Hymnological Studies

by Matthew Nathanael Lundquist

SCANDINAVIAN LUTHERAN HYMNODY

The Reformation era, the sixteenth century.—The hymnody of the Scandinavian Church during this period was, for the most part, an echo of that of the German mother Church. Among important hymnists of this period we note Hans Taussen, Hans Tomissön, Cl. Töndebinder and Nils Jespersen of the Danish Church. In the Swedish Church we note especially the two brothers, Olaus and Laurentius Petri, the two great Swedish reformers, students under Dr. Martin Luther at the University of Wittenberg. The first Swedish Lutheran hymn book was issued by Olaus Petri, 1526, called “Swedish Songs” (about ten hymns). Revised and enlarged editions of this hymn book appeared in 1530 and 1536. In this first Swedish Lutheran hymn book we find hymns by the Swedish poet Olaf Swensson, who distinguished himself as a zealous polemic against the Roman Catholic Church and “Antichrist” (the pope). In 1567 appeared another Swedish Lutheran hymn book, containing 99 hymns, which has been called “the hymn book of Laurentius Petri,” because it contained many translations and several original hymns by him. A revised and enlarged edition of this hymn book appeared in 1572. In this hymnal appeared the popular and beautiful Swedish Lutheran hymn, “A sinful man, who lay in trance of sin, he heard a voice from heaven: Awake, awake, list to the Word that comfort gives.” It has been claimed by several authorities that this hymn is the foremost hymn in the Swedish literature of the sixteenth century, and also one of the greatest of Swedish Lutheran hymns. It is probably the work of Laurentius Petri Gothus.

Scandinavian Lutheran hymnody may be divided into five hymnological periods, similar to the five periods of German Lutheran hymnody. The hymnological periods of German and Scandinavian hymnody are parallel.

The second period, the seventeenth century.—The seventeenth century is said to be the days of glory in the history of Scandinavian Lutheran hymnody—its foremost period. While the Danish hymnists Hans Sthen, A. Arreboe, and especially T. Kingo wrote their hymns, the hymnody of the Swedish Church developed somewhat independently, with Swedish fervor and virility in connection with Biblical and practical simplicity in the best sense. The advance of this period on the Reformation era was much greater in the Swedish Church than in the German Church. It is also to be noted that the highest point in Swedish Lutheran hymn writing was reached in the later part of the seventeenth century, somewhat later than in Germany. Important Swedish hymnists of this period are Samuel Columbus, Erik Lindsköld, Petrus Brask, Gustaf Ollon, Israel Kolmodin, Jacob Boethius, Jakob Arrhenius, and especially the two bishops, Haquin Spegel and Jesper Swedberg. The Swedish Lutheran hymnal of 1695 was a masterwork.

The third period, from 1700 to 1750.—The Scandinavian Church was not subject to the hymnological fluctuations that the German Church experienced in this period, because the excellent Swedish hymnal of 1695 remained throughout the 18th century as the only official and popular hymn book. Efforts were made to produce new hymnals. About 1765 appeared an orthodox hymnal, “sound in doctrine and unpoetical”—called the Celsic hymnal, because O. Celsius had a great deal to do with its compilation. Pietistic and Moravianistic hymnals appeared. As an example of the Pietistic hymnals we note “The Songs of Moses and the Lamb,” by Lybecker, 1717. “The Songs of Zion” was a Moravianistic product, published about 1745. The Danes and the Norwegians were fortunate in having as their foremost hymnist the great H. A. Brorson, a most noble Pietistic hymn writer.

The fourth period.—This period includes the last half of the eighteenth century and the first fifteen years of the nineteenth. The neological spirit did not get into the church life of Sweden as thoroughly as in Germany. This fortunate condition is plainly seen in the hymnody of the Swedish Church. The hymnal that was published in 1793, the year of the 200th anniversary of the important Church Council at Upsala (1593), contained very few new hymns, and the old hymns retained were only slightly revised. But this hymnal was not accepted by the Swedish Church. About twenty years later, in 1814, appeared a new project in the matter of a revised and improved hymnal, the result of neological efforts to produce new church hymns. Many very able hymnists united in this great hymnological project, to show what genius and good taste can accomplish. It was a great work, but, on the whole, unsuccessful—too fine, perhaps.

The fifth period, the nineteenth century.—The hymnological situation in Sweden in the nineteenth century was somewhat similar to that in Germany. But it is hardly a question of returning to the old, because neological activities were not able to deprive the Swedish Church of her old hymnody. Efforts to give to the Church a large number of the best of the old church hymns (Greek, Latin, German and Scandinavian), carefully edited, and some new Swedish church hymns, resulted in the important Swedish Hymnal of 1819. It has remained to this day (1925) the official and popular Hymnal of the Swedish Church. It is the Swedish hymn book of the Augustana Synod. With respect to the old church hymns in the hymnal, it may be said that much was gained by this work of revision. Most of the new hymns are excellent. A few of the hymns betray neological influences. On the whole, however, the Hymnal of 1819 is a very fine Lutheran hymn book. It contains 500 hymns. Revision is undoubtedly needed, and such work has been going on for some time.

Among Swedish hymn writers who contributed to the Hymnal of 1819 we note especially Bishop J. O. Wallin (died 1839) and Bishop F. M. Franzen (died 1847). Wallin produced 128 original hymns and revised or translated very many old and new hymns. The Hymnal of 1819 has often been called Wallin’s Hymnal. Most of his hymns are immortal masterpieces. Franzen produced 22 original hymns. As a hymnist Franzen possessed less rhetorical elevation and force than Wallin, but he is fully equal to Wallin not only in the Biblical-evangelical quality of the content but also in the lyrical heartiness of the tone as well as in the transparency and simplicity of the language. Other important Swedish hymn writers of this period are Samuel J. Hedborn (died 1849) and Erik Gustaf Geijer (died 1847). Johan Henrik Thomander and Per Wieselgren are the editors of the Swedish Hymnal (1819) that is used in the Swedish Lutheran Augustana Synod, U. S. A.

In the Danish Church the well known N. F. S. Grundtvig (died 1872) has rendered great service as a reviser of old church hymns and writer of several excellent original hymns. The Norwegian Lutheran hymn book by Rev. M. B. Landstad (died 1881) is a very important hymnological work. It is a popular hymnal in the Norwegian Church. An important Swedish hymn book was published in Finland in 1880, which contained many excellent old church hymns from Swedish and German sources, but also several new hymns by such well known Finnish scholars as Johan Ludvig Runeberg (died 1877), Zacharias Topelius (died 1898), and others.

Bishop J. O. Wallin brought about a very high hymnic standard in the Swedish Church—perhaps the highest hymnic standard in the entire Lutheran world. When we examine what Grundtvig and Landstad gave the Danish and Norwegian churches, we find a great deal of the folk song element in that hymnody—not an unwholesome attribute. Wallin’s work belongs rather to the sphere of the solemn and sublime church hymn. The hymnody of the Swedish Lutheran Church is among the finest in the whole field of Lutheran hymnology, a church hymnody born in the days of the Reformation, four hundred years ago.