O du fröhliche
| "O du fröhliche" | |
|---|---|
| German Christmas carol | |
Print in Evangelisches Kirchengesangbuch | |
| English | O, how joyful |
| Written | 1815/26 |
| Text | by Johannes Daniel Falk, completed by Heinrich Holzschuher |
| Language | German |
| Melody | anonymous "O sanctissima" |
"O du fröhliche" ("Oh, how joyful", literally: "Oh, you joyful ... [Christmastime]") is a German Christmas carol. The author of the original text was the prominent Weimar "orphan father" Johannes Daniel Falk (1768–1826), who set his lyric to the anonymous hymn-tune "O sanctissima" (O most holy). Shortly after Falk's death, his former assistant Heinrich Holzschuher (1798–1847) from Wunsiedel completed the set of three verses that are sung today.