0:00 22nd Dec1945 New York.Unknown pianist (possibly Frederick Schauwecker)
4:25 21st Dec 1946 New York.Unknown pianist (possibly Frederick Schauwecker)
9:04 20th Dec 1954.Stockholm,Pianist Harry Ebert
14:00 8th Feb 1959.Stockholm,Conducter Nils Grevillius
These are the four wonderful recordings that Jussi Bjorling made of O Helga Natt (O Holy Night) in chronological order.
The glass master disc of the first recording (1945) was broken and I've attempted to restore the recording to at least give a performance without gaps, although the recording quality (not the singing) is still very poor.
The 1946 recording is brilliant and was apparently made in New York for short wave transmission to Sweden.
The 1954 recording is live and was made at the Stockholm Southern Hospital.
The 1959 recording should have been in stereo ,but along with others that Jussi recorded on that day it was recorded in mono as the engineer set the equipment wrongly.
The words as sung in Swedish, Jussi's native language are
O helga natt, o helga stund för världen
Då gudamänniskan till jorden steg ned
För att försona världens brott och synder
För oss han dödens smärta led
Och hoppets stråle går igenom världen
Och ljuset skimrar över land och hav

Folk, fall nu neder, och hälsa glatt din frihet
O helga natt, du frälsning åt oss gav
O helga natt, du frälsning åt oss gav

Ty frälsarn krossat våra tunga bojor
Vår jord är fri, himlen öppen nu är
Uti din slav du ser en älskad broder
Och se, din ovän blir dig kär
Från himlen bragte frälsaren oss friden
För oss han nedsteg i sin stilla grav

Folk, fall nu neder, och hälsa glatt din frihet
O helga natt, du frälsning åt oss gav
O helga natt, du frälsning åt oss gav

A translation to English of O Helga Natt is as follows:-
O holy night, o most holy moment in the world
When the son of God steps down onto the earth
To repent the world's crimes and sins
He suffered the pain of death for us
And a ray of hope shines through the world
And the light shimmers across the land and sea

People, fall to your knees, and happily meet your freedom
O holy night, you gave us salvation
O holy night, you gave us salvation

The Saviour removed our heavy shackles
Our Earth is free, heaven is open now
You see a beloved brother within your slave
And see, even your enemy loves you
The Saviour brought us peace from Heaven
And he descended to his quiet grave for us

People, fall to your knees, and happily meet your freedom
O holy night, you gave us salvation
O holy night, you gave us salvation
I've restored/remastered quite a few of Jussi's wonderful recordings either separately or as part of compilation videos and if you want to listen to them all the link to the playlist is
[ Ссылка ]-

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