Sounding Childhood

O Little Town of Bethlehem

"O Little Town of Bethlehem" is one of the most famous carols contributed by nineteenth-century America.  Pastor Phillips Brooks of Philadelphia had visited the Holy Land and a Christmas Eve service in Bethlehem in 1865.  Recalling that experience two years later, he wrote this song to commemorate the solemness of the town and night, then asked his organist, Lewis Redner, to write a tune.  Their church's children's choir premiered it at the Christmas Eve service in 1867.  The tune-name is named for Lewis, but spelled as St. Louis.  It is still a beautiful melody and message for children to sing today.

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