Songs by Composer: Franz Xaver Gruber

Franz Xaver Gruber was a composer and teacher from the Austrian Empire (now Austria). He is best known for composing the melody to the Christmas carol “Silent Night” in 1818. The song was written in collaboration with the local priest, Joseph Mohr, who wrote the lyrics. Gruber and Mohr performed the song for the first time on Christmas Eve of that year at the St. Nicholas church in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. The song quickly became popular, translated into many languages, and performed by countless worldwide artists. Gruber died on June 7, 1863 in Hallein, Austria.