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Hugh Wilson

1766 - 1824 Composer of "[Auf Seele, auf, und säume nicht]" in Gesangbuch mit Noten Hugh Wilson (b. Fenwick, Ayrshire, Scotland, c. 1766; d. Duntocher, Scotland, 1824) learned the shoemaker trade from his father. He also studied music and mathematics and became proficient enough in various subjects to become a part-time teacher to the villagers. Around 1800, he moved to Pollokshaws to work in the cotton mills and later moved to Duntocher, where he became a draftsman in the local mill. He also made sundials and composed hymn tunes as a hobby. Wilson was a member of the Secession Church, which had separated from the Church of Scotland. He served as a manager and precentor in the church in Duntocher and helped found its first Sunday school. It is thought that he composed and adapted a number of psalm tunes, but only two have survived because he gave instructions shortly before his death that all his music manuscripts were to be destroyed. Bert Polman

Nikolaus Herman

1500 - 1561 Person Name: NIkolaus Herman Composer of "[Auf Seele, auf und säume nicht]" in Evangelisches Gesangbuch Herman, Nicolaus, is always associated with Joachimsthal in Bohemia, just over the mountains from Saxony. The town was not of importance till the mines began to be extensively worked about 1516. Whether Herman was a native of this place is not known, but he was apparently there in 1518, and was certainly in office there in 1524. For many years he held the post of Master in the Latin School, and Cantor or Organist and Choirmaster in the church. Towards the end of his life he suffered greatly from gout, and had to resign even his post as Cantor a number of years before his death. He died at Joachimsthal, May 3, 1561. (Koch, i. 390-398; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, xii. 186-188, &c.) He was a great friend and helper of J. Mathesius (q.v.) (who in 1532 became rector of the school, but in 1541 diaconus and in 1545 pastor of the church), and it was said that whenever Mathesius preached a specially good sermon Herman straightway embodied its leading ideas in a hymn. His hymns, however, were not primarily written for use in church, but were intended for the boys and girls in the schools, to supplant profane songs in the mouths of the young men and women, or for the daily life of the “housefathers and housemothers" in Joachimsthal, at home, and in their work in the mines. He is a poet of the people, homely, earnest, and picturesque in style; by his naiveté reminding us of Hans Sachs. He was an ardent lover of music and a very good organist. The chorales which he published with his hymns are apparently all of his own composition, and are among the best of the Reformation period. Many of Herman's hymns soon passed into Church use in Germany, and a number are found in almost all books in present use. About 190 in all, they appeared principally in:— (1) Die Sontags Evangelia uber des gantze Jar, in Gesenge verfasset, für die Kinder und christlichen Haussvetter, &c, Wittenberg, 1560 (dedication by Herman dated Trinity Sunday, 1559), with 101 hymns and 17 melodies. The best are those interspersed specially meant for children and not directly founded on the Gospel for the day. (2) Die Historien von der Sindfludt, Joseph, Mose, Helia, Elisa und der Susanna, sampt etlichen Historien aus den Evangelisten, &c., Wittenberg, 1562 (preface by Herman dated St. Bartholomew's Day, 1560), with 73 hymns and 20 melodies. In this case also the general hymns are the best. A selection of 60 (really 61) of his hymns, with a memoir by K. F. Ledderhose, was published at Halle, 1855. One of Herman's hymns is noted under “Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist." The others which have passed into English are:— i. Bescher uns, Herr, das täglioh Brod. Grace before Meat. 1562, as above, and thence in Wackernagel, iii. p. 1228, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines; in Ledderhose, p. 70; and in the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863, No. 1133. Translated as:— 1. Thou art our Father and our God. This, by P. H. Molther, a translation of stanza vi., as No. 180 in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1789 (1849, No. 220, st. v.). 2. As children we are owned by Thee, a translation of stanza vi., as st. iii. of No. 191 in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1801 (1849, No. 220, stanza iii.). ii. Die helle Sonn leucht jetzt herfür. Morning. 