Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Encyclopedia
"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" is a hymn
based on Joachim Neander
German chorale
Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, published in 1680. John Julian
in his A Dictionary of Hymnology
calls the German original "a magnificent hymn of praise to God, perhaps the finest creation of its author, and of the first rank in its class."
The melody used by Neander, first published in 1665, exists in many versions and is probably based on a folk tune. The text paraphrases Psalm 103
and Psalm 150
. Catherine Winkworth
published her English translation of Neander's hymn in 1863.
It was the favorite hymn of King Frederick William III of Prussia
, who first heard it in 1800.
used the chorale as the base for his chorale cantata
Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, BWV 137
, in 1724. Although only the text of the outer stanzas was kept completely, he referred to the unusual melody in bar form
with a Stollen of five measures and a climax at the beginning of the Abgesang in all movements but one. John Eliot Gardiner assumes, looking at the festive instrumentation and the general content of praise and thanksgiving, that the cantata was also performed that year to celebrate Ratswahl, the inauguration of the Leipzig
city council. In 1729 Bach concluded his wedding cantata Herr Gott, Beherrscher aller Dinge, BWV 120a, with the final movement of the chorale cantata, transposed to D major. Bach transformed the central movement of his cantata to one of his Schübler Chorales
.
Several composers wrote organ preludes on the chorale, including Johann Gottfried Walther
, Johann Philipp Kirnberger, and Max Reger
as both op. 24 and part of his collection op. 135a. Johann Nepomuk David
composed a Toccata
on the tune.
The German choral composer Hugo Distler
produced a popular arrangement of the hymn for a capella chorus, as part of his Drei kleine Choralmotetten.
John Julian
A Dictionary of Hymnology
lists more than ten English translations of "Lobe den Herren" printed in various nineteenth century hymnals.
The first verse of the Winkworth translation is
Lionel Adey uses Winkworth's translation as an example of translators' reshaping a text to their own era's tastes, noting that she discards the German Renaissance flavor of psaltery and harp to introduce a mention of "health" more typical of nineteenth-century Christianity. Although he praises other translations by Winkworth, and describes this one as a twentieth-century "classic," he critiques her changes to the sense of Neander's text as an example of "muscular Christianity tinged with Philistinism."
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
based on Joachim Neander
Joachim Neander
Joachim Neander was a German Reformed Church teacher, theologian and hymn writer whose most famous hymn, Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation is generally regarded as one of the greatest hymns of praise of the Christian church and, since being translated into English by...
German chorale
Chorale
A chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, published in 1680. John Julian
John Julian
John Julian was the first recorded black pirate to operate in the New World, as the pilot of the ship Whydah.Julian was a half-blood Miskito Indian who joined Samuel Bellamy early in his brief career. He eventually piloted the Whydah, which was the leading ship of Bellamy's fleet, when he was only...
in his A Dictionary of Hymnology
A Dictionary of Hymnology
A Dictionary of Hymnology: Origin and History of Christian Hymns and Hymnwriters of All Ages and Nations, Together with Biographical and Critical Notices of Their Authors and Translators by John D...
calls the German original "a magnificent hymn of praise to God, perhaps the finest creation of its author, and of the first rank in its class."
The melody used by Neander, first published in 1665, exists in many versions and is probably based on a folk tune. The text paraphrases Psalm 103
Psalm 103
Psalm 103 is the 103rd psalm from the Book of Psalms . The first verse attributes it to King David, the author of many Psalms. J.A...
and Psalm 150
Psalm 150
Psalm 150 is a psalm in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. In it, the writer urges the congregation to praise God with music and dancing. The text, beloved by Jews and Christians alike, has often been set to music...
. Catherine Winkworth
Catherine Winkworth
Catherine Winkworth was an English translator. She is best known for bringing the German chorale tradition to English speakers with her numerous translations of hymns.-Biography:...
published her English translation of Neander's hymn in 1863.
Early history
The common name given to this melody is "Lobe den Herren". Several variants were published with various secular texts between 1665 to 1680, when Joachim Neander published his German hymn Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, using its meter.It was the favorite hymn of King Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
, who first heard it in 1800.
