"" (Sweeter the bells never sound) is a popular German

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

with text by Friedrich Wilhelm Kritzinger to a traditional

Volkslied Volkslied (literally: folk song) is a genre of popular songs in German which are traditionally sung. While many of them were first passed orally, several collections were published from the late 18th century. Later, some popular songs were also i ...

melody, first printed in 1860. It has remained popular and is part of many song books and Christmas recordings, evoking the sound of bells as a symbol of peace and joy.

History

The

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

and pedagogue Friedrich Wilhelm Kritzinger wrote the text when he was the director of a seminary for women teachers in

Droyßig Droyßig is a municipality in the Burgenlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. On 1 January 2010 it absorbed the former municipality Weißenborn.Volkslied Volkslied (literally: folk song) is a genre of popular songs in German which are traditionally sung. While many of them were first passed orally, several collections were published from the late 18th century. Later, some popular songs were also i ...

melody, of the evening song "Seht, wie die Sonne dort sinket" (Look how the sun is setting there)", which was documented in

Thuringia Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area. Er ...

from 1841 and in

Silesia Silesia (see names #Etymology, below) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at 8, ...

from 1847.

Franz Magnus Böhme Franz Theodor Magnus Böhme (11 March 1827 in Willerstedt – 18 October 1898 in Dresden) was a German academic, musicologist, composer, folksong collector and writer on music history and folksong. Biography The son of a farmer, Böhme became ...

: ''Volksthümliche Lieder der Deutschen im 18. und 19. Jahrhundert.'' Breitkopf und Härtel, Leipzig 1895, p. 180. It was first printed in 1860 in the collection ''Liederstrauß'' (Song bouquet) by Bernhard Brähmig, who was a music teacher at the teachers' school. Some historians assume that "Seht, wie die Sonne dort sinket" was written before 1826. Karl Kummerel (1822–1857) paraphrased the text in 1847, and is therefore sometimes credited as the author. The popular art song "Dort sinket die Sonne im Westen" is regarded as a source for "Seht, wie die Sonne dort sinket", with a text by Ernst Heinrich Schwabe (1787–1818), a teacher from

Zittau Zittau (; ; ; ; ; Lusatian dialects, Upper Lusatian dialect: ''Sitte''; ) is the southeasternmost city in the Germany, German state of Saxony, and belongs to the Görlitz (district), district of Görlitz, Germany's easternmost Districts of Germ ...

, to which August Harder published a melody 1808, different from "Seht, wie die Sonne dort sinket". The melody of "Seht, wie die Sonne dort sinket" was popular in several variants, including "Das Liebchen im Grabe". Some of the earlier songs mention bells, which may have inspired Kritzinger. From the late 1890s, the song has appeared frequently in

song book A song book is a book containing lyrics for songs. Song books may be simple composition books or spiral-bound notebooks. Music publishers also produced printed editions for group singing. Such volumes were used in the United States by piano man ...

s. The song establishes a pleasant mood in hope for peace and joy.

Text and music

The following text is Kritzinger's original: Süßer die Glocken nie klingen, Als zu der Weihnachtszeit, Ist, als ob Engelein singen Wieder von Frieden und Freud', 𝄆 Wie sie gesungen in seliger Nacht! 𝄇 Glocken mit heiligem Klang, Klingt doch die Erde entlang! O wenn die Glocken erklingen, Schnell sie das Christkindlein hört: Thut sich vom Himmel dann schwingen, Eilet hernieder zur Erd'. 𝄆 Segnet den Vater, die Mutter, das Kind; 𝄇 Glocken mit heiligem Klang, Klingt doch die Erde entlang! Klinget mit lieblichem Schalle Ueber die Meere noch weit, Daß sich erfreuen doch Alle Seliger Weihnachtszeit, 𝄆 Alle aufjauchzen mit einem Gesang! 𝄇 Glocken mit heiligem Klang, Klingt doch die Erde entlang! Sweeter the bells never sound Than at Christmas time It's as if angels are singing Again of peace and joy 𝄆 As they sang on the blessed night 𝄇 Bells with a holy sound The earth rings in harmony! Oh, when the bells ring out Quickly the Christ Child hears them Then swings down from heaven Hurries down to earth 𝄆 Blesses the father, the mother, the child 𝄇 Bells with a holy sound The earth rings in harmony! Ring with lovely sounds Very far over the seas So that all may rejoice In the blessed Christmas time 𝄆 All shout out in glorious song 𝄇 Bells with a holy sound The earth rings in harmony! \header \layout global = % Voices without appended "A" can be used for an alternative harmonization. soprano = \relative c'' sopranoA = \relative c'' % (Alternative) alto = \relative c' altoA = \relative c' % (Alternative) tenor = \relative c' tenorA = \relative c % (Alternative) bass = \relative c bassA = \relative c verse = \lyricmode \score \score

