HYI^INOLOGY
442
HYMNOLOGY
Here also, finally, deserve notice the hymn--nTiters of the Moravians, who have had no despicable influence on hymnology. Of esi)ecial credit are a few of count Zin- zendorf's hymns, wlio, unfortunately, cared more for their quantity than their quality ; he wrote more than 2000, many of which, naturally enough, found a place in Eng- lish hjTnn-books. His own sect has inserted 128. Charles Wesley also translated some of them. Among his best are " Jesus, still lead on" {Jesu geh voran), and " Jesus, thy blood and righteousness" {Christi Blut u. Gerechtiy- Tceit). We might also mention in the same connection J. Nitschmann, Chr. David, L. J. Dober, F. von Watte- ville, A. G. Spangenberg, Louisa von Hayn, and others. By the end of the century the influence of pietism had made itself felt even among the so-called " ortho- dox," who imitated the Pietists in producing many hymns which may be counted among the best written at this time. Of the representatives of this school we name a few : Benjamin Schmolke, who wrote more than 1000 hjonns, many of which have been translated into English. Among his best we count " Welcome victor in the strife" (^Wilkommen Held ini Sireite), and " Heav- enward doth our journey tend" (^Ilimmelan (jeht umre Bahri). Wolfgang G. Dessler wrote Wie icohl ist mir o Freund der Seelen (Christ in Song, p. 491, 555, 342) ; and Salomon Frank, Schmiicke dich, o Hebe Seele (" Deck thyself, my soul," in Lyra Germanica, ii, 133 ; Christ in Song, p. 590). Here deserve mention, also, Erdmann Neumeister, B. Marperger, J. G. Hermann, J. Chr. Went- zel, F. Fabricius, P. Busch, J. Lehmus, and others ; of the Reformed Church : J. J. Spreng, C. ZoUikofer, and, later, J. E. Lavater.
Modern German Ilymnologists. — Towards the close of the 18th century Germany was waking to a new sera in literature. But the philosophic, or, as some acutely call it, " the critical doubting" religion of this period by no means affected hymnology favorably, "for really good hymns must have in them something of the nature of the popular song; they must spring from a cordial, un- questioning faith, which has no misgivings about the response it will evoke from other hearts." The influ- ence of the Leibnitz- Wolfian philosophy, and of Gott- sched's school of poetry, caused the sacred songs to be of a dry, stiff, and artificial style. "Even the classical hymns, though consecrated by association, could no longer satisfy the more pedantic taste of the age, and there sp.rang up a perfect mania for altering them, and fur making new collections of such modernized versions. . . . These alterations generally consisted in diluting the old vigor, substituting ' virtue' for ' holiness' or ' faith,' 'the Supreme Being' for 'our faithful God,' and so on," so that these modified hymns may be said to have been changed from religious to moral songs. See Psalmody. One, however, whose songs, on account of their " ration- al piety and quiet good taste," deserve especial praise, is Christian Fiirchtegott Gellert (q. v.). Other hymnolo- gists of this time, for the mention of whose names we have onlv space here, are J. A. Schlegel, J. F. von Cro- negk, J. P. Uz, J. F. Lowen, J. S. Diterich, J. S. Patzkc, J. F. Feddersen, B. Milnter, J. F. IMudre, H. C. Heeren, J. A. Hermes, F.W. Loder, J. Eschenburg, J. Chr. Frij- bing, S. G. Biirde, Chr. F. Neandcr, B. Haug, Christ. G. Gbz, and others. The pathetical direction was taken by Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (q. v.), in his Avfersteh'n, ja aufersteh^n. He was followed by J. A. Cramer, a very popular Imnnologist, and a friend of Gellert and Klopstock, G. P. Funk, C. W. Ramler, Chr. Chr. Sturm, A. II. Niomeyer, Chr. F. Dan, Schubart, and others.
But the one really "great step" that was made in German hymnology at this time was the official sanc- tion of the use of vernacular hymns in the Ifoman Cath- olic churches of South Germany and Austria. Natural- ly enough, many of the Koman Catholic hymns of the period arc translations from the Latin; many of the original compositions follow closely in style both Gel- lert and Klopstock; nay, the productions of several Protestant hynmologists, especially those of the two
last-named poets, were even used in the Roman Cath- olic Chiuch, of course often in a somewhat modified and even distorted form. Of their own hymn-writers, the following deserve especial mention : J. M. Sailer (bish- op of Ratisbon), J. JI. Fenneberg, J. H. C. von Wessen- berg, J. Sperl, and J. Franz. Here deserve notice also the Moravians, Chr. Gregor, H. von Briiiningk, C. von Wobeser, G. H. Loskiel, J. J. Bossart, and others; the Wurtemburgers, C. F. Hartmann, W. L. Hosch, Chr. Ad. Daun, ]M. Hahn, Christ. G. Pregizer ; in other German provinces, C. Liebich, Matth. Claudius, J. G. Schiiner; and in the Reformed Church, H. Annoni, F. A. Krumma- cher, Jung-Stilling, G. Menken ; the forerunner of the latest period is Friedrich von Hardenberg (Novalis).
Present Geiinan Hymnology. — The most modern pe- riod begins with the war of hberation (1813-15), and with the reawakenmg of a genuine religious life, which, after aU, is slowly gaining the upper hand over that generally supposed dominating scepticism. Although in the modern productions the subjective greatly predom- inates, and they are still rather the work of art instead of popular songs, yet they do not quite attain to the force and condensed pregnancy of the classic hymns, so that there is very apparent in tliera a striving after objectiv- ity, and " they have at least much sweetness, earnest- ness, and simplicity." To the Romantic school of -which Novalis was mentioned belong E. M. Amdt, IM. von Schenkendorf, Fr. H. dc la Motte Fouque, Louise Hcnsel, and Fr. Ruckert. Of the other latest Lutheran hym- nologists, whose most prominent representatives are Mh. Knapp, Vict. Strauss, J. C. Ph. Spitta, Chr. R. H. Puch- ta, C. A. Dtiring, deserve mention here : Chr. C. J. As- sciienfeld, J. F. Bahnmaier, Chr. G. Barth, J. Bcntz, Ed. Eyth, F. A. Feldhoif, G. W. Fink, W. R. Freudenthal, C, von GrUneisen,W. Hey, Christ. G. Kern, J. Fr. Moller, Chr. F. H. Sachse, R. Stier, and Chr. H. Zeller ; among the Reformed, J. P. Lange. Among the Moravians, the high- est rank in this period belongs to J. B. von Albcrtini, one of their bishops, whose hymns, it is said, Schlciermacher asked to have read to him in his dj-ing hours. C. B. (iarve here deserves also high encomiums as a hymnologist. Among the Roman Catholics, whose prominent model is Spec, " Avith all the defects, no less than the beauties of style," the Virgin serving as the most usual theme, J\L von Diepenbrock dcseri^es especial mention. The ex- tent of German hymnology may be inferred from the fact that the Evangelical Church alone has produced no less than 80,000 hymns. See Psaljiody. (J. H. W.)