Musical settings
Johann Sebastian BachJohann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
used the chorale as the base for his chorale cantata
Chorale cantata
In music, a chorale cantata is a sacred composition for voices and instruments, principally from the German Baroque era, in which the organizing principle is the words and music to a chorale. Usually a chorale cantata is in multiple movements or parts. Most chorale cantatas were written between...
Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, BWV 137
Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, BWV 137
Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren , BWV 137, is a church cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach. He composed the chorale cantata in Leipzig for the twelfth Sunday after Trinity and first performed it on 19 August 1725.-History and words:Bach composed the cantata in Leipzig for Twelfth Sunday...
, in 1724. Although only the text of the outer stanzas was kept completely, he referred to the unusual melody in bar form
Bar form
Bar form is a musical form of the pattern AAB.-Original Use:The term comes from the rigorous terminology of the Meistersinger guilds of the 15th to 18th century who used it to describe their songs and the songs of the predecessors, the minnesingers of the 12th to 14th century...
with a Stollen of five measures and a climax at the beginning of the Abgesang in all movements but one. John Eliot Gardiner assumes, looking at the festive instrumentation and the general content of praise and thanksgiving, that the cantata was also performed that year to celebrate Ratswahl, the inauguration of the Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
city council. In 1729 Bach concluded his wedding cantata Herr Gott, Beherrscher aller Dinge, BWV 120a, with the final movement of the chorale cantata, transposed to D major. Bach transformed the central movement of his cantata to one of his Schübler Chorales
Schübler Chorales
Schübler Chorales is a name usually given to the Sechs Chorale von verschiedener Art for organ , a collection of six chorale preludes by Johann Sebastian Bach, issued around 1748. The title 'Schübler Chorales' derives from the engraver and publisher Johann Georg Schübler, who is named on the title...
.
Several composers wrote organ preludes on the chorale, including Johann Gottfried Walther
Johann Gottfried Walther
Johann Gottfried Walther was a German music theorist, organist, composer, and lexicographer of the Baroque era.Walther was born at Erfurt...
, Johann Philipp Kirnberger, and Max Reger
Max Reger
Johann Baptist Joseph Maximilian Reger was a German composer, conductor, pianist, organist, and academic teacher.-Life:...
as both op. 24 and part of his collection op. 135a. Johann Nepomuk David
Johann Nepomuk David
Johann Nepomuk David was an Austrian composer.He began his musical career in the monastery of Sankt Florian, and was a composition student of Joseph Marx....
composed a Toccata
Toccata
Toccata is a virtuoso piece of music typically for a keyboard or plucked string instrument featuring fast-moving, lightly fingered or otherwise virtuosic passages or sections, with or without imitative or fugal interludes, generally emphasizing the dexterity of the performer's fingers...
on the tune.
The German choral composer Hugo Distler
Hugo Distler
Hugo Distler was a German organist, choral conductor, teacher and composer.-Life and career:...
produced a popular arrangement of the hymn for a capella chorus, as part of his Drei kleine Choralmotetten.
Text
In the Neander original, first the singer calls himself (my beloved soul) to praise God, then calls for a larger group to join the praise with musical instruments as well as song:John Julian
John Julian
John Julian was the first recorded black pirate to operate in the New World, as the pilot of the ship Whydah.Julian was a half-blood Miskito Indian who joined Samuel Bellamy early in his brief career. He eventually piloted the Whydah, which was the leading ship of Bellamy's fleet, when he was only...
A Dictionary of Hymnology
A Dictionary of Hymnology
A Dictionary of Hymnology: Origin and History of Christian Hymns and Hymnwriters of All Ages and Nations, Together with Biographical and Critical Notices of Their Authors and Translators by John D...
lists more than ten English translations of "Lobe den Herren" printed in various nineteenth century hymnals.
The first verse of the Winkworth translation is
Lionel Adey uses Winkworth's translation as an example of translators' reshaping a text to their own era's tastes, noting that she discards the German Renaissance flavor of psaltery and harp to introduce a mention of "health" more typical of nineteenth-century Christianity. Although he praises other translations by Winkworth, and describes this one as a twentieth-century "classic," he critiques her changes to the sense of Neander's text as an example of "muscular Christianity tinged with Philistinism."