As Christmas draws ever closer, thoughts of genea-bloggers both near and far turn to the much-loved holiday tradition of footnote Maven’s annual Blog Caroling Event. Some bloggers have a scores of favorites, others including Miss Penelope Dreadful, feel that old standards (like old friends) need little improvement.
Therefore, once again, not wishing to break with our own tradition, we nominate a lovely old hymn that only gets better with each passing year (like many of us!). This photo snapped one cold night from a castle hotel poised high above the River Rhine is the vision I see in my mind’s eye each time I hear that lovely old hymn. Across the valley, just above the dark winding river’s ribbon, a softly lit spire pierces the night sky. Yes, Stille Nacht remains my favorite carol.
To accompany this photograph, we propose enjoying the hymn as it is performed by the heirloom German music box Mr. Curator inherited from his parents. Throughout the year, the beautiful wooden box was prominently displayed on a high wooden table set in front of a pair of large French windows. Each holiday, the box would be opened, brass records carefully selected, and the hand crank firmly turned. Then the music would begin. Enjoy!
“Silent Night” by Music Box, on The Family Curator’s YouTube Channel,
http://youtu.be/T7-kGKdMOPc.
About Blog Caroling
Our beloved colleague and editor/publisher of Shades of the Departed, the divine fM, came up with the marvelous blog caroling idea on a winter’s eve, many long years ago. This year, as a gift to footnoteMAVEN, we continue to celebrate the tradition, as any good genealogist would do. (With fM’s permission, of course!)
This is The Family Curator’s contribution to Blog Caroling. If you wish to contribute to The Great Blog Caroling Songbook 2015 Edition, please create your musical blogpost, then post your link on the Friends of footnoteMAVEN Facebook Group located here. And, please download and include the 2015 Blog Caroling Songbook logo in your post.
Denise, The Family Curator
What an amazing music box!