What defines Moravian music, today?
Moravian music is alive and vibrant today!
Moravians are creating new anthems, new hymns, new songs for camp, new arrangements for various instruments in worship, new organ preludes, new handbell pieces, and new descants for hymns. Hymnals of English-, Danish-, Dutch, and German-speaking congregations are translated and shared with the world through missions and Unity efforts; at the same time, North, Central, and South American, West Indian, British, and European congregations are absorbing and utilizing music and hymns from each other, but also from (or influenced by) a variety of musical cultures in the world-wide Unity, like South Africa, Tanzania, Nepal. As the world gets smaller, Moravians find that “different” and “unusual” makes worship interesting, and that all music brings us closer together in Christian community with each other and with the Savior.
In the preface to Sing to the
Lord a New Song: a New Moravian Songbook, published by Moravian Music
Foundation in 2013, it says:
The Christian church has been blessed with a marvelous flowering of
creativity in song… each generation is called to find new expressions of faith,
love, and hope. A constantly changing world calls for different images for God,
expressions of Christian community, and challenges for Christian ministry and
service.
These are NEW songs by Moravians, available from MMF.
Also NEW are anthems in the Moravian Star Anthem Series. Those with blue covers are new editions of works from the archives; those with red covers are newly-written original works by living Moravian composers. Green covers are more accessible anthems for the average choir, in a lower key, requiring reduced instrumental forces, and with simplified accompaniment.
See our Catalog or call 336-725-0651 for more information about how to order anthems.
Leave a Reply