12/22/2023
Marieposa
33 Reviews
Translated
Show original
Marieposa
Top Review
45
Silent night
Can you see how heavy the snow weighs on the branches of the fir trees? They bend under its glistening weight and the night air smells of the harsh frost that is yet to come. Even the little bell on your sleigh rings in a strange tone as you make your way through the little forest outside the village, where even the river flows very slowly, ice crusts forming on the banks of the Salzach.
The scent of pine follows you from the snow-covered mountains to the steps of the village church. You know that when you open the door, the congregation will already be gathered. Just push the door open and see how the icy wind extinguishes the candles at the entrance. Follow their delicate veils of smoke into the nave, which is so cold that people's breath condenses into clouds. The flickering light of the candles is reflected in the flaking gold of the ornaments, white wax drips from the Christmas tree onto the straw stars made by the children, who are now sitting on the sparse wooden pews with their hair tightly parted and their braids in the least holey shoes. You can smell that there is more coal than incense in the golden censer that the oldest altar boy claims for himself as he does every year, but the scent of countless masses has long since crept into the beams, the stone walls and the sparse hangings of the pulpit.
Just as you are about to tighten your coat around your shoulders, two men with guitars step forward. The organ has long since been eaten away by mice, but the young priest has promised that there will actually be music at this Christmas mass in the poor boatmen's church. Reverently, Pastor Mohr and Teacher Gruber exchange a glance before letting their fingers glide over the strings of their instruments. Their melody floats through the peaceful silence like a golden light, glistening on furrowed faces and tired eyes, wrapping itself softly around thin shoulders and suddenly the incense becomes sweeter and the air warmer, despite the clouds of breath and shivering fingers.
Something has stepped into the room, sits contemplatively and silently in the wooden benches and smiles out of moving eyes. Soon they will join in the song, unite their voices and be part of a whole for a moment.
Silent night, holy night ...
**
This is roughly how I imagine Christmas Eve 1818 in Oberndorf and I am sure that it must have smelled of Encens Flamboyant when Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber sang "Silent Night, Holy Night" for the first time.
Encens Flamboyant is a cool, light and transparent incense fragrance with a snowy metallic note that could come from black pepper and cardamom, although I can't smell either separately. Due to its fine texture, the filigree fragrance is present, but its silvery shimmer is so diffuse in the room that its source is difficult to discern. Sacred echoes here are less reminiscent of the heavy, warm, ambery wafts of incense from the High Mass and more of a breeze lingering in cool church walls, mingling with the smoke of extinguished candles. In addition, the light tree needle note that incense has by nature is supported here by fir balsam and mastic resin moving from bitter to sweet, giving the impression that the church door has opened and is letting in a breeze of forest air.
Although Encens Flamboyant does not reveal a striking change or even a pyramid structure, the fragrance warms up over time, relaxes irritated nerves, directs the gaze inwards and, for me at least, gives a moment of calm and a warm smile.
The scent of pine follows you from the snow-covered mountains to the steps of the village church. You know that when you open the door, the congregation will already be gathered. Just push the door open and see how the icy wind extinguishes the candles at the entrance. Follow their delicate veils of smoke into the nave, which is so cold that people's breath condenses into clouds. The flickering light of the candles is reflected in the flaking gold of the ornaments, white wax drips from the Christmas tree onto the straw stars made by the children, who are now sitting on the sparse wooden pews with their hair tightly parted and their braids in the least holey shoes. You can smell that there is more coal than incense in the golden censer that the oldest altar boy claims for himself as he does every year, but the scent of countless masses has long since crept into the beams, the stone walls and the sparse hangings of the pulpit.
Just as you are about to tighten your coat around your shoulders, two men with guitars step forward. The organ has long since been eaten away by mice, but the young priest has promised that there will actually be music at this Christmas mass in the poor boatmen's church. Reverently, Pastor Mohr and Teacher Gruber exchange a glance before letting their fingers glide over the strings of their instruments. Their melody floats through the peaceful silence like a golden light, glistening on furrowed faces and tired eyes, wrapping itself softly around thin shoulders and suddenly the incense becomes sweeter and the air warmer, despite the clouds of breath and shivering fingers.
Something has stepped into the room, sits contemplatively and silently in the wooden benches and smiles out of moving eyes. Soon they will join in the song, unite their voices and be part of a whole for a moment.
Silent night, holy night ...
**
This is roughly how I imagine Christmas Eve 1818 in Oberndorf and I am sure that it must have smelled of Encens Flamboyant when Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber sang "Silent Night, Holy Night" for the first time.
Encens Flamboyant is a cool, light and transparent incense fragrance with a snowy metallic note that could come from black pepper and cardamom, although I can't smell either separately. Due to its fine texture, the filigree fragrance is present, but its silvery shimmer is so diffuse in the room that its source is difficult to discern. Sacred echoes here are less reminiscent of the heavy, warm, ambery wafts of incense from the High Mass and more of a breeze lingering in cool church walls, mingling with the smoke of extinguished candles. In addition, the light tree needle note that incense has by nature is supported here by fir balsam and mastic resin moving from bitter to sweet, giving the impression that the church door has opened and is letting in a breeze of forest air.
Although Encens Flamboyant does not reveal a striking change or even a pyramid structure, the fragrance warms up over time, relaxes irritated nerves, directs the gaze inwards and, for me at least, gives a moment of calm and a warm smile.
41 Comments