CHAPTER I.
Hymn Music of Germans in Philadelphia.
To Francis Daniel Pastorious has been assigned the honor of being the first German hymn writer on American soil. Pastorious[3]was born Sept. 26, 1651 at Sommerhausen, Germany, of cultured parents of some means and position in society. His father Melchior Pastorious had studied Catholic theology and also jurisprudence, but had finally renounced his faith and had become a Protestant. Needless to say Francis Daniel’s education was not neglected. He was sent to school in various places: as Windsheim, Basel, Nuremberg, Erfurt, Strassburg where he studied law and the French language, Jena where besides law he studied Italian, and finally he took his degree of Doctor of Laws at Altdorf, 1676.
He settled now at Frankfurt am-Main and practiced his profession. He probably continued in this work until 1680, when, as the companion of Johann Bonaventura von Rodeck, he made a journey, extending over two years, through Holland, England, France, Switzerland, and Germany. Upon his return to Frankfurt, November, 1682, he became interested in the mysticism of Spener and his companions, and the movement to America which they were promoting—filled him with an ardent longing to share in it. So, with the consent of his father who provided him with money, Francis Daniel set sail for America and arrived in Philadelphia Aug. 20, 1683, six weeks before the other immigrants landed.
Pastorious was the only highly educated man in this colony. He was looked up to by the other colonists for this reason, and alsobecause he was the agent of a land company formed in Germany for the purchase and sale of land in Pennsylvania. The new colonists chose as the spot for their new homesteads a tract of land not far from Philadelphia, where they founded Germanopolis or Germantown.
On Nov. 26, 1688, Pastorious married Ennecke Klostermanns and had two sons, whose descendants live at the present day. In 1691, Pastorious was elected to the newly-created office of “Bürgermeister,†an office to which he was chosen three other times. Besides this office, he was for many years elected to the position of “Stadtschreiber,†and was also schoolmaster at different times. He was known as a writer of some talent, and composed poems, hymns, epigrams, etc., in Greek, Latin, German, French, Dutch, English and Italian. I will close this bare outline with Pastorious’ account of himself as quoted by Seidensticker:
“Der Verfasser dieses Manuscripts hat ein melancholis-chcholerisches Temperament und ist daher, nach Culpepper, sanftmüthig, zu einem nüchternen eingezogenen Leben disponirt, wissbegierig, unentschlossen, bescheiden, schüchtern, bedächtig, standhaft, und zuverlässig in seinen Handlungen, langsamen Witzes, vergesslich. Geschieht ihm Unrecht, so trägt er es nicht nach.â€
“Der Verfasser dieses Manuscripts hat ein melancholis-chcholerisches Temperament und ist daher, nach Culpepper, sanftmüthig, zu einem nüchternen eingezogenen Leben disponirt, wissbegierig, unentschlossen, bescheiden, schüchtern, bedächtig, standhaft, und zuverlässig in seinen Handlungen, langsamen Witzes, vergesslich. Geschieht ihm Unrecht, so trägt er es nicht nach.â€
This remarkable man died Sept. 27, 1719.[4]
Pastorious’ hymns are up to the standard of most hymns written at that time.
In point of time the next hymn-writers were the so-called “Hermits of Wissahickon,†a band of men and women steeped in German mysticism, and having a belief that the end of the world was soon to come and that their one love should be the Lord Jesus Christ; so on this account renouncing marriage as sinful. It was in this wilderness, beside the Wissahickon Stream about eight miles from Philadelphia, that this band of Pietists in the year 1694 took uptheir abode, and from whence issued the strains of hymns, reminding one, in some instances of love songs rather than praises to God.[5]There were in this congregation a number of men of high culture and lofty aims such as Johann Kelpius, Henry Bernhard Köster, Johann Gottfried Seelig, etc.
The most important man was Johann Kelpius, their leader, who composed the greater number of their hymns.[6]Kelpius was the son of a pastor in Denndorf in the Siebenbürgian district of Germany. He studied theology at Altorf, where he was a pupil and favorite of the learned doctor, Johann Fabricius.
