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Justus Gesenius
1601 - 1673 Author of "When sorrow and remorse" in Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church Gesenius, Justus, D.D., son of Joachim Gesenius, pastor at Esbeck, near Lauenstein, Hannover; was born at Esbeck, July 6, 1601. He studied at the Universities of Helmstedt and Jena, graduating M.A at Jena in 1628. In 1629 he became pastor of St. Magnus's Church, Brunswick; in 1636 court chaplain and preacher at the Cathedral in Hildesheim; and in 1642 chief court preacher, consistorialrath, and general superintendent at Hannover. He died at Hannover, Sept. 18, 1673 (Koch, iii 230-237; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, ix. 87-88; Bode, p. 76, &c).
Gesenius was an accomplished and influential theologian, a famous preacher, and distinguished himself by his efforts to further the catechetical instruction of the children of his district. Along with D. Denicke (q.v.) he edited the Hannoverian hymnbooks of 1646-1660. Both he and Denicke aimed at reducing the older German hymns to correctness of style according to the poetical canons of Martin Opitz; not so much interfering with the theology or making the authors speak a terminology foreign to them. Consequently their recasts, while setting a bad example, and while often destroying much of the force and freshness of the originals, were not by any means so objectionable as the recasts of the Rationalistic period, and moreover were soon widely accepted.
As no authors' names are given in the Hannoverian hymnbooks, it is difficult to assign the authorship of the new hymns and recasts therein contained. The following is generally, and apparently with reason, ascribed to Gesenius:
Wenn meine Sünd' mich kränken. Passiontide. His finest hymn as regards depth, warmth, and finish. First published in the Hannover Gesang-Buch 1646, No. 49, in 8 stanzas of 7 lines. It has been called a recast of the hymn "Hilf Gott, dass mir gelinge," but bears not the slightest resemblance to it. Included in Crüger's Praxis, 1656, and many later collections, as the Berlin Geistliche Lieder S., ed. 1863, No. 277. By a not unjust retribution it was soon recast, and appeared in the Lüneburg Gesang-Buch, 1661, as "Wenn mich die Sunden kränken." Translated as:—
1. When guilt and shame are raising. In full, by J. C. Jacobi, in pt. ii., 1725, of his Psalter Germanica, p. 4 (1732, p. 34). In the Moravian HymnBook of 1789, No. 106, it is altered to “O Lord, when condemnation"; and in the edition 1886, it begins with st. v., "Lord, let Thy bitter passion." A cento of stanzas ii., iii., v., from the Moravian Hymn Book, 1801, was adopted by Montgomery in his Christian Psalmist, 1825, beginning, "O wonder far exceeding," and this is in the New Zealand Hymnal. 1872.
2. 0 Lord, when my sins grieve me. A good translation of stanzas i., ii., iv., v., by A. T. Russell, as No. 81 in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851.
3. When sorrow and remorse. In full, by Miss Winkworth in her Lyra Germanica, 1st Ser., 1855, p. 74. A cento consisting of lines 1-4 of stanzas i., iv.—vi., and of stanza vii., rewritten to S.M., is in the Pennsylvanian Lutheran Church Book, 1868.
4. 0 Lord, when condemnation. A full and good translation, included as No. 84 in the 1857 ed. of Mercer's The Church Psalter and Hymnbook. Probably by Mr. Mercer, but mainly taken from the Moravian Hymnbook, 1789, and from Miss Winkworth. Repeated, abridged, in his Oxford ed., 1864, No. 149, and in the Toronto HymnBook, 1862.
5. When o'er my sins I sorrow. A good translation, based on her 1855 version, and omitting stanzas ii.—iv., by Miss Winkworth, as No. 48 in her Chorale Book for England, 1863. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Justus Gesenius
Catherine Winkworth
1827 - 1878 Translator of "When sorrow and remorse" in Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used in many modern hymnals. Her work was published in two series of Lyra Germanica (1855, 1858) and in The Chorale Book for England (1863), which included the appropriate German tune with each text as provided by Sterndale Bennett and Otto Goldschmidt. Winkworth also translated biographies of German Christians who promoted ministries to the poor and sick and compiled a handbook of biographies of German hymn authors, Christian Singers of Germany (1869).
Bert Polman
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Winkworth, Catherine, daughter of Henry Winkworth, of Alderley Edge, Cheshire, was born in London, Sep. 13, 1829. Most of her early life was spent in the neighbourhood of Manchester. Subsequently she removed with the family to Clifton, near Bristol. She died suddenly of heart disease, at Monnetier, in Savoy, in July, 1878. Miss Winkworth published:—
Translations from the German of the Life of Pastor Fliedner, the Founder of the Sisterhood of Protestant Deaconesses at Kaiserworth, 1861; and of the Life of Amelia Sieveking, 1863.
Her sympathy with practical efforts for the benefit of women, and with a pure devotional life, as seen in these translations, received from her the most practical illustration possible in the deep and active interest which she took in educational work in connection with the Clifton Association for the Higher Education of Women, and kindred societies there and elsewhere. Our interest, however, is mainly centred in her hymnological work as embodied in her:—
(1) Lyra Germanica, 1st Ser., 1855. (2) Lyra Germanica, 2nd Ser., 1858. (3) The Chorale Book for England (containing translations from the German, together with music), 1863; and (4) her charming biographical work, the Christian Singers of Germany, 1869.
