Hymnwriter

Last updated

A hymnwriter (or hymn writer, hymnist, hymnodist, hymnographer, etc.) is someone who writes the text, music, or both of hymns. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, the composition of hymns dates back to before the time of David, who is traditionally believed to have composed many of the Psalms. [1] The term hymnodist, in the United States more than in other regions, broadens the scope to include the study of hymns.[ citation needed ]

Contents

History

Early Church and Middle Ages

Many hymn writers in the early Church gained prominence and achieved canonisation. Saint John of Damascus (c.675 or 676 – 749) was noted for his work as a hymn writer; some of the most popular English hymns which are translations of his works include Come ye faithful, raise the strain, Let us rise in early morning and The day of resurrection, all associated with the season of Eastertide and all translated by John Mason Neale. [2]

Most early hymnists were anonymous, so it is uncertain how many of them were women. [3] Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179) is the earliest known female hymnist outside hymnists recorded in the Bible. [4]

Post-Reformation

Many leaders of the Reformation, including Martin Luther (1483–1546) himself, were hymn writers; Luther's work included "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" ("A mighty fortress is our God") and "Christ lag in Todesbanden (Christ Jesus lay in death's strong bonds)". [5] Lutherans continued to compose hymns, and some of the popular hymn writers of the 16th and 17th centuries included the three saints commemorated in the American Lutheran Calendar of Saints on 26 October: Philipp Nicolai (1556–1608), [6] Johann Heermann (1585–1647), [7] and Paul Gerhardt (1607–76). [8] Michael Praetorius (1571–1621), [9] and Johann Crüger (1598–1662) [10] also gained renown as German Lutheran hymn writers of that era.

In the English-speaking world, the art of writing hymns was brought to prominence by the approximately 750 hymns composed by Isaac Watts (1674–1748), [11] followed by the almost tenfold Watts' output[ clarification needed ] composed a generation later by co-founder of Methodism, Charles Wesley (1707–88). [12]

Nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries

Major modern publishers include the Jubilate Group and Stainer & Bell in the UK; CanticaNOVA Publications, World Library Publications and Oregon Catholic Press in the US; and Willow Publishing in Australia.

Leading British hymn writers have included John Henry Newman (1801–1890), John Mason Neale (1818–1866), William Herbert Jude (1851–1922), Timothy Dudley-Smith (1926–2024), Michael Perry (1942–96), Michael Saward (1932–2015), Christopher Idle (born 1938), Fred Pratt Green (1903–2000), as well as James Quinn (1919–2010) and Brian Foley (1919–2000). More recent evangelical hymn/songwriters have included Stuart Townend (born 1963), Keith Getty (born 1974) and his wife Kristyn Getty (born 1980).

Other modern hymn writers include French-American Lucien Deiss (1921–2007) and Australian duo James McAuley (1917–76) and Richard Connolly (born 1927). In the 21st century, Lu Xiaomin composed over 1,800 songs of praise for Chinese house churches, called the Canaan Hymns.

Hymn writers who have been canonised

This list is incomplete. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Catholic

Lutheran

Anglican

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lutheran chorale</span> Musical setting of a Lutheran hymn

A Lutheran chorale is a musical setting of a Lutheran hymn, intended to be sung by a congregation in a German Protestant Church service. The typical four-part setting of a chorale, in which the sopranos sing the melody along with three lower voices, is known as a chorale harmonization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Gerhardt</span> German Lutheran theologian and hymn writer (1607–1676)

Paul Gerhardt was a German theologian, Lutheran minister and hymnodist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philipp Nicolai</span> German Lutheran pastor and hymnwriter (1556–1608)

Philipp Nicolai was a German Lutheran pastor, poet, and composer. He is most widely recognized as a hymnodist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herzliebster Jesu</span> Lutheran hymn written by Johann Heermann in 1630

"Herzliebster Jesu" is a Lutheran Passion hymn in German, written in 1630 by Johann Heermann, in 15 stanzas of 4 lines, first published in Devoti Musica Cordis in Breslau. As the original headline reveals, it is based on Augustine of Hippo; this means the seventh chapter of the so-called "Meditationes Divi Augustini", presently ascribed to John of Fécamp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O Sacred Head, Now Wounded</span> Christian Passion hymn

