Moravian Music Sunday 2015
Theme: Life in Christ the Vine
Music Suggestions
This year we are offering a wide variety of musical selections for you to consider for Moravian Music
Sunday. For any of these that you choose to use, feel free to print the information about them in your bulletin or
newsletter; knowing something about the piece’s composition can be enlightening to your congregation and
inspire them to pay closer attention to both text and music.
A rich resource for both your choir and your congregation is Sing to the Lord a New Song: A New Moravian
Songbook,1 which contains 80 songs and hymns written by living Moravians. The ones most appropriate to the
theme of this year’s Moravian Music Sunday celebration are …

#40, Sing for Joy! This is set to the familiar “Morning Star” tune, but with a syllable for every note rather
than every other one of the eighth notes. This is a jubilant text about the joy of music as prayer, and would
make a delightful opening piece for choir or solo – perhaps even your children or youth choir! Poet
Christine Sobania Johnson writes, “When I set out to write a hymn appropriate for Moravian Music Sunday, I
wanted to base it on a tune that was uniquely Moravian, favored and familiar, but not overused. It struck me that
“Morning Star” is well–known to most Moravians, but is usually sung just once a year. I thought it might be the ideal
melody, and yet I was hesitant to use it because it is so closely associated with Christmas Eve and candlelight. To
differentiate it from the beloved Christmas hymn, I chose to have it sung straight through, rather than antiphonally.”

#22, Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven. This is a new musical setting of the text found at hymn 529 in the
Moravian Book of Worship. The syncopated rhythms make this a bit of a challenge, but once your choir has
heard it a few times, they’ll just sing it “the way it goes” and stop getting tangled up in the notation!

#42, There Is No Fear in Love. This setting of 1 John 4:18, taken from the epistle lesson assigned for May 3, is
an introspective and calm assertion of the joy of the fearlessness of perfect love. Songwriter David MelbyGibbons writes, “This song was inspired by the verse from 1 John 4:18. The intention of the song is to soak up the
simple, yet crucial message: do not be afraid! Perfect love casts out fear. The last line of the song is an imperative to
remind us that, like Christ, we should also cast out fear. Perfect love is within us and compels us to be fearless, loving
people.”

#91, God, Your Love Brought Forth Creation. This text, sung to the tune of “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”,
is a prayer that we will allow God’s love to move through us in all our lives, recognizing the intimate and
unbreakable connection between loving God and loving our brothers and sisters (see 1 John 4:20-21 from
the epistle lesson assigned for May 3). Of the songs listed here, this is the one most accessible for
congregational singing. The text was written in 1986 for the centennial of the Lyndale United Church of
Christ in Minneapolis, where poet Hermann Weinlick was active at the time.
For more “traditional” anthem selections for your choir or soloists, consider the following …

Abide in Me, by Johannes Herbst. This beautiful, meditative setting of John 15:4, from the gospel
assigned for May 3, is suitable for solo or unison choir. The melody goes up to the F; or a lower key
version is also available. This is available as a pdf file from the Moravian Music Foundation, with our
compliments; email or phone to ask for your copy! String parts are also available.
Johannes Herbst (1735-1812) was born at Kempten, Swabia, and joined the Moravian Church in
1748. He first served the church as bookkeeper and teacher, and especially as an organist, before coming
to America in 1785 to be a pastor in Lancaster and Lititz, Pennsylvania. In his spare time he was a
Published by the Moravian Music Foundation and Interprovincial Board of Communications; $10 per copy; available from
MMF or IBOC.
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prolific composer, producing over 100 anthems and 200 sacred songs. He was also an avid copier of
other composers’ music, and his personal collection of over 1000 anthems and many larger works is a
source of incalculable value for the study of Moravian music. He was consecrated a bishop in Lititz on
May 12, 1811, two days before leaving to take up new work in Salem, North Carolina. He brought his
precious music collection with him, but served only a few months before his death there on January 15,
1812. He is buried in God’s Acre in Salem.

Abide in Me, by Johann Friedrich Peter (in Come Then, Come, O Flock of Jesus collection).2 This is a threepart (SAB) arrangement of a lovely anthem by Peter, based on John 15:4. It’s quite short, so that you
may wish to repeat the entire work. Vocal ranges are moderate, never going about an E-flat in the
soprano. It could be sung in unison, as all the harmony is contained in the accompaniment part.
Johann Friedrich Peter (1746-1813) was born in Heerendijk, Holland, to German Moravian parents.
He was educated in Holland and Germany, and, with his brother Simon, came to America in 1770. Peter
appears to have begun composing very shortly after his arrival in the new world. He served the
Pennsylvania Moravians in Nazareth, Bethlehem, and Lititz, and was sent to Salem, North Carolina, in
1780. There, among other duties, he assumed the position of music director for the community. In 1786
he married Catharina Leinbach, a leading soprano in the church choir. Under Peter’s energetic and
capable leadership a musical tradition was established in Salem which benefited the community long
after his departure in 1790. He afterwards served Moravians in Graceham, Maryland; Hope, New
Jersey; and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he was clerk, secretary, and organist at the Central Church.
J. F. Peter’s many works have earned him the reputation of being the most gifted of Moravian
composers in America. His six string quintets, written in Salem and dated 1789, are the earliest known
chamber music written in this country. He died in Bethlehem on July 13, 1813, almost literally at the
organ bench, shortly after playing for a children’s service.

