Dies est laetitiae, In ortu regali. [Christmas.] This Christmas hymn or carol, which Luther spoke of as a work of the Holy Spirit, seems to be of German origin, and is probably not earlier than the 14th century.
G. Goeze, of Jena, in 1703, started the theory that this hymn was written by Benno, created Cardinal in 1085 by the Anti-Pope Clement III. Other German writers of the 18th century, misunderstanding this statement, forthwith pronounced it the work of Benno, Bishop of Meissen, who d. 1101. ..For neither supposition is there the slightest vestige of evidence. It exists in various forms, and as will be seen below, the early German versions give no help in determining what number of stanzas it originally possessed.
This hymn also passed into English through the German:—
Der Tag der ist so freudenreich, Wackernagel, ii., p. 520, gives this as a 15th century, translation, and reprints 11 (really 12) versions, varying from 1 to 13 stanzas. The form translated into English is that in Klug's Gesang-Buch, 1529, in 4 stanzas, repeated as No. 29 in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen &, 1851. The translation in common use is:—
A wondrous child, the Virgin-born, by A. T. Russell as No. 49 in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851. It begins with stanza ii. ("Ein Kindelein so lobelich"), and is of stanzas ii., i.
Other translations are:— (1) "Hail to the day! so rich in joy," by Miss Fry, 1845, p. 13. (2) "To us the promised child is born," a translation of stanza ii. by Dr. H. Mills, 1856, p. 274. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]
--Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
Luther, Martin, born at Eisleben, Nov. 10, 1483; entered the University of Erfurt, 1501 (B.A. 1502, M.A.. 1503); became an Augustinian monk, 1505; ordained priest, 1507; appointed Professor at the University of Wittenberg, 1508, and in 1512 D.D.; published his 95 Theses, 1517; and burnt the Papal Bull which had condemned them, 1520; attended the Diet of Worms, 1521; translated the Bible into German, 1521-34; and died at Eisleben, Feb. 18, 1546. The details of his life and of his work as a reformer are accessible to English readers in a great variety of forms. Luther had a huge influence on German hymnody.
i. Hymn Books.
1. Ellich cristlich lider Lobgesang un Psalm. Wittenberg, 1524. [Hamburg Library.] This contains 8 German h… Go to person page >
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