"O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" is a Christian Passion hymn based on a Latin text written during the Middle Ages. Paul Gerhardt wrote a German version which is known by its incipit, "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Es ist ein Ros entsprungen</span> Christmas carol and Marian Hymn of German origin

"Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" is a Christmas carol and Marian hymn of German origin. It is most commonly translated into English as "Lo, how a rose e'er blooming" and is also called "A Spotless Rose" and "Behold a Rose of Judah". The rose in the German text is a symbolic reference to the Virgin Mary. The hymn makes reference to the Old Testament prophecies of Isaiah, which in Christian interpretation foretell the Incarnation of Christ, and to the Tree of Jesse, a traditional symbol of the lineage of Jesus. Because of its prophetic theme, the hymn is popular during the Christian season of Advent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johann Heermann</span> German poet hymn-writer (1585–1647)

Johann Heermann was a German poet and hymnodist. He is commemorated in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church on 26 October with Philipp Nicolai and Paul Gerhardt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Rinkart</span> German Lutheran clergyman and hymnist

Martin Rinkart, or Rinckart was a German Lutheran clergyman and hymnist. He is best known for the text to "Nun danket alle Gott" which was written c. 1636. It was set to music by Johann Crüger about 1647, and translated into English in the 19th century by Catherine Winkworth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Was willst du dich betrüben</span>

"Was willst du dich betrüben" is a hymn in seven stanzas by the German Baroque poet, Lutheran minister and hymn-writer Johann Heermann. The chorale was first published in 1630 during the Thirty Years' War. It is focused on trust in God, even when facing adversaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist</span> Christian song by Martin Luther

"Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist" is the title of several hymns in German. The first was a 13th-century leise, one of the oldest hymns in German. Further versions expand this leise, retaining its text as a first stanza and using melodies derived from its medieval tune; the Protestant reformer Martin Luther expanded the leise in 1524, while different Catholic versions were published between 1537 and 1975.

"Vater unser im Himmelreich" is a Lutheran hymn in German by Martin Luther. He wrote the paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer in 1538, corresponding to his explanation of the prayer in his Kleiner Katechismus. He dedicated one stanza to each of the seven petitions and framed it with an opening and a closing stanza, each stanza in six lines. Luther revised the text several times, as extant manuscript show, concerned to clarify and improve it. He chose and possibly adapted an older anonymous melody, which was possibly associated with secular text, after he had first selected a different one. Other hymn versions of the Lord's Prayer from the 16th and 20th-century have adopted the same tune, known as "Vater unser" and "Old 112th".

<i>Praxis pietatis melica</i> 17th century Protestant hymnal

Praxis pietatis melica is a Protestant hymnal first published in the 17th century by Johann Crüger. The hymnal, which appeared under this title from 1647 to 1737 in 45 editions, has been described as "the most successful and widely-known Lutheran hymnal of the 17th century". Crüger composed melodies to texts that were published in the hymnal and are still sung today, including "Jesu, meine Freude", "Herzliebster Jesu", and "Nun danket alle Gott". Between 1647 and 1661, Crüger first printed 90 songs by his friend Paul Gerhardt, including "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin</span>

"Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin" is a hymn by Martin Luther, a paraphrase in German of the Nunc dimittis, the canticle of Simeon. Luther wrote the text and melody, Zahn No. 3986, in 1524 and it was first published in the same year. Originally a song for Purification, it has been used for funerals. Luther included it in 1542 in Christliche Geseng ... zum Begrebniss.

