who wrote silent night

Joseph Mohr wrote the lyrics to Silent Night, and Franz Xaver Gruber composed the music. Mohr penned the poem in 1816, and Gruber set it to music in 1818 for the Christmas Eve service in Oberndorf, Austria. The carol is traditionally performed with Mohr’s six-verse text (though most renditions use three verses) and Gruber’s simple, memorable melody. The piece quickly spread beyond Austria and became one of the most beloved Christmas carols worldwide.