"O Holy Night" (also known as "Cantique de Noël") is a well-known Christmas carol composed by
Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" (Midnight, Christians) by poet Placide Cappeau (1808–1877). The carol reflects on the birth of Jesus as humanity's redemption.
In Roquemaure at the end of 1843, the church organ had recently been renovated. To celebrate the event, the parish priest persuaded poet Placide Cappeau, a native of the town, to write a Christmas poem. Soon afterwards that same year,
Adolphe Adam composed the music. The song was premiered in Roquemaure in 1847 by the opera singer Emily Laurey.
Unitarian minister John Sullivan Dwight, editor of Dwight's Journal of Music, wrote the English version in 1855. This version became popular in the United States, especially in the North, where the third verse resonated with abolitionists, including Dwight himself.
The song has been recorded by numerous well-known popular-music, classical-music, and religious-music singers. Some notable versions include:
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