"Warum sollt ich mich denn grämen" is a Lutheran hymn with a text by Paul Gerhardt written in 1653. It was first published that same year in the fifth edition of Johann Crüger's hymnal Praxis Pietatis Melica, set to a melody composed by Crüger. In the 1993 Protestant hymnal, Evangelisches Gesangbuch, it appears as number 370 with a melody composed by Johann Georg Ebeling, which was published with the divergent title "Warum sollt ich mich doch grämen" in Pauli Gerhardi Geistliche Andachten in 1666.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lutheran hymn</span> Christian hymn used in Lutheran services

Martin Luther was a great enthusiast for music, and this is why it forms a large part of Lutheran services; in particular, Luther admired the composers Josquin des Prez and Ludwig Senfl and wanted singing in the church to move away from the ars perfecta and towards singing as a Gemeinschaft (community). Lutheran hymns are sometimes known as chorales. Lutheran hymnody is well known for its doctrinal, didactic, and musical richness. Most Lutheran churches are active musically with choirs, handbell choirs, children's choirs, and occasionally change ringing groups that ring bells in a bell tower. Johann Sebastian Bach, a devout Lutheran, composed music for the Lutheran church: more than half of his over 1000 compositions are or contain Lutheran hymns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nun danket all und bringet Ehr</span> Christian hymn by Paul Gerhardt

"Nun danket all und bringet Ehr" is a German Lutheran hymn in nine stanzas, with a text written by Paul Gerhardt. It was first published in 1647, in Johann Crüger's Praxis pietatis melica which was the first publication of hymns by Gerhardt. In the 1653 edition, Crüger added a melody that he composed. As a general song of thanks, the song has appeared in several hymnals, including the German Protestant hymnal Evangelisches Gesangbuch and the Catholic hymnal Gotteslob. It has inspired musical settings by composers from the 17th to the 21st century. Johann Sebastian Bach used the first stanza in a cantata, however with the melody of "Lobt Gott, ihr Christen alle gleich", Hugo Distler composed a chorale cantata, and Günter Berger based a toccata for organ on it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen</span>

"Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen" is a Christian Christmas hymn by Paul Gerhardt, originally in 15 stanzas in artful metre. It was first published, "Frölich sol mein hertze springen", in 1653 in the fifth edition of the hymnal Praxis Pietatis Melica by Johann Crüger, who also created a melody. Johann Sebastian Bach used it as a chorale in his Christmas Oratorio, with a different melody by Johann Georg Ebeling. The song is part, with twelve stanzas, of the current Protestant hymnal Evangelisches Gesangbuch and other songbooks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Die güldne Sonne voll Freud und Wonne</span> Lutheran hymn by Paul Gerhardt

"Die güldne Sonne voll Freud und Wonne" is a Lutheran hymn by Paul Gerhardt. It is a morning hymn which was first published in 1666, with a four-part setting by Johann Georg Ebeling. Gerhardt created an unusual hymn metre for its 12 stanzas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ein Lämmlein geht und trägt die Schuld</span> Lutheran hymn for Passiontide by Paul Gerhardt

"Ein Lämmlein geht und trägt die Schuld" is a Lutheran Passion hymn in German by Paul Gerhardt. The hymn text was first published in Johann Crüger's Praxis Pietatis Melica, starting from the lost 1647 edition. Wolfgang Dachstein's 16th-century "An Wasserflüssen Babylon" melody is commonly indicated as its hymn tune, although other settings exist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nun lasst uns gehn und treten</span> 1653 Lutheran hymn by Paul Gerhardt

"Nun lasst uns gehn und treten" is a Lutheran hymn for New Year's Day by Paul Gerhardt. It appeared first in 1653 in Praxis Pietatis Melica. It is sung to the melody of "Nun laßt uns Gott dem Herren".

References

  1. "King David and the Psalms".
  2. "St. John of Damascus - Hymnary.org".
  3. Sisters In Song; Women Hymn Writers. AKA Publishing. 16 December 2013. ISBN   9781936688760.
  4. "Hymnology".
  5. "Martin Luther - Hymnary.org".
  6. "Philipp Nicolai - Hymnary.org".
  7. "Johann Heermann - Hymnary.org".
  8. "Paul Gerhardt - Hymnary.org".
  9. "Michael Praetorius - Hymnary.org".
  10. "Johann Crüger - Hymnary.org".
  11. "Isaac Watts - Hymnary.org".
  12. "Charles Wesley - Hymnary.org".