Recordings

"Süßer die Glocken nie klingen" has been included in many collections of Christmas carols, by popular singers including

Peter Alexander Peter Alexander may refer to: * Pete Alexander (born Grover Cleveland Alexander; 1887–1950), American baseball player * Peter Alexander (Shakespearean scholar) (1893–1969), professor of English language and literature at the University of Glasgo ...

, Roy Black,

Helene Fischer Helene Fischer (German: eˈleːnə ˈfɪʃɐ born 5 August 1984) is a German '' schlager'' singer. Since her debut in 2005, she has won numerous awards, including 17 Echo awards, four "''Die Krone der Volksmusik''" awards, and three Bambi awar ...

Heintje Hendrik Nikolaas Theodoor "Heintje" Simons (born 12 August 1955) in Heerlen, later known as Hein Simons, is a Dutch schlager singer and actor. Background Heintje was born the son of a coal miner who had to retire because of silicosis, reduci ...

Vicky Leandros Vasiliki Papathanasiou (, ; born 23 August 1949), known professionally as Vicky Leandros (, ), is a Greek singer living in Germany. She is the daughter of singer, musician and composer Leandros Papathanasiou (also known as Leo Leandros as well ...

Ivan Rebroff Ivan Rebroff (born Hans Rolf Rippert; 31 July 193127 February 2008) was a German vocalist, allegedly of Russian ancestry, who rose to prominence for his distinct and extensive vocal range of four octaves, ranging "from a low F to a high F, one ...

Die Flippers Die Flippers (The Flippers) were a German Schlager group formed in 1964. They were one of the most successful Schlager groups of all time, and have been constantly recording and releasing new music since their self-titled debut album was rele ...

Nana Mouskouri Ioanna "Nana" Mouskouri ( ; born 13 October 1934) is a Greek singer and politician. Over the span of her career, she has released an estimated 450 albums in at least thirteen languages, including Greek language, Greek, French language, French, ...

and

Roger Whittaker Roger Henry Brough Whittaker (22 March 1936 – 13 September 2023) was a Kenyan-born British singer-songwriter and musician. His music is an eclectic mixture of folk music and popular songs, the latter variously in a crooning or in a schlager ...

References

External links

* *
''Süßer die Glocken nie klingen''
im Liederprojekt of

Carus-Verlag Carus-Verlag is a German music publisher founded in 1972 and based in Stuttgart. Carus was founded by choral conductor Günter Graulich and his wife Waltraud with an emphasis on choral repertoire. the catalogue includes more than 26,000 works ...

and SWR
Süßer die Glocken nie klingen
–

Angelika Kirchschlager Angelika Kirchschlager (born 24 November 1965, Salzburg) is an Austrian mezzo-soprano opera and lieder singer. Career Kirchschlager began her musical training at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, where she studied percussion and piano. In 1984, she w ...

(Mezzosopran), Juliane Ruf (Klavier) (podcast, in German) SWR 21 December 2012 {{DEFAULTSORT:Susser Die Glocken Nie Klingen 1860 songs Christmas carols Volkslied

History

Text and music

Recordings

See also

References

Further reading

External links