1560, as above, and thence in Wackernagel, iii. p. 1184, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, in Ledderhose, p. 87; and in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 450. Translated as:— The morning beam revives our eyes, a good and full translation by. A. T. Russell, as No. 71 in the Dalston Hospital Hymn Book 1848. iii. Erschienen ist der herrliche Tag. Easter. 1560, as above, in 14 stanzas of 4 lines, entitled, "A new Spiritual Song of the Joyful Resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ; for the maidens of the girls' school in Joachimsthal”; and thence in Wackernagel, iii. p. 1175; in Ledderhose p. 23, and Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 134. It has reminiscences of the "Erstanden ist der heil'ge Christ". Translated as:— The day hath dawn'd—-the day of days, a good translation by A. T. Russell of stanzas i., ii., xiii., xiv., as No. 113 in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851. Another tr. is, "At length appears the glorious day," by Dr. G. Walker, 1860, p. 28. iv. Hinunter ist der Sonnen Schein. Evening. 1560, as above, and thence in Wackernagel, iii. p. 1184, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines; in Ledderhose, p. 88; and in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen1851, No. 523. Some of the phrases may have been suggested by the "Christe qui lux es et dies" (q. v.). Translated as:— 1. Sunk is the sun's last beam of light, a full and good translation by Miss Cox in her Sacred Hymns from the German, 1841, p. 57. Included in Alford's Psalms & Hymns, 1844, and Tear of Praise, 1867; in Dale's English Hymn Book, 1875; in the Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book, 1868, and others. It is also given considerably altered and beginning, "Sunk is the Sun! the daylight gone," in W. J. Blew's Church Hymn and Tune Book, 1851-55. 2. The happy sunshine all is gone, in full, by Miss Winkworth in her Lyra Germanica, 1st Ser., 1855, p. 225; repeated in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, and the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880. Other translations are: (1) "Did I perhaps Thee somewhat grieve," a translation of stanza iii. in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1789, No. 756. In the 1801 and later eds. (1886, No. 1181, st. iii.), it begins, "Where'er I Thee this day did grieve." (2) "The sun’s fair sheen is past and gone," by H. J. Buckoll, 1842, p. 68. (3) "The sun hath run his daily race," by Lady E. Fortescue, 1843, p. 14. v. Lobt Gott, ihr Christen alle gleich. Christmas. Written c. 1554, but first published 1560 as above, as the first of "Three Spiritual Christmas Songs of the new-born child Jesus, for the children in Joachimsthal." Thence in Wackernagel iii. p. 1169, in 8 stanzas of 4 lines; in Ledderhose, p. 1; and in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 47. It is one of the most popular German Christmas hymns. The melody set to it in 1560 is also by Herman; in 1554 to his "Kommt her ihr liebsten Schwesterlein" [in the Hymnal Companioncalled "St. George's (old)"]. Translated as :— 1. Let all together praise our God, a good translation of stanzas i., iii., vi., viii., by A. T. Russell, as No. 52 in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851. Repeated in Kennedy, 1863, adding a translation of st. ii., and beginning, "Let all creation praise our God." 2. Praise ye the Lord, ye Christians I yea, in full, by E. Cronenwett, as No. 31 in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal 1880. Other translations are: (1) "A wondrous change He with us makes," a tr. of stanza viii., ix. as No. 438 in pt. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754, repeated 1789-1826. (2) "Come, brethren, lets the song arise," by Dr. G. Walker, 1860, p. 26. (3) "Praise God, now Christians, all alike," by Miss Manington, 1864, p. 9. (4) "Praise God, upon His throne on high," in the Sunday Magazine, 1874, p. 384, signed "P. J." The hymn “Shepherds rejoice, lift up your eyes," given by J. C. Jacobi in his Psalmodia Germanica, 1722, p. 8, to Herman's melody (which was first published 1554) is, as stated in his Preface, taken from Bk. i. of Isaac Watts's Horse Lyricae vi. So wahr ich leb, spricht Gott der Herr. Absolution. 1560, as above, in 11 stanzas of 4 lines, entitled "A hymn on the power of the keys and the virtue of holy absolution; for the children in Joachimsthal." Thence in Wackernagel, iii. p. 1183; in Ledderhose, p. 47; and the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 429. It probably suggested the better known hymn, "So wahr ich lebe," q. v., by Johann Heermann. Translated as:— Yea, as I live, Jehovah saith, I do not wish the sinner's death, in full, by Dr. M. Loy, as No. 245, in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Michael Müller

