In 1689, Kelpius obtained his master’s degree. In the years following he composed an essay entitled: “Scylla Theologica, aliquot exemplis Patrum et Doctorum, etc.” About this time he must have obtained a knowledge of the religion of the mystics, and must also have come under the influence of Jacob Böhme’s philosophy, and Spener’s theosophy.
Such was the man who led the band of hermits, which arrived in Philadelphia, June 23, 1694. His life on the Wissahickon was one of pious contemplation, and striving to follow out his idea of Christianity. He died 1708.[8]
The Hon. S. W. Pennypacker has in his possession a hymn book composed by these people, in which some of the hymns are dated 1707. He reports that Kelpius wrote nineteen hymns; another writer possibly Köster thirteen hymns; and Seelig four hymns.[9]
Not only did these “Hermits” worship God with song, but they undoubtedly accompanied their voices with musical instruments, since we know that they brought the latter with them from London.[10] Also we find Kelpius in one of his letters desiring that two clavichords with additional strings might be sent.[11] This simply goes to show that this little band of religious fanatics was not deficient in musical ability, and also that they carefully nurtured their love for music. Gradually these Pietists died or renounced their faith and were received into other religious societies,[12] and in the latter case one may be sure that their musical instruments went with them and were played and listened to with pleasure in a far wider circle than formerly.
It is not our purpose to consider in detail the various German hymn-writers in Pennsylvania, as the field is far too large, and besides the composers for the most part, were not inhabitants of Philadelphia. There are a few men, however, of sufficient importance to be considered, even though they lie somewhat without our field of operation. Perhaps the most picturesque figure in the history of American music in this century is Conrad Beissel of Ephrata Cloister. He not only evolved a new system of music, but was also the first composer of music in America. He wrote hymns and chorals in four, five, six, and seven parts, while usually in other congregations the hymns were sung in unison.[13]
The first edition of Ephrata hymns was published by Benjamin Franklin, Philadelphia, 1730, while different editions of new hymns appeared in 1732, 1736, 1739, 1754, 1755, 1756 (2 eds.), 1762, and 1766.[14] Of these hymns, over 1,000 are attributed to Conrad Beissel. Not only did he compose music, but he also wrote the first treatise on harmony in America.[15] Concerning the quality of the music Dr. J. H. Sachse says: “The peculiar sweetness and weird beauty of the songs of the sisterhood, and the impressive cadence of the chorals and hymns of the combined chorus”[16] is strikingly seen.
Before the end of the century nearly all the sects of the Pennsylvania Germans had their editions of hymn-books, for the most part abridgements of those in use in the mother country. A few sects, however, had men versed in poetry as well as religion, and these helped to swell the hymn-books, already in use, with new songs. The Moravians were especially prolific, and under the direction of Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf, who himself wrote over 130 hymns in this country, produced a work of some importance. “No authorized hymn-book for the Moravian church was issued in America during the colonial period, but a small collection printed at Germantown by [C.] Sauer [in] 1742, ‘Hirtenlieder von Bethlehem’” was popular.[17] Zinzendorf was not the only hymn writer among the Moravians, since there were also his two wives, his son, Bishop Spangenberg and others, who had some ability in this line. In speaking of the “German American Hymnology,” Hausmann remarks that the hymns of all sects were subjective, excepting those of the Moravians.[18]
In the 18th century, Philadelphia and Germantown were the two—for a time the only two—important printing centres of Pennsylvania, and here it was that the greater number of German hymn books were printed. There can be no doubt, I think, that many of these German hymns were known to most of the inhabitants of Philadelphia, but as to whether or not these hymns had any influence upon the people, we are as yet, not prepared to say. At this time, we can do no more than enumerate the different editions of German hymn-books printed in Philadelphia and vicinity during the 18th century, although we hope that we may later investigate them thoroughly. In 1744 the Brotherhood of the Inspired produced an abridgement of a larger European collection. This became a favorite with the different Separatist bodies. It was called “Das Kleine Davidische Psalterspiel der Kinder Zions.”[19] This book contains 530 pages, and was printed by C. Sauer, Germantown. In 1752 Sauer reprinted the “Marburg Reformed Hymn Book;” 1753[20] “Die Kleine Harfe,”[21] 1762, Marburg edition of the Lutheran hymn-book,[22] and also in this same year the first edition of Schwenkfelder hymns,[23] some of which were composed in this country, others taken from the Lutheran and Reformed hymn-books, but based, in great part upon the hymn-book of the Bohemian Brethren. It contains 917 hymns.[24] In 1763 was printed the “Marburg Reformed Hymn-Book;”[25] in 1786 the earliest original collection of Lutheran hymns in this country, entitled “Erbauliche Liedersammlung;” 1788 “Liebliche und Erbauliche Lieder,” “Unparteiische Lieder Sammlung,” and others published by the German Baptist Society;[26] 1797 “Neues und verbessertes Gesangbuch” printed by Steiner & Kammerer, Phila., 1799, a third edition of the “Marburg Lutheran Hymn Book”.[27] The total number of editions of German hymn-books during this century was twenty-two, but besides that there was a German hymn-book translated into English in 1795.
FOOTNOTES:
[3] Hausmann, “German American Hymnology 1683-1800,” in Americana Germanica (hereafter, Am. Ger.) 1898, Vol. II, No. 3, p. II.