In a sympathetic article on Miss Winkworth in the Inquirer of July 20, 1878, Dr. Martineau says:—
"The translations contained in these volumes are invariably faithful, and for the most part both terse and delicate; and an admirable art is applied to the management of complex and difficult versification. They have not quite the fire of John Wesley's versions of Moravian hymns, or the wonderful fusion and reproduction of thought which may be found in Coleridge. But if less flowing they are more conscientious than either, and attain a result as poetical as severe exactitude admits, being only a little short of ‘native music'"
Dr. Percival, then Principal of Clifton College, also wrote concerning her (in the Bristol Times and Mirror), in July, 1878:—
"She was a person of remarkable intellectual and social gifts, and very unusual attainments; but what specially distinguished her was her combination of rare ability and great knowledge with a certain tender and sympathetic refinement which constitutes the special charm of the true womanly character."
Dr. Martineau (as above) says her religious life afforded "a happy example of the piety which the Church of England discipline may implant.....The fast hold she retained of her discipleship of Christ was no example of ‘feminine simplicity,' carrying on the childish mind into maturer years, but the clear allegiance of a firm mind, familiar with the pretensions of non-Christian schools, well able to test them, and undiverted by them from her first love."
Miss Winkworth, although not the earliest of modern translators from the German into English, is certainly the foremost in rank and popularity. Her translations are the most widely used of any from that language, and have had more to do with the modern revival of the English use of German hymns than the versions of any other writer.
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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See also in:
Hymn Writers of the Church
Catherine Winkworth
Samuel Howard
1710 - 1782 Person Name: Dr. S. Howard, d. 1782 Composer of "ST. BRIDE" in Christian Hymns Samuel Howard, Mus. Doc.; b. in England, 1710,; d. 1782
Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal, 1908
Samuel Howard
David Denicke
1603 - 1680 Author of "When sorrow and remorse" in Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church Denicke, David, son of B. D. Denicke, Town Judge of Zittau, Saxony, was born at Zittau, January 31, 1603. After studying philosophy and law at the Universities of Wittenberg and Jena, he was for a time tutor of law at Königsberg, and, 1624-1628, travelled in Holland, England and France. In 1629 he became tutor to the sons of Duke Georg of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and under father and sons held various important offices, such as, 1639, the direction of the foundation of Bursfeld, and in 1642 a member of the Consistory at Hannover. He died at Hannover, April 1, 1680 (Koch, iii. 237; Bode, p. 58). His hymns, which for that time were in good taste, and are simple, useful, warm, and flowing, appeared in the various Hannoverian hymnbooks, 1646-1659, which he edited along with J. Gesenius (q.v.). All appeared there without his name. Those translated are:—i. Wenn ich die heilgen zehn Gebot. Ten Commandments. Contributed to the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1652, No. 69, as a hymn on the Ten Commandments, in 22 stanza of 4 1., stanzas i.-x. being a confession of sins against them, and stanzas xi.-xxii. a medi¬tation and prayer for God's mercy. Included in Crüger's Praxis pietatis melica, 1661, in Freylinghausen's Gesang Buch, 1714, and recently in a few collections, as Sarnighausen's Gesang Buch, 1855, No. 164, and the Ohio Gesang Buch, 1865, No. 182. It is translated as Almighty Lord of earth and heaven. By C. H. L. Schnette, as No. 206 in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880. Stanzas i.-iv. are literal; stanzas v.-vii. seem based on v., vii., xvi., xvii.
Hymns not in English common use:—
ii. Ach treuer Gott! ich ruf zu dir . [Christian Life .] 1st published in the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1652, No. 135, in 17 st. This is translated as:—(1) “My God! I call upon Thy name," by Miss Cox, 1841, p. 177. (2) "Most holy God! to thee I cry," by Lady E. Fortescue, 1843 (1847, p. 69).
iii. Kommt, lasst euch den Herren lehren . [ The Beatitudes,] 1st published in the Hannover Gesang Buch , 1648, in 11 st., No. 133. It may have been suggested by J. Heermann's "Kommt ihr Christen, kommt und höret" (9 st. in his Sontags- und Fest-Evangelia, Leipzig, 1638; Mützell, 1858, No. 94), but has only 3 lines in common with it. In the Nürnberg Gesang Buch , 1676, No. 962, and many later hymnbooks, it begins : "kommt und lasst uns Jesum lehren." It is translated as "Come and hear our blessed Saviour," by J. C. Jacobi, 1722, p. 46. In his 2nd edition, 1732, p. 75, altered and beginning “Come, and hear the sacred story," and thence in the Moravian Hymnbook, 1754, pt. i., No. 469; stanzas x., xi. beginning, "Jesus, grant me to inherit," being repeated in later editions and as No. 423 in J. A. Latrobe's Collection, 1841.
iv. Was kann ich doch fiir Dank. [Praise and Thanksgiving] 1st publised in the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1648, in 8 st., No. 154. Stanza vii. is altered from “Herr Jesu, führe mich," by J. Heermann (Devoti Musica Cordis); Breslau, 1630; Mützell, 1858, No. 57. Translated as "What, thanks can I repay?" by J. C. Jacobi, 1725, p. 46 (1732, p. 147).
v. Wir Menschen sein zu dem, O Gott. [Holy Scripture."] 1st published in the Hannover Gesang Buch, 1659, No. 180, in 10 stanzas. Founded on the Gospel for Sexagesima Sunday—St. Luke viii. 4, &c. Translated as:—(1) "Give us Thy Spirit, Lord, that we," a translation of stanza iii. by J. Swertner, as No. 8 in the Moravian Hymnbook, 1789 (1886, No. 9). (2) "Let the splendour of Thy word," a translation of stanza ix. by J. Swertner, as No. 15, in the Moravian Hymnbook, 1789. (1886, No. 17). [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology
David Denicke
