wagner influenced his symphonic writing. Tchaikovsky’s most famous works include the 1812 Overture, The Nutcracker Suite, and Swan Lake. Also famous are the Violin Concerto in D and the six symphonies. The greatest of the six symphonies may be No. 6, the Pathétique. Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a The Nutcracker Suite is a ballet that was performed for the first time in December 1892 in St. Petersburg. To begin with, the original ballet failed to attract a positive reception. However, the ballet suite became probably one of the most popular of all of Tchaikovsky’s works. The ballet suite became even more famous in the 1960s. It is now performed all over the world, particularly during the Christmas season.

French Horn,Piano - Level 2 - Digital Download SKU: A0.549371 Composed by Bach-Gounod. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christmas,Contemporary,Easter,Wedding. Score and part. 11 pages. Jmsgu3 #3491319. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.549371). This arrangement follows the original Bach prelude and so excludes the extra measure that Schwencke introduced in 1783. If you prefer the extra measure, please see Bach-Gounod: Ave Maria, Schwencke version for French Horn & Piano, S0.661839 . The convenient 1st & 2nd endings provide an option for extended performance with minimal page turns for the accompanist. The duration with repeat is about 4:50. Score: 6 pages. Solo part: 1 page, piano part: 4 pages. Based on Prelude #1 in C Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1. Well suited for church meditations or school programs or recital encores. Ave Maria Ave Maria is a Catholic prayer that consequently asks for the mother of Jesus (Mary) to intercede. Charles Gounod composed a famous version of the Ave Maria. He was a French Romantic composer who overlaid a new melody on an existing Bach chord progression. The progression is from Bach’s Prelude No. 1 from Well-Tempered Clavier I. This version, as well as Schubert’s version, have become essential items at weddings, masses, and funerals. Bach Overview First of all, Johann Sebastian Bach is maybe the greatest composer in music history. Certainly, he was prolific. As a result, everyone has heard of his works. Furthermore, these works number well over a thousand. It seems like people are probably most familiar with instrumental works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. But, similarly famous are such noteworthy works as the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Musical Offering, and the Art of Fugue. Seems like his most famous vocal works include the most noteworthy Mass in B Minor. Also, most noteworthy, though, are the St. John Passion, and certainly the Christmas Oratorio.  History Bach came from a long line of musicians and above all, composers. Consequently, he, first of all, pursued a career as a church organist. So as a result, he gained employment in various Protestant churches in Germany. For a while, he worked as a court musician in Weimar and Köthen. Here he probably developed his organ style and likewise his chamber music style. Eventually, he gained an appointment as Cantor of St. Thomas in Leipzig. Here he worked until difficulties with his employer ultimately drove him away. The King of Poland finally appointed him as court composer.  Style It seems like Bach created an engaging new international style. He synthesized elements of the most noteworthy European music ideas into his new style. Even more, this new style was probably his synthesis of European musical rhythm and form. Furthermore, he demonstrated a complete mastery of counterpoint and motivic development. His sense of harmonic organization probably propelled him to the top. Revival               Mendelssohn conducted a Bach revival in the nineteenth century. His effort probably helped to re-familiarize the public with the magnitude of Bach’s works. During this period, scholars published many noteworthy Bach biographies. Moreover, Wolfgang Schmieder published the BWV (Bach Werke Verzeichnis). As a result, this is now the official catalog of his entire artistic output. The BWV number allows us to locate a work in the catalog. Sometimes scholars will simply use an S (Schmieder) as an abbreviation for BWV.  

French Horn,Piano - Level 2 - Digital Download SKU: A0.810158 Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by Daniel C. M. Baroque,Concert,Standards,Wedding. Score and part. 3 pages. Daniel C. M. #5302605. Published by Daniel C. M. (A0.810158). Also known as Air on the G string. This is an easy arrangement for french horn and piano. The rhythm has been simplified to the double of its lenght for an easier reading. Some secondary voices have been eliminated or slightly changed for the piano part and the principal melody on the horn is written almost as the original.

