Christmas in Austria is the time of year when family members get together for hours of quiet and thoughtful celebration. The Christmas tree plays a most important part. Every town sets up its own huge tree on the main square and frequently there will be an extra one, adorned with bread crumbs, for the birds….
Throughout nearly a century and a half, scores of legends have been woven around the conception and composition of the world’s most simple and beautiful Christmas song, “Silent Night, Holy Night.” The story itself hardly needs embellishment. Neither scholarly nor mystic interpretations are necessary, and one need not even ask what impelled the Rev. Josef…