“Fabricius vertrat,†says Seidensticker, “die sogenannte irensche oder friedliebende Schule der Theologie, die von der bittern Fehde gegen andere Confessionen absah. Kelpius, anfangs ein strenger Calvinist, griff den Gedanken an ein innerliches Christenthum begierig auf und bildete ihn unter andern Einflüssen weiter.â€[7]
“Fabricius vertrat,†says Seidensticker, “die sogenannte irensche oder friedliebende Schule der Theologie, die von der bittern Fehde gegen andere Confessionen absah. Kelpius, anfangs ein strenger Calvinist, griff den Gedanken an ein innerliches Christenthum begierig auf und bildete ihn unter andern Einflüssen weiter.â€[7]
In 1689, Kelpius obtained his master’s degree. In the years following he composed an essay entitled: “Scylla Theologica, aliquot exemplis Patrum et Doctorum, etc.†About this time he must have obtained a knowledge of the religion of the mystics, and must also have come under the influence of Jacob Böhme’s philosophy, and Spener’s theosophy.
Such was the man who led the band of hermits, which arrived in Philadelphia, June 23, 1694. His life on the Wissahickon wasone of pious contemplation, and striving to follow out his idea of Christianity. He died 1708.[8]
The Hon. S. W. Pennypacker has in his possession a hymn book composed by these people, in which some of the hymns are dated 1707. He reports that Kelpius wrote nineteen hymns; another writer possibly Köster thirteen hymns; and Seelig four hymns.[9]
Not only did these “Hermits†worship God with song, but they undoubtedly accompanied their voices with musical instruments, since we know that they brought the latter with them from London.[10]Also we find Kelpius in one of his letters desiring that two clavichords with additional strings might be sent.[11]This simply goes to show that this little band of religious fanatics was not deficient in musical ability, and also that they carefully nurtured their love for music. Gradually these Pietists died or renounced their faith and were received into other religious societies,[12]and in the latter case one may be sure that their musical instruments went with them and were played and listened to with pleasure in a far wider circle than formerly.
It is not our purpose to consider in detail the various German hymn-writers in Pennsylvania, as the field is far too large, and besides the composers for the most part, were not inhabitants of Philadelphia. There are a few men, however, of sufficient importance to be considered, even though they lie somewhat without our field of operation. Perhaps the most picturesque figure in the history of American music in this century is Conrad Beissel of Ephrata Cloister. He not only evolved anewsystem of music, but was also thefirstcomposer of music in America. He wrote hymns and chorals in four, five, six, and seven parts, while usually in other congregations the hymns were sung in unison.[13]
The first edition of Ephrata hymns was published by Benjamin Franklin, Philadelphia, 1730, while different editions of new hymnsappeared in 1732, 1736, 1739, 1754, 1755, 1756 (2 eds.), 1762, and 1766.[14]Of these hymns, over 1,000 are attributed to Conrad Beissel. Not only did he compose music, but he also wrote the first treatise on harmony in America.[15]Concerning the quality of the music Dr. J. H. Sachse says: “The peculiar sweetness and weird beauty of the songs of the sisterhood, and the impressive cadence of the chorals and hymns of the combined chorusâ€[16]is strikingly seen.
