who wrote oh holy night

“O Holy Night” was originally a French Christmas poem and carol written by Placide Cappeau, with the music composed by Adolphe Adam, and the famous English lyrics later written by John Sullivan Dwight.

Main creators

• Lyrics (French): The original text, titled Minuit, chrétiens (Cantique de Noël), was written in 1847 by French poet and wine merchant Placide Cappeau.

• Music: The melody was composed shortly afterward by French composer Adolphe Adam, known for works like the ballet Giselle.

• English version: The well-known English lyrics “O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining…” were written in 1855 by American minister and music critic John Sullivan Dwight.

Quick context

• The poem was commissioned to celebrate the restoration of a church’s stained-glass windows in Roquemaure, France, and was intended for Christmas Midnight Mass.

• Dwight’s English version emphasized themes of hope, human dignity, and the end of oppression, which helped the carol gain popularity in the United States.

TL;DR: The song people know as “O Holy Night” comes from Cappeau’s French poem, Adam’s music, and Dwight’s later English lyrics.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.