O du fröhliche

"O du fröhliche" (O, how joyful) is a German Christmas carol. The author of the original text was the prominent Weimar "orphan father" Johannes Daniel Falk (1768–1826), who set his lyric to the anonymous hymn-tune "O Sanctissima" (O most holy). Shortly after Falk's death, his former assistant Heinrich Holzschuher () (1798–1847) from Wunsiedel completed the set of three verses that are sung today.

After Falk lost four of his seven children to typhoid fever, he founded the Rettungshaus für verwahrloste Kinder (Rescue house for abandoned children) in Weimar. In late 1815 or early 1816, he dedicated this song to the children of the orphanage. The melody was taken from the anonymous Catholic hymn "O Sanctissima" (also known as "Sicilian Mariners Hymn"), which he found in the posthumous edition of J.G. Herder's Stimmen der Völker in Liedern after hearing it sung by Pietro Granucci, an Italian foundling under his care. In Falk's original text, the song was titled "Allerdreifeiertagslied" (A song for three holidays), highlighting the three major festivals of Christianity: Christmas, Easter and Pentecost.

O du fröhliche, o du selige,
Gnadenbringende Weihnachtszeit!
Welt ging verloren, Christ ist geboren:
Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!

O du fröhliche, o du selige,
Gnadenbringende Osterzeit!
Welt lag in Banden, Christ ist erstanden:
Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!

O du fröhliche, o du selige,
Gnadenbringende Pfingstenzeit!
Christ unser Meister, heiligt die Geister:
Freue, freue dich, o Christenheit!

O (you) joyful, O (you) blessed,
Grace-bringing Christmas time!
The world was lost, Christ is born:
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christendom!

O (you) joyful, O (you) blessed,
Grace-bringing Easter time!
World lay in bondage, Christ is risen:
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christendom!

O (you) joyful, O (you) blessed,
Grace-bringing Pentecost time!
Christ our Master, sanctifies the spirits:
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christendom!

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