Before the end of the century nearly all the sects of the Pennsylvania Germans had their editions of hymn-books, for the most part abridgements of those in use in the mother country. A few sects, however, had men versed in poetry as well as religion, and these helped to swell the hymn-books, already in use, with new songs. The Moravians were especially prolific, and under the direction of Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf, who himself wrote over 130 hymns in this country, produced a work of some importance. “No authorized hymn-book for the Moravian church was issued in America during the colonial period, but a small collection printed at Germantown by [C.] Sauer [in] 1742, ‘Hirtenlieder von Bethlehem’†was popular.[17]Zinzendorf was not the only hymn writer among the Moravians, since there were also his two wives, his son, Bishop Spangenberg and others, who had some ability in this line. In speaking of the “German American Hymnology,†Hausmann remarks that the hymns of all sects were subjective, excepting those of the Moravians.[18]
In the 18th century, Philadelphia and Germantown were the two—for a time the only two—important printing centres of Pennsylvania, and here it was that the greater number of German hymn books were printed. There can be no doubt, I think, that many of these German hymns were known to most of the inhabitants ofPhiladelphia, but as to whether or not these hymns had any influence upon the people, we are as yet, not prepared to say. At this time, we can do no more than enumerate the different editions of German hymn-books printed in Philadelphia and vicinity during the 18th century, although we hope that we may later investigate them thoroughly. In 1744 the Brotherhood of the Inspired produced an abridgement of a larger European collection. This became a favorite with the different Separatist bodies. It was called “Das Kleine Davidische Psalterspiel der Kinder Zions.â€[19]This book contains 530 pages, and was printed by C. Sauer, Germantown. In 1752 Sauer reprinted the “Marburg Reformed Hymn Book;†1753[20]“Die Kleine Harfe,â€[21]1762, Marburg edition of the Lutheran hymn-book,[22]and also in this same year the first edition of Schwenkfelder hymns,[23]some of which were composed in this country, others taken from the Lutheran and Reformed hymn-books, but based, in great part upon the hymn-book of the Bohemian Brethren. It contains 917 hymns.[24]In 1763 was printed the “Marburg Reformed Hymn-Book;â€[25]in 1786 the earliest original collection of Lutheran hymns in this country, entitled “Erbauliche Liedersammlung;†1788 “Liebliche und Erbauliche Lieder,†“Unparteiische Lieder Sammlung,†and others published by the German Baptist Society;[26]1797 “Neues und verbessertes Gesangbuch†printed by Steiner & Kammerer, Phila., 1799, a third edition of the “Marburg Lutheran Hymn Bookâ€.[27]The total number of editions of German hymn-books during this century was twenty-two, but besides that there was a German hymn-book translated into English in 1795.
FOOTNOTES:[3]Hausmann, “German American Hymnology 1683-1800,†inAmericana Germanica(hereafter, Am. Ger.) 1898, Vol. II, No. 3, p.II.[4]The material for this sketch was obtained in great part from Seidensticker’s,Geschichtsblaetter(Bilder aus der Deutsch-Pennsylvanischen Geschichte) pp. 34 ff. Also M. D. Learned. Life of Francis Daniel Pastorious.[5]Cf. Seidensticker.Geschichtsblaetter, p. 87 ff.[6]S. Pennypacker.Hymn Book of the Hermits of the Wissahickon(Penn. Mag. of HistoryVol. XXV, p. 338.)[7]Seidensticker.Geschichtsblaetterp. 91.[8]For this sketch cf. Seidensticker.Geschichtsblaetter, pp. 91-100.[9]Penn. Mag. of History, Vol. XXV, p. 338.[10]Cf. Seidensticker,Geschichtsblaetter, p. 89.[11]Cf. Seidensticker,Geschichtsblaetter, p. 100.[12]Seidensticker,Geschichtsblaetter, p. 102.[13]T. H. Sachse,Music of the Ephrata Cloister, p. 29 [hereafter, “Sachse.â€][14]Amer. Ger.Vol. II, No. 3, p. 19. Dubbs, p. 9.[15]Sachse, p. 22.[16]Sachse, p. 29. (For further information on this subject consult the works quoted above.)[17]Dubbs, p. 18 ff.[18]Am. Ger.Vol. II, No. 3, p. 39.[19]Dubbs, p. 21.[20]Dubbs, p. 25.[21]Dubbs, p. 21.[22]Dubbs, p. 21.[23]A. A. Seipt. “Schwenkfelder Hymnology†(Americana Germanicavol. 7.)[24]Dubbs, p. 16.[25]Dubbs, p. 25.[26]Dubbs, p. 21.[27]Dubbs, p. 25.