French Horn,Piano - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.549834 Composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Children,Christmas,Romantic Period,Standards. Score and part. 48 pages. Jmsgu3 #3553495. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.549834). Duration: 6:12, Score: 29 pages, Solo part: 6 pages, Piano part: 12 pages. This is the grand finale of the Nutcracker Suite. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Tchaikovsky is probably the most popular of the great composers in America. His music certainly appeals to musicians. Likewise, it appeals even to folks who don’t normally listen to serious music. This is probably because of his most noteworthy melodies. Above all, he writes with great emotion. This certainly makes a most noteworthy if not an unforgettable impact. Education First of all, He attended classes at the Russian Musical Society. Even more, He also attended the St. Petersburg Conservatory. There he studied music theory with Nikolai Zaremba. He also consequently studied composition with Anton Rubenstein. It seems like Rubenstein came under criticism from a group of Russian composers known as the Five. The Five The Five certainly rejected Western musical influences. They rather sought to use elements from Russian music. They furthermore wanted to use more exotic musical materials. Western Techniques More than other Russian composers, Tchaikovsky studied modern Western music. He certainly develops his music like the European masters. So, rather than repeating a motive, he moves to a new key. He then introduces a different theme in the new key. Hence, he maintained his independence from the Five. Even more, he became the first Russian composer of international stature. Influences Tchaikovsky was probably influenced in his ballet scoring by Léo Delibes. Richard Wagner influenced his symphonic writing. Tchaikovsky’s most famous works include the 1812 Overture, The Nutcracker Suite, and Swan Lake. Also famous are the Violin Concerto in D and the six symphonies. The greatest of the six symphonies may be No. 6, the Pathétique. Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a The Nutcracker Suite is a ballet that was performed for the first time in December 1892 in St. Petersburg. To begin with, the original ballet failed to attract a positive reception. However, the ballet suite became probably one of the most popular of all of Tchaikovsky’s works. The ballet suite became even more famous in the 1960s. It is now performed all over the world, particularly during the Christmas season.  

French Horn,Piano - Level 1 - Digital Download SKU: A0.548488 Composed by Gruber. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Christmas. Score and part. 3 pages. Jmsgu3 #3387055. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.548488). Silent Night arranged for French Horn & Piano with new harmony for the third verse. Score: 2 pg. Part: 1 pg. Silent Night Origins Father Joseph Mohr wrote the lyrics for a new Christmas Carol. He wanted the new carol for his Christmas Eve Mass. With only a couple of hours until the service, He asked organist and schoolteacher Franz Gruber to write a melody and simple accompaniment to go with the lyrics. The result is probably the most famous of all Christmas carols – Silent Night. First Performance Perhaps because the organ was undergoing repairs, or to make sure the accompaniment was easy enough, Mohr asked Gruber to write it for the guitar. Mohr played the guitar, and both Mohr and Gruber gave the world premiere performance at the Christmas Eve Mass in 1818 at St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf in Salzburg. Original Score Eventually, the original score became lost, and consequently, Mohr's name was largely forgotten.  Though the public originally recognized Gruber as the composer, many people over time began rumors that a more famous composer was responsible. Thus, they floated the names of Haydn, Mozart, and even Beethoven. Authorities eventually settled the matter when a manuscript in Mohr’s handwriting turned up in 1820. Consequently, we learn that Mohr wrote the lyrics in 1816, and Gruber composed the melody in 1818. Popularity Nonetheless, Silent Night is still very popular. Singers have performed this song in nearly every genre and in multiple languages. Perhaps the most famous version is the one Bing Crosby crafted. This version is the third best-selling physical single recording in the history of recorded music. This particular recording was released in 1935 and sold at least 30 million copies. Only two songs have ever sold more. Elton John released Candle in the Wind in 1997 and sold 33 million copies. The record for most copies ever sold goes to Bing Crosby. He released White Christmas in 1942 and sold 50 million physical copies. Register for free lifetime updates and revisions at www.jamesguthrie.com