CD of Moravian Hymns sung by a Moravian choir.

CD of Moravian Chorales played by a brass quintet.

CD of Chorales played the Moravian Lower Brass.

“The hymnal (Gesangbuch) is a kind of response to the Bible, an echo and an extension thereof. In the Bible, one perceives how the Lord communicates with people; and, in the hymnal, how people communicate with the Lord.” – attr. Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf    (later, per Paul Peucker, attr. to Bishop Spangenberg)

Copyright 1995 – Interprovincial Board of Publications and Communications

The Moravian Book of Worship “provides the means for unity in our church, on of rich diversity. … this book joins with its predecessors in extending the heritage, established when, at the beginning of the sixteenth century, the Unitas Fratrum (early Moravian Church) published what is considered to be the first Protestant hymnal.

CD of Moravian Hymns sung by a Moravian choir.

CD of Moravian Chorales played by a brass quintet.

CD of Chorales played the Moravian Lower Brass.

“The hymnal (Gesangbuch) is a kind of response to the Bible, an echo and an extension thereof. In the Bible, one perceives how the Lord communicates with people; and, in the hymnal, how people communicate with the Lord.” – attr. Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf    (later, per Paul Peucker, attr. to Bishop Spangenberg)

Copyright 1995 – Interprovincial Board of Publications and Communications

The Moravian Book of Worship “provides the means for unity in our church, on of rich diversity. … this book joins with its predecessors in extending the heritage, established when, at the beginning of the sixteenth century, the Unitas Fratrum (early Moravian Church) published what is considered to be the first Protestant hymnal.

Tannenberg’s career and achievements are a coalescence of his skills, highly valued in the Moravian craft tradition that developed in the eighteenth century, and of the importance of music in Moravian culture and worship, especially hymn-singing.

Once Salem was established in 1771, organs were built for the Saal (place of worship) in 1798 and that same instrument plays today, in the Brothers’ House. When the current church building was finished in 1800, it was appointed with a new organ. The organ was built in Pennsylvania, shipped to North Carolina, and installed by Tannenberg’s apprentice, Philip Bachmann, assisted by Jakob Fetter. In fact, much of the casement was constructed in Salem during this eleven month installation. That 1800 instrument has been replaced twice and was restored and installed in the Old Salem Visitor Center in 2004.

LISTEN
Music from the Saal, Advent & Christmas program, featuring Gwyn Michel, organist; Ellen Saylor, soprano; Nazareth, PA
Listen>>

Edited by Sarah Eyerly and Rachel Wheeler

Eighteenth-Century Musical Settings by Joshua Tanis

New Musical Arrangements by Brent Michael Davids

Linguistics by Christopher Harvey

Proceeds (after costs) will benefit

1. The Arvid E. Miller Library and Museum, Stockbridge-Munsee Band Mohican Nation
2. The Lutheran Church of the Wilderness

CONTENTS

• Introduction
• Mohican and Moravian Community History
• The History of the Mohican Hymns
• Music and Textual Reconstruction
• About the Recordings
• Acknowledgements

– Texts and Translations

– Pronunciation

– About the Editors

– Sources and Index

( NOTE: The images above include 3 pages of the hymns and a reproduction of a page of hymn texts (on the cover). The other images are not included in the booklet, but are primary sources from whence these modern editions were derived. )

Cover Image: Indian Missions 331.3. n.d. MS Moravian Mission among the Indians of North America 331.3. Moravian Archives. Indigenous Peoples: North America, http://tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/5wyMh9. Accessed 10 Oct. 2018.

(c) 2022 Moravian Music Foundation

Individual hymns from this publication may be reproduced for congregational singing. The copyright notice, printed on each page of the music, must be included on each copy used.

Introduction

By Terry Teachout

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, the life and work of a conductor are an impenetrably mysterious business to non-musicians. Exactly what is he doing waving that stick around up there on the podium—and who taught him how to wave it?

Conductors don’t play anything, yet they conjure up music out of thin air, and everyone, including their colleagues, watches them do it. In my experience, no line of artistic work is harder for laymen to understand. Yet conductors, perhaps in part because of this seemingly inexplicable aspect of their careers, tend to be fascinating creatures, and on the rare occasions when they write memoirs, the results are always worth reading.

I’ve known John Sinclair for the better part of both our lives and have worked with him in a wide variety of capacities, always with pleasure and profit. Not only is he a superbly accomplished artist, but he’s also a great storyteller; the kind of man with whom you always look forward to dining after a performance. Yet I’d only heard a handful of the tales that he tells in Falling Off the Podium … and Other Life Lessons, some of which are charming and funny, others deeply poignant, and all immensely interesting to read.

Loose-leaf or in booklet form.

Modulations for the Services of Holy Communion from the Moravian Book of Worship and supplemental Services for Holy Communion

When playing communion, this resource provides written out modulations for the organist or accompanist to play in between each of the hymns.

Even experienced organists who improvise will appreciate this loose-leaf collection, laid out, in order, for easy flow in worship.

Written modulation can be very helpful to those less comfortable with improvisation.

$15 + tax and shipping

Grider was a member of the Central Choir for over 25 years. He was a flutist, librarian of the Philharmonic Society, and proprietor of the hotel, who mysteriously “wandered away from Bethlehem and never returned.”

This facsimile publication was first printed in 1984, two hundred years after its initial publication. It includes an extended introduction by Martha Asti, with a summary of Moravian history and church music, Gregor’s life, and a brief history of Moravian hymnody. Also included are Gregor’s original introduction, which was written as advice primarily for organists accompanying congregational song, in a clear and accurate translation by Karl Kroeger; and a study of sources for the Moravian tunes in the Choralbuch prepared by James Boeringer. This 2016 reprint includes a newly-prepared index of common tune names for many tunes included in the book, prepared by Barbara Strauss. (For instance, someone looking for SLEEPERS WAKE will find it referenced as tune 230 in the Choralbuch.)

The tunes in the Choralbuch are notated with soprano and bass parts along with figured bass, with the soprano part in soprano clef (not the modern treble clef).

1. Enjoyment of the special presence of the Savior;
2. The service of Holy Communion is both communal and individual in nature;
3. Expectation that the fruits of Holy Communion will be lived out in life, even as we look to eternity.

In this booklet, the Rev. Daniel Crews and the Rev. Nola Reed Knouse explore the Moravian celebration of Holy Communion.

Topics such as,

• Christ’s real presence in the sacrament, in all ways, and “any way he wants to be.”
• Discussion of the history of the sacrament in the Unitas Fratrum; the sacrament during the Renewed Unity in the eighteenth century in Saxon Germany; later development; and Holy Communion in today’s American Moravian Church.
• Preparation for the Service
• Celebration of the Sacrament, itself.

Monograph

2012
31 pages