[3]Hausmann, “German American Hymnology 1683-1800,†inAmericana Germanica(hereafter, Am. Ger.) 1898, Vol. II, No. 3, p.II.
[3]Hausmann, “German American Hymnology 1683-1800,†inAmericana Germanica(hereafter, Am. Ger.) 1898, Vol. II, No. 3, p.II.
[4]The material for this sketch was obtained in great part from Seidensticker’s,Geschichtsblaetter(Bilder aus der Deutsch-Pennsylvanischen Geschichte) pp. 34 ff. Also M. D. Learned. Life of Francis Daniel Pastorious.
[4]The material for this sketch was obtained in great part from Seidensticker’s,Geschichtsblaetter(Bilder aus der Deutsch-Pennsylvanischen Geschichte) pp. 34 ff. Also M. D. Learned. Life of Francis Daniel Pastorious.
[5]Cf. Seidensticker.Geschichtsblaetter, p. 87 ff.
[5]Cf. Seidensticker.Geschichtsblaetter, p. 87 ff.
[6]S. Pennypacker.Hymn Book of the Hermits of the Wissahickon(Penn. Mag. of HistoryVol. XXV, p. 338.)
[6]S. Pennypacker.Hymn Book of the Hermits of the Wissahickon(Penn. Mag. of HistoryVol. XXV, p. 338.)
[7]Seidensticker.Geschichtsblaetterp. 91.
[7]Seidensticker.Geschichtsblaetterp. 91.
[8]For this sketch cf. Seidensticker.Geschichtsblaetter, pp. 91-100.
[8]For this sketch cf. Seidensticker.Geschichtsblaetter, pp. 91-100.
[9]Penn. Mag. of History, Vol. XXV, p. 338.
[9]Penn. Mag. of History, Vol. XXV, p. 338.
[10]Cf. Seidensticker,Geschichtsblaetter, p. 89.
[10]Cf. Seidensticker,Geschichtsblaetter, p. 89.
[11]Cf. Seidensticker,Geschichtsblaetter, p. 100.
[11]Cf. Seidensticker,Geschichtsblaetter, p. 100.
[12]Seidensticker,Geschichtsblaetter, p. 102.
[12]Seidensticker,Geschichtsblaetter, p. 102.
[13]T. H. Sachse,Music of the Ephrata Cloister, p. 29 [hereafter, “Sachse.â€]
[13]T. H. Sachse,Music of the Ephrata Cloister, p. 29 [hereafter, “Sachse.â€]
[14]Amer. Ger.Vol. II, No. 3, p. 19. Dubbs, p. 9.
[14]Amer. Ger.Vol. II, No. 3, p. 19. Dubbs, p. 9.
[15]Sachse, p. 22.
[15]Sachse, p. 22.
[16]Sachse, p. 29. (For further information on this subject consult the works quoted above.)
[16]Sachse, p. 29. (For further information on this subject consult the works quoted above.)
[17]Dubbs, p. 18 ff.
[17]Dubbs, p. 18 ff.
[18]Am. Ger.Vol. II, No. 3, p. 39.
[18]Am. Ger.Vol. II, No. 3, p. 39.
[19]Dubbs, p. 21.
[19]Dubbs, p. 21.
[20]Dubbs, p. 25.
[20]Dubbs, p. 25.
[21]Dubbs, p. 21.
[21]Dubbs, p. 21.
[22]Dubbs, p. 21.
[22]Dubbs, p. 21.
[23]A. A. Seipt. “Schwenkfelder Hymnology†(Americana Germanicavol. 7.)
[23]A. A. Seipt. “Schwenkfelder Hymnology†(Americana Germanicavol. 7.)
[24]Dubbs, p. 16.
[24]Dubbs, p. 16.
[25]Dubbs, p. 25.
[25]Dubbs, p. 25.
[26]Dubbs, p. 21.
[26]Dubbs, p. 21.
[27]Dubbs, p. 25.
[27]Dubbs, p. 25.