1673 - 1704 Person Name: Mich. Müller Author of "Auf Seele, auf, und säume nicht" in Gesangbuch mit Noten Müller, Michael , son of Zacharias Müller, brewer at Blankenburg, in the Saxon Harz, was born at Blankenburg, January 12, 1673, studied theology at Halle under Francke and Breithaupt, and received license as a Candidate of Theology (general preacher). Just after completing his university course, in 1697, he was seized with violent hemorrhage. He so far recovered as to be able to accept the position of house tutor in the family of Gaisberg (Geyssberg) at Schaubeck, near Klein-Bottwar in Württemberg, but after a time his illness returned and he died there March 13, 1704 (Koch iv. 405; Blätter für Hymnologie, 1886, p. 146; MS. from General Superintendent G. Schönerniark, Blankenburg, &c). Müller's principal work is his excellent version of the Psalter (Die Psalmen Davids, &c, Stuttgart, Paul Treuer, 1700. To the copy of this work in the Royal Library at Berlin there is appended (without separate title page or date, but by the same printer) his Auffmunternder Neu-Jahrs-Zuruff an die Braut, &c. This contains 5 hymns which are repeated in his Geistliche Erquickstunden, dated 1706, but without name of publisher [Wernigerode Library]. This last work contains 61 hymns on the Gospels for Sundays and Festivals, followed by hymns 62-83, on miscellaneous subjects. The first lines of all these hymns are given in the Blätter as above. Many of Müller's psalm versions came deservedly into favour in Germany, but of his hymns few are found except in the hymn books of the Separatists from 1710 to 1750. In Freylinghausen's Gesang-Buch1704 and 1714, there are 21 of his psalms and 2 of his hymns. Those of Müller's hymns which have passed into English are— i. Auf, Seele, auf, und säume nicht. Epiphany. First published as No. 4 in his Zuruff as above, in 34 st. of 4 1. entitled "The way to Life. On the Gospel for the Three Holy Kings Day, Luke ii." In Freylinghausen's Gesang-Buch, 1704, No. 68, st. vii., x.-xvi. were omitted, and the same form is No. 205 in the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863. The translation in common use is—- Up, up, new light upon thee breaks. A free translation of st. i.-iv., xvii., xviii. xxii., xxxi., xxxii., by Dr. Kennedy, in his Hymnologia Christiana, 1863. ii. Sieh wie lieblich und wie fein. Brotherly love. The original form of this hymn is a ver¬sion of Ps. cxxxiii. by Müller, in his Psalmen Davids, 1700, p. 244, in 4 st. of 4 1. In Freylinghausen's Gesang-Buch, 1704, No. 390, these st. are i.-iv., while st. v.-xiv. (on the subject of brotherly love) are added from the MS. of' J. C. Nehring (q.v.). This text, in 14 st., is No. 1045 in the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863. The form tr. into English is that in Bunsen's Versuch, 1833, No. 534, being st. i., iv., viii., x. of the above text and the following three st.:— l. Sonne der Gerechtigkeit, Gehe auf zu unsrer Zeit, Brich in deiner Kirche an Dass die Welt es sehen kann. 2. Jesu, Haupt der Kreuzgemein, Mach uns alle, gross und klein, Durch dein Evangelium Ganz zu deinem Eigenthum. 3. Lass die ganze Brüderschaar, Lieben, loben immerdar, In dir ruhen allezeit, Immer und in Ewigkeit. These three st. are from the Bruder Gesang-Buch, 1778, No. 711, and are by Christian David. The first and third had previously appeared in the Kleine Brüder Gesang-Buch, London, 1754, pt. ii., Bk. ii., on the Church of God, section 7. The only translation in common use is:— Good and pleasant 'tis to see. A good translation from Bunsen, by Miss Cox, in her Sacred Hymns from the German, 1841, p. 143, repeated abridged in Alford's Psalms & Hymns, 1844, and Year of Praise, 1867, and in the Rev. F. Pott's Collection, 1861. Other translations are, both from Bunsen's text:—(1) “Behold how sweet it is to see," by Lady E. Fortescue, 1843, p. 64. (2) "Lo! how sweet it is to see," by W. Arnot, in the Family Treasury, 1812, p. 204. . [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)