Children, Close by Jesus Stay, by David Moritz Michael (in Come Then, Come, O Flock of Jesus
collection). This is a new translation and arrangement of the familiar anthem Hearken! published by
H.W. Gray in the 1950’s. It begins with a soprano solo (which may be sung by all sopranos, or by the
entire choir in unison), and then moves to a three-part (SAB) chorale-style section – which, again, may
be sung in unison, as all the harmony is included in the accompaniment. The text encourages the
believer to stay close in heart to Jesus Christ, reminding us that he is all-sufficient for our every need.
David Moritz Michael (1751-1827) was born in Kühnhausen (near Erfurt in Thuringia), Germany,
and did not become a Moravian until he was thirty years old. He taught in the Moravian school at
Niesky and came to America in 1795. His official church position was as a worker with the young men
of the congregations in Nazareth and Bethlehem, but his contributions to the musical life of the
settlements were great. He revitalized the Bethlehem Collegium musicum and conducted the
performance of Haydn’s Creation which may have been its American premiere. He is well known as a
composer of wind ensembles, especially his fourteen Parthien and the two “Water Music” suites written
for excursions on the Lehigh River. His other works include seventeen anthems for four-part choir
(SATB or SSAB) with accompaniment by strings and organ (and in some cases winds), two soprano
solos with string accompaniment, two duets for sopranos with string accompaniment, and an elevenmovement setting of Psalm 103. Johann Friedrich Peter also attributed four songs with piano
accompaniment to Michael in his personal manuscript copybook. Michael may well have written more
such short and relatively simple works, but they have not yet been identified. He returned to Germany
in 1815 and died in Neuwied, Germany, on February 26, 1827.
Published by the Moravian Music Foundation; $15 per copy; 10 or more copies, $12 per copy. This book contains 9 anthems for SAB choir,
all in lower keys than their original.
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
Choral Responses, Set 2, by Massah M. Warner (MMFS1403; $2.25 per copy). This publication includes
seven brief choral pieces, each suitable for introit, offertory response, prayer or benediction response.
The texts and musical styles are varied, so that this one publication can provide you with a rich
selection for many occasions. They are written in four parts, with all the harmonies included in the
accompaniment. (Set 1 was published several years ago, and is still available as well.)
Massah Miksch Warner (1836-1900) was a Philadelphia Moravian organist, composer, and hymnal
editor. He is best known as the composer of a choral setting of the Lord’s Prayer, written for The Liturgy
and Offices of Worship and Hymns of 1891. Also familiar from his pen is a hymn tune which bears his
name and which is sung with the text “Softly the Night Is Sleeping”. These responses were edited from
manuscript copies in the Bethlehem Congregation music collection.

I Am the True Vine, by Robert Marek (two settings, in Calvary Moravian Church Centennial Music
Book, available from Lending Library). Both of these settings of verses from John 15, the gospel lesson
assigned for May 3, were commissioned by Calvary Moravian Church in Winston-Salem for their
centennial year (1992-1993). Both are for four-part choir with organ.
Setting I is more dissonant, but each of the four parts moves mostly by step, so that it is not as
difficult to learn as it may sound. The soprano moves up to a G once, and an F once, and otherwise the
range is moderate.
Setting II is more meditative, with a sparse accompaniment and open chords. Again with some
dissonance, this setting is easier and the vocal ranges are conservative. Both of these settings are well
worth the time it will take to learn them; they may well become a beloved part of your choir’s
repertoire!

Jesus Makes My Heart Rejoice, by Mark Biggam (MMFS1105; $1.95 per copy). This new setting of the
familiar hymn (both words and music) is for choir and organ or piano with two C instruments – the
parts can be played on oboe, violin, or flute, or it may be presented without the instruments, in which
case the accompanist plays some of their parts. The choral parts are accessible and familiar, based on the
hymn tune harmonization, and there is an optional soprano descant (highest note: G) on the final verse.
The compositions of Dr. Mark Biggam have been recognized in various venues in the United States
and Europe. He has received awards from ASCAP and Cleveland Foundation. Himself an oboist, many
of Dr. Biggam’s compositions feature oboe and have been performed by renowned oboists, double reed
groups and organizations. He has been recognized as a composer of choral music, and has won awards
and commissions from various organizations including the Moravian Music Foundation and Ohio
BoyChoir. He has published arrangements of J. S. Bach’s music with Bärenreiter-Verlag.

