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"Away in a Manger" is a Christmas carol first published in the late nineteenth century and used widely throughout the English-speaking world. In Britain, it is one of the most popular carols; a 1996 Gallup Poll ranked it joint second.
Dec 6, 2023 · ‘Away in a Manger’ is a beloved Christmas carol, first published in the late 19th century. Here’s all you need to know about its composer, lyrics, and two famous melodies. Who wrote ‘Away in a Manger’? The origins of this festive favourite haven’t always been clear.
- Sian Moore
Nov 27, 2023 · The history of this beloved Christmas tune is not straightforward because there is confusion over who wrote ‘Away in a Manger’. Originally it was thought to have been written by the German reformer Martin Luther and that he had written the lyrics as a poem to read to his own children.
Bishop William F. Anderson has given the story of the writing of the third stanza: When I was Secretary of the Board of Education, 1904–08, I wanted to use “Away in a manger,” which I found with the designation “Martin Luther's Cradle Song,” in the Children’s Day program one year. It had but two stanzas, 1 and 2.
Aug 28, 2023 · The melody we commonly associate with “Away in a Manger” is actually one of several that have been used over the years. The most popular tune, known as “Mueller,” was first published in 1895 by James R. Murray, who attributed the music to Luther but not the lyrics.
For many years, “Away in a Manger” was widely attributed to Martin Luther, the German theologian and key figure in the Protestant Reformation. This belief was bolstered by the inclusion of the carol in American hymnals from the late 19th century, which cited Luther as the author.
First, the facts. Methodist hymnologist Fred Gealy (1894-1976) noted that “evidence suggests that [“Away in a Manger”] is wholly an American product. The original two-stanza form probably originated among German Lutherans in Pennsylvania about 1885.”
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