"" ("Oh, come, little children") is a German

Christmas carol A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French ori ...

. The lyrics were written by

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

and writer

Christoph von Schmid Christoph von Schmid (15 August 1768 Dinkelsbühl, Bavaria – 3 September 1854 Augsburg) was a writer of children's stories and an educator. His stories were very popular and translated into many languages. His best known work in the English-sp ...

in 1798. His poem "" (The children at the manger) had originally eight verses and was first published in 1811. Schmid then included it in his 1818 collection ' (Flowers dedicated to the flowering age). Together with other poems from this collection, it was then set to music by Franz Xaver Luft in 1837. The music to the poem as it is known today was written by the composer

Johann Abraham Peter Schulz Johann Abraham Peter Schulz (31 March 1747, Lüneburg – 10 June 1800, Schwedt) was a German musician. He is best known as the composer of the melody for Matthias Claudius's poems "Der Mond ist aufgegangen" and " Wir pflügen und wir streuen", ...

in 1794 as a secular song named "" (How charming, how pleasant). Around 1832, this melody was first published with Schmid's poem in a collection ' (Sixty German songs for thirty pennies) by

Friedrich Eickhoff Friedrich Hermann Eickhoff, erroneously also ''Friedrich Heinrich Eickhoff'' (1807 - 1886) was a German teacher, organist and song editor. Until today he is known through the Lieder ''Geh aus, mein Herz, und suche Freud'' and '' Ihr Kinderlein, ...

(1807–1886). This collection was later printed in large numbers by the just founded (1835)

C. Bertelsmann Verlag Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA () is a German privately held company, private multinational corporation, multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation based in Gütersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of the world's l ...

Melody and lyrics

\relative a' \addlyrics Ihr Kinderlein, kommet, o kommet doch all! Zur Krippe her kommet in Bethlehems Stall und seht, was in dieser hochheiligen Nacht der Vater im Himmel für Freude uns macht! O seht in der Krippe im nächtlichen Stall, seht hier bei des Lichtleins hell glänzendem Strahl den reinliche Windeln, das himmlische Kind, viel schöner und holder als Engel es sind! Da liegt es, das Kindlein, auf Heu und auf Stroh, Maria und Josef betrachten es froh. Die redlichen Hirten knien betend davor, hoch oben schwebt jubelnd der Engelein Chor. O beugt wie die Hirten anbetend die Knie, erhebet die Hände und danket wie sie! stimmt freudig zum Jubel der Engel mit ein! O betet: Du liebes, du göttliches Kind, was leidest du alles für unsere Sünd! Ach hier in der Krippe schon Armut und Not, am Kreuze dort gar noch den bitteren Tod. So nimm unsre Herzen zum Opfer denn hin; wir geben sie gerne mit fröhlichem Sinn. Ach mache sie heilig und selig wie Deins und mach sie auf ewig mit Deinem nur eins. Oh, come, little children, oh, come, one and all, To Bethlehem's stable, in Bethlehem's stall. And see with rejoicing this glorious sight, Our Father in heaven has sent us this night. Oh, see in the manger, in hallowèd light A star throws its beam on this holiest sight. In clean swaddling clothes lies the heavenly Child, More lovely than angels, this Baby so mild. Oh, there lies the Christ Child, on hay and on straw; The shepherds are kneeling before Him with awe. And Mary and Joseph smile on Him with love, While angels are singing sweet songs from above. ''Translated by Melanie Schulte (1885–1922)''

References

External links

*, , 2018 {{DEFAULTSORT:Ihr Kinderlein Kommet Christmas in Germany German-language Christmas carols 1832 songs Songs about children 19th-century hymns in German

Melody and lyrics

See also

References

Further reading

External links