#24 Gottesdienst in der Stiftskirche

Program Paul Gerhardt's spiritual songs from Schemelli's hymnal Participants Elisabeth von Stritzky soprano Barbara Borgir violoncello Stiftskantor Kay Johannsen organ

In the 18th century, hymnbooks for private use were an important aid for simple devotions at home. In 1736, the pietist Georg Christian Schemmel, alias Schemelli, published his own hymnal with 954 hymns, 69 of which were notated.

He engaged the accomplished Johann Sebastian Bach, who also happened to be his son's music teacher, as his musical advisor. Bach revised and improved the melodies and the basso continuo. To date, only three original melodies have been attributed to him with certainty. To mark the 350th anniversary of the death of the poet Paul Gerhard (1607-1676), Stiftskantor Kay Johannsen has selected some of his famous hymns for this service, which are included in Schemelli's hymnal.