Early German music in Philadelphia — Inside the Classic

ter I. Hymn Music of Germans in Philadelphia 5

Chapter II. Church Music and the Manner of its Performance 11

Chapter III. Secular Music 24

Part II. Period of Progress (1750-1783) 35

Chapter IV. Music Teachers 37

Chapter V. Music Dealers, etc. 40

Chapter VI. Concert Music 45

Part III. Period of Greatest Development (1783-1800) 55

Chapter VII. Alexander Reinagle 57

Chapter VIII. Philip Roth and Philip Phile 76

Appendix. List of Reinagle’s Compositions 85

The early immigration of Germans to Philadelphia increased to such an extent, that before the middle of the eighteenth century the English colonists became alarmed for fear that Pennsylvania might be alienated from the English crown, and be dominated by the German immigrants. Indeed, throughout the eighteenth century the greater part of the German immigrants landed at Philadelphia, and from there were distributed into other States. We should naturally expect, with so great a population of Germans in Philadelphia and the surrounding country, that these people would continually extend their influence, and constantly spread abroad their ideas of art, religion, music and literature.

Let us consider for a moment the condition of the Germans who landed in this country. In 1683, moved by William Penn’s alluring proclamations of the glorious new world, as well as by the fact that freedom of conscience was granted in Pennsylvania to all, a band of German immigrants arrived in Philadelphia and founded Germantown. With the exception of the scholar, Francis Daniel Pastorious, there were no highly cultured men or women among them. These people were of the middle class, and were more interested in weaving and agriculture and religious salvation, than in the cultivation of the fine arts. The conditions in Germany were not conducive to culture.

The country was just recovering from the Thirty Years’ War, and the strength of the people was being expended in building up the homes, and improving the land made desolate during that fierce struggle. At this time, too, the German people had little liberty, but rather were under the thumb of absolutism, which was at that time the great force in European countries. It was not an epoch favorable to the cultivation of the fine arts. There was no great literature, no great art, no great music. There was, however, a strong religious spirit, which is often the result of hardship and suffering. It is in the field of religion, too, that we find the best music during the seventeenth century, although it was not original in style, but simply a continuation of Luther’s music.[1] The hymn-writers of that time, both Catholic and Protestant, are not to be despised, and we need mention but a few, whose songs have lived even to the present day: as Paul Fleming (1609-1640) and Paul Gerhardt (1606-1676), Protestant; Friedrich Spee (1591-1635) and Johann Scheffer (1624-1677), Catholics. It can be said, then, with some degree of surety, that the performance of music by the early German settlers in Philadelphia was confined, in the province of music, to hymns.

In this department the Germans hold an important position; not only was their church music an essential part of their services, but the number of hymn-writers and the many editions of German hymn-books published in Philadelphia testify to the love which these new settlers had for church music.

It is only necessary to mention a few of these hymn-writers to recall to mind the extreme productiveness of this style of literature and music. Among the most important hymn-writers were F. D. Pastorious, of Germantown; Johann Kelpius, of the Wissahickon; Conrad Beissel, of Ephrata, and Count von Zinzendorf, the Moravian.[2]

[1] Louis Elson, _National Music in America_, p. 18.

[2] Cf. for further information on this subject: J. H. Dubbs, _Early German Hymnology of Pennsylvania_; Hausmann, _German American Hymnology 1683-1800_, in _Americana Germanica_ 1898, Vol. II. No. 3, p. II.

Beginnings before 1750

HYMN MUSIC OF GERMANS IN PHILADELPHIA.

To Francis Daniel Pastorious has been assigned the honor of being the first German hymn writer on American soil. Pastorious[3] was born Sept. 26, 1651 at Sommerhausen, Germany, of cultured parents of some means and position in society. His father Melchior Pastorious had studied Catholic theology and also jurisprudence, but had finally renounced his faith and had become a Protestant. Needless to say Francis Daniel’s education was not neglected. He was sent to school in various places: as Windsheim, Basel, Nuremberg, Erfurt, Strassburg where he studied law and the French language, Jena where besides law he studied Italian, and finally he took his degree of Doctor of Laws at Altdorf, 1676.

He settled now at Frankfurt am-Main and practiced his profession. He probably continued in this work until 1680, when, as the companion of Johann Bonaventura von Rodeck, he made a journey, extending over two years, through Holland, England, France, Switzerland, and Germany. Upon his return to Frankfurt, November, 1682, he became interested in the mysticism of Spener and his companions, and the movement to America which they were promoting--filled him with an ardent longing to share in it. So, with the consent of his father who provided him with money, Francis Daniel set sail for America and arrived in Philadelphia Aug. 20, 1683, six weeks before the other immigrants landed.

Pastorious was the only highly educated man in this colony. He was looked up to by the other colonists for this reason, and also because he was the agent of a land company formed in Germany for the purchase and sale of land in Pennsylvania. The new colonists chose as the spot for their new homesteads a tract of land not far from Philadelphia, where they founded Germanopolis or Germantown.

