Jussi Bjorling : His four recordings of O Helga Natt (O Holy Night) in chronological order

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    • Jussi Bjorling : Four more excellent re-ma...