Cyriacus Schneegass

Sehneegass, Cyriacus, was born Oct. 5, 1546, at Buffleben, near Gotha. He studied and graduated M.A. at the University of Jena. In 1573 he became pastor of the St. Blasius church at Friedrichroda, near Gotha. He was also adjunct to the Superindendent of Weimar, and in this capacity signed the Formula of Concord in 1579. He died at Friedrichroda, Oct. 23, 1597 (Koch, ii. 252, &c).

Schneegass was a diligent pastor, a man mighty in the Scriptures, and firm and rejoicing in his faith. He was also an excellent musician and fostered the love of music among his people. His hymns reflect his character, and are good and simple, setting forth in clear and intelligible style the leading ideas of the festivals of the Christian year, &c.; and his Psalm versions are also of considerable merit. They appeared principally in his (l) xv. Psalmi graduum, &c, Erfurt, 1595 [Gotha Library], This contains the Psalms of Degrees (120-134) also Ps. 82 and 85, and three hymns. (2) Weihenacht und New Jahrs-Gesäng, Erfurt, 1595. Koch speaks of this as containing 9 hymns. The present writer has been unable to trace a copy of the book. (3) Geistliche Lieder und Psalmen. Für Einfeltigefrome Herzen zugerichtet, Erfurt, 1597 [Berlin Library]. This is the complete edition of his psalms and hymns, containing 72 in all.

Of his hymns those which have passed into English are:—
i. Das neugeborne Kindelein. Christmas. Probably first published in No. 2 above. Included in 1597 as above, No. 1, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, entitled "A beautiful little Christmas hymn on the dear little Jesus." Repeated in Wackernagel, v. p. 138, and as No. 65 in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen1851. The translations in common use are:—
1. The holy Son, the new-born Child, A good and full tr. by A. T. Russell, as No. 60 in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851.
2. The new-born Child this early morn. In full as No. 46 in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal 1880. Another tr. is (3) "The new-born Babe, whom Mary bore," as No. 439 in pt. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book , 1754.
ii. Herr Gott Vater, wir preisen dich. New Year. Probably first published in No. 2 above. Included in 1597 as above, No. 7, in 4 stanzas of 7 lines, entitled "A New Year's Hymn." Repeated in Wackernagel, v. p. 139, in the Pfalz Gesang-Buch 1859, No. 129, and the Ohio Gesang-Buch, 1870, No. 54. The translation in common use is:—
O Lord our Father, thanks to Thee. In full, by A. Crull, in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)