Stille Nacht sung by Nana Mouskouri

Learn German Pronunciation While Singing

Nana Mouskouri sings Stille Nacht

Silent Night

Webpage by Cliff Lamere 5 Jan 2016

Do you enjoy singing? If so, you will enjoy the exercise below. What better way to learn to pronounce German than by singing along with some fine singers?

Nana Mouskouri has excellent diction. Sing along with her by using the transliteration below.

Understanding 13 Vowel Sounds and 3 Consonant Sound Descriptions Used in this Webpage

American English Description I Use	American English Sound
ah	as in Hah
aw	as in Saw
ā or Ᾱ	long 'a' as in Age
ē or Ē	as in Here
e or eh	as in Set
i or ih	as in Sit
ī or Ī	as in Pipe
nğ	soft ng as in Singer
ō or Ō	as in Hope
oo	as in Moon
ow	as in Cow
oy	as in Toy
ř	almost silent
uh	as in But
û or Û	u as in Put or Push
hh	exhaled sound of CH

Learn German Pronunciation While Singing

1) Listen to the song on the video to familiarize yourself with the melody.

2) Aloud or to yourself, and using the English "text", read/pronounce the song lyrics below (without video).

3) Read the lyrics silently while listening to the video.

4) Sing along with the video.

5) For places of uncertanty, study the pronunciations on my Guide to German Pronunciation for Singers.

Lyrics 1816 by young Roman Catholic priest Joseph Mohr.

In 1818, he requested that Franz Xaver Gruber write a melody for his lyrics.

Stille Nacht was first performed in Austria Christmas Eve 1818.

In 1859, Episcopal priest John Freeman Young (Trinity Church, New York City) published the English translation used today.

Start Times	German Text	English Sound
0:00	Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Alles schläft; einsam wacht Nur das traute hochheilige Paar. Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar, Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh! Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!	Shtil-eh Nahhht, hī-lig-eh Nahhht Ahl-ess shleft; īn-zahm vahhht Noor dahs trow-teh hōhh-hī-lig-eh Pahr Hawl-der Knah-beh im lawk-ē-gen Hahr Shlahf in him-lis-hher Roo Shlahf in him-lis-hher Roo
1:04	Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Hirten erst kundgemacht Durch der Engel Halleluja, Tönt es laut von fern und nah: Christ, der Retter ist da! Christ, der Retter ist da!	Shtil-eh Nahhht, hī-lig-eh Nahhht Hēr-ten ārst kûnd-geh-mahhht Dûrhh dār En-gel Hah-lā-loo-yah Teřt es lowt fawn fārn ûnt nah Krēst, dār Reh-ter ist dah Krēst, dār Reh-ter ist dah
1:54	Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund, Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'. Christ, in deiner Geburt! Christ, in deiner Geburt!	Shtil-eh Nahhht, hī-lih-geh Nahhht Gaw-tes Zōn, ō vē lahhht Lēb' ows dī-nem geřt-lihh-en Mûnt Dah ûns shlegt dē ret-en-deh Shtûnd' Krēst, in dī-ner Gā-bûrt Krēst, in dī-ner Gā-bûrt

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Alles schläft; einsam wacht Nur das traute hochheilige Paar. Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar, Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh! Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!	Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Hirten erst kundgemacht Durch der Engel Halleluja, Tönt es laut von fern und nah: Christ, der Retter ist da! Christ, der Retter ist da!	Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund, Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund'. Christ, in deiner Geburt! Christ, in deiner Geburt!
(English Text: John Freeman Young, 1859)
Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant, so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.	Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight; glories stream from heaven afar, heavenly hosts sing Alleluia! Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born!	Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure light; radiant beams from thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

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