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.

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).

There is a descant book with several selected tunes from both the GREEN and BLUE series.

Chorale books contain tunes from the Moravian Church and ancient Unitas Fratrum, but also many hymns from other denominations.

The following is the instrumentation breakdown of the individual books for the BLUE books. The BLUE books contain 175 different tunes (different from those in the GREEN book) including Rock of Ages and Amazing Grace

Soprano B-flat (Clarinet, Cornet, Trumpet, Baritone) $6
Soprano C (Flute, Oboe) $6
Alto B-flat (Clarinet, Cornet, Trumpet, Baritone) $6
Alto E-flat (Alto Clarinet, Alto Sax, Horn) $6
Alto F (Horn) $6
Tenor TC (Tenor Sax, Trombone, Baritone) $6
Tenor BC (Trombone, Baritone) $6
Bass TC (Bass Clarinet, Trombone, Baritone) $6
Bass BC (Bassoon, Trombone, Baritone) $6
Bass Tuba $6      (Note: this part is an octave below Bass. It is recommended to have instruments playing the upper octave Bass, rather than using Tuba alone, when possible)

Piano/ Organ Score $10  (piano reduction, in grand staff, like a hymnal, but w/ no text)

Descant B-flat $8
Descant C $8

Flexible for many combinations of instruments / as few as four, as many as 400+ ! See list below for instrumentation breakdown of the GREEN books, containing 174 different hymn tunes, and including Christmas carols, America, America the Beautiful, and The Star Spangled Banner.

The Soprano is always the melody. The other parts are always harmony.

There are 4 “parts” in the set, SATB, but there is a descant book available in the BLUE series that contains some tunes from the GREEN and some from the BLUE book.

• Soprano B-flat (Clarinet, Cornet, Trumpet, Baritone) $6
• Soprano C (Flute, Oboe) $6
• Alto B-flat (Clarinet, Cornet, Trumpet, Baritone) $6
• Alto E-flat treble clef (Alto Clarinet, Alto Sax, Horn) $6
• Alto F (Horn) $6
• Tenor, treble clef  (Tenor Sax, Trombone, Baritone) $6
• Tenor, bass clef $6   (currently on sale at $4.67 due to some fading of the cover; still complete and 100% usable)
• Bass, treble clef  (Bass Clarinet, Trombone, Baritone) $6
• Bass, bass clef (Bassoon, Trombone, Baritone) $6
• Bass, Tuba, bass clef (octave lower than “Bass” part) $6
• Conductor’s Score $10  (full score: each part and each transposition, individually, in a large format)
• Piano/Organ Score $15  (piano reduction, grand staff, like a hymnal w no text)

Preface by Nola Reed Knouse
excerpt: “The musical heritage of the Moravians is 550 years old now, and continues to grow from deep roots. To all who have taught and learned, composed and edited, sung and played, and worshiped with this music, past and present, and to those who will do so in our future, this work is humbly dedicated.”

Chapters:

1. The Moravians and Their Music – N. R. Knouse
2. Moravian Worship – C. Daniel Crews
3. Hymnody of the Moravian Church – Albert Frank and N. R. Knouse
4. Moravian Sacred Choral Music – Alice M. Caldwell
5. The Organ in Moravian Church Music – Lou Carol Fix
6. The Role and Development of Brass Music in the Moravian Church – Paul Peucker
7. The Collegia Musica: Music of the Community – N. R. Knouse
8. Music in the Moravian Boarding Schools – Pauline M. Fox
9. The Piano among the Moravians – Jewel A. Smith
10. Moravian Music: Questions of Identity and Purpose – N. R. Knouse

Appendix 1 Biographical Sketches

Appendix 2 A Moravian Musical Timeline

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.