The Lord Be Mindful of You, by Christian David Jaeschke (MMFS0805; $1.95 per copy). This is an
anthem of blessing, scored for SSAB choir. First soprano part goes up to a G, but an organ part in a
lower key is available. All the parts move together, and the work is not difficult. All the harmonies are
included in the accompaniment, so that it could be done in unison or as a solo, or with whatever parts
you have in your choir. String parts are also available.
Christian David Jaeschke (1755-1827) came from one of the early Czech immigrant families who
renewed the old Unitas Fratrum under the patronage of Count Zinzendorf. He was born in Herrnhut.
He served as a teacher and organist at Ebersdorf and later as copyist of the Gemein-Nachrichten in Barby.
He served as organist and choirmaster at Herrnhut for forty years, from 1786 to 1826, composing many
anthems and vocal solos. C. F. Hasse, writing in 1829, calls him a “musical Genius” and laments that his
works had not become more widely known. He was the maternal grandfather of Woldemar Voullaire
(see below). Jaeschke died in Herrnhut in 1827 after an illness of a year and a half; the Dienerblätter notes
that he had wanted to compose the music for his own funeral, but was unable to do so.

O Tender Vine, by Johann Gottlieb Naumann (in Moravian Anthem Book; available from Lending
Library). This prayerful, lovely selection begins with a unison (or solo) verse, which is labeled
“soprano”, but it’s really in a mid-range and accessible for any voice part. This is followed by a fourpart stanza, in which the soprano goes up to the F. It’s not a difficult piece, but is deeply moving and
meditative.
Johann Gottlieb Naumann (1741-1801) was Kapellmeister in Dresden from 1776 to the end of his life.
Best known during his lifetime as a composer of operas, he was a welcome visitor in Stockholm,
Copenhagen, and Berlin; all three cities hosted premieres of several of his operas. He also wrote masses,
cantatas, oratorios, and songs. He was familiar with the Moravians in Herrnhut, writing some anthems
for them, and a number of his other compositions are also found in Moravian collections.

O the Blessedness Is Great, by Johann Christian Bechler (MMFS0902; $1.75 per copy). You may
remember this as a publication of H.W.Gray from the 1950’s; copies of that version are available in the
Lending Library. The Moravian Music Foundation has published a new edition, with a much more
literal translation, in its Moravian Star Anthem Series, as an SSAB anthem – the original voicing. It may
be performed as SATB with the tenors taking the second soprano line; or the tenors may sing with the
basses. One of the beauties of this anthem is the fact that all its harmonies are included in the
accompaniment, so you may use it as a solo, or a unison anthem, or with whatever vocal parts you
have. The text, by Henriette Louise von Hayn (author of the hymn text “Jesus Makes My Heart
Rejoice”), focuses on the close relationship with the Savior that brings blessing and peace to the
believer. The soprano 1 part goes up to an F; however, an organ part in a lower key is available with the
purchase of copies of the anthem, so that your sopranos would go only to the Eb. String parts are also
available.
Johann Christian Bechler (1784-1857) was born on the Baltic island of Oesel (modern Saaremaa),
where his father was a Moravian minister. He was educated at Moravian schools in Niesky and Barby,
Germany. Music was his favorite subject, and he says that he “devoted every moment of time left by
other duties, to the acquisition of the various branches of this charming art with the greatest delight,
learning to sing, to play various stringed instruments, but more particularly the piano and the organ.”
At the completion of his studies he taught organ at Barby and in 1806 accepted a call to America, where
he became one of the first professors at Moravian Theological Seminary. His interest in music
continued, and he composed many choral and liturgical pieces. He served as minister to the Moravian
congregations of Philadelphia, Staten Island, Lititz, Pennsylvania, and Salem, North Carolina. In 1836,
shortly after his consecration as bishop, he went to serve the congregation in Sarepta, Russia. In 1849 he
retired to Herrnhut, the center of the Moravian Church in Germany, and died there on April 18, 1857.

Sing Hallelujah, Praise the Lord, by Jonathan Sidden (MMFS1308; $1.75 per copy). This new setting of
the familiar Moravian hymn is set for SATB choir and piano or organ. The familiar tune is treated to
some rhythmic variations. Along with the two verses of text most familiar to Moravians, a second
stanza by James Montgomery is included. An exuberant, yet very accessible and singable piece, sure to
lift the hearts of choir and congregation alike! Vocal ranges are moderate (soprano up to an E with an
optional A on the final chord).
Composer Jonathan Sidden has performed regularly as tenor soloist with opera companies and
ensembles across the United States. He was a 2010 National Endowment of Humanities Scholar in
Vienna, Austria, and was a 2012 Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction. A graduate of the University of
North Carolina School of the Arts, Mr. Sidden holds a Master of Arts degree in Executive Leadership
from Gardner-Webb University. This setting of Sing Hallelujah, Praise the Lord was written for the
centennial anniversary of Trinity Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, NC (July 15, 2012). The anthem
grew out of the joy Jonathan has seen among Moravians in all circumstances, even the celebration of
one’s passing into the more immediate presence of God. Two of the verses are set in a lively 6/8 meter
to reflect the joy of both text and tune, concluding with the final verse set as a Moravian congregation
would know it.