On Nov. 26, 1688, Pastorious married Ennecke Klostermanns and had two sons, whose descendants live at the present day. In 1691, Pastorious was elected to the newly-created office of “Bürgermeister,” an office to which he was chosen three other times. Besides this office, he was for many years elected to the position of “Stadtschreiber,” and was also schoolmaster at different times. He was known as a writer of some talent, and composed poems, hymns, epigrams, etc., in Greek, Latin, German, French, Dutch, English and Italian. I will close this bare outline with Pastorious’ account of himself as quoted by Seidensticker:

“Der Verfasser dieses Manuscripts hat ein melancholis-chcholerisches Temperament und ist daher, nach Culpepper, sanftmüthig, zu einem nüchternen eingezogenen Leben disponirt, wissbegierig, unentschlossen, bescheiden, schüchtern, bedächtig, standhaft, und zuverlässig in seinen Handlungen, langsamen Witzes, vergesslich. Geschieht ihm Unrecht, so trägt er es nicht nach.”

This remarkable man died Sept. 27, 1719.[4]

Pastorious’ hymns are up to the standard of most hymns written at that time.

In point of time the next hymn-writers were the so-called “Hermits of Wissahickon,” a band of men and women steeped in German mysticism, and having a belief that the end of the world was soon to come and that their one love should be the Lord Jesus Christ; so on this account renouncing marriage as sinful. It was in this wilderness, beside the Wissahickon Stream about eight miles from Philadelphia, that this band of Pietists in the year 1694 took up their abode, and from whence issued the strains of hymns, reminding one, in some instances of love songs rather than praises to God.[5] There were in this congregation a number of men of high culture and lofty aims such as Johann Kelpius, Henry Bernhard Köster, Johann Gottfried Seelig, etc.

The most important man was Johann Kelpius, their leader, who composed the greater number of their hymns.[6] Kelpius was the son of a pastor in Denndorf in the Siebenbürgian district of Germany. He studied theology at Altorf, where he was a pupil and favorite of the learned doctor, Johann Fabricius.

“Fabricius vertrat,” says Seidensticker, “die sogenannte irensche oder friedliebende Schule der Theologie, die von der bittern Fehde gegen andere Confessionen absah. Kelpius, anfangs ein strenger Calvinist, griff den Gedanken an ein innerliches Christenthum begierig auf und bildete ihn unter andern Einflüssen weiter.”[7]

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.

[3] Hausmann, “_German American Hymnology 1683-1800_,” in _Americana Germanica_ (hereafter, Am. Ger.) 1898, Vol. II, No. 3, p. II.

[4] The material for this sketch was obtained in great part from Seidensticker’s, _Geschichtsblaetter_ (_Bilder aus der Deutsch-Pennsylvanischen Geschichte_) pp. 34 ff. Also M. D. Learned. Life of Francis Daniel Pastorious.

[5] Cf. Seidensticker. _Geschichtsblaetter_, p. 87 ff.

[6] S. Pennypacker. _Hymn Book of the Hermits of the Wissahickon_ (_Penn. Mag. of History_ Vol. XXV, p. 338.)

[7] Seidensticker. _Geschichtsblaetter_ p. 91.

[8] For this sketch cf. Seidensticker. _Geschichtsblaetter_, pp. 91-100.

[9] _Penn. Mag. of History_, Vol. XXV, p. 338.

[10] Cf. Seidensticker, _Geschichtsblaetter_, p. 89.

[11] Cf. Seidensticker, _Geschichtsblaetter_, p. 100.

[12] Seidensticker, _Geschichtsblaetter_, p. 102.

[13] T. H. Sachse, _Music of the Ephrata Cloister_, p. 29 [hereafter, “_Sachse_.”]

[14] _Amer. Ger._ Vol. II, No. 3, p. 19. Dubbs, p. 9.

[16] Sachse, p. 29. (For further information on this subject consult the works quoted above.)

[17] Dubbs, p. 18 ff.

[18] _Am. Ger._ Vol. II, No. 3, p. 39.

[23] A. A. Seipt. “Schwenkfelder Hymnology” (_Americana Germanica_ vol. 7.)

CHURCH MUSIC AND THE MANNER OF ITS PERFORMANCE.

It has already been mentioned that there were many German hymn-writers in Philadelphia in the early eighteenth century, and it is now in place to consider what was the quality of the music in the German churches at that period, and whether musical instruments of any kind were used in the Philadelphia churches.

For the first record it is necessary to go a little beyond Philadelphia to the Hermits of the Wissahickon. To this people undoubtedly belongs the honor of first using instrumental music in religious services. Of their voyage across the Atlantic, Kelpius says:

“We had also prayer meetings and sang hymns of praise and joy, several of us accompanying on instruments that we had brought from London.”[28]

Evidently the instruments which they brought with them were not satisfactory or were regarded as inadequate for the worship of God, as Kelpius in a letter to friends in London asked that two clavichords with additional strings might be sent.[29]

Again the Hermits at the consecration of the new Swedish church--Gloria Dei--July 2, 1700, act as choristers and furnish instrumental music.[30]

The first German minister ordained in this country was Justus Falckner, who was consecrated by the Swedish Lutherans. In a letter to Rev. Heinrich Muhlen, of Holstein (1701), Falckner shows that, even at that early day, music was considered an important adjunct of the church service. He says:

“In short there are Germans here, and perhaps the majority, who despise God’s Word and all outward good order; who blaspheme the sacraments and frightfully and publicly give scandal....

“I will here take occasion to mention that many others besides myself, who know the ways of the land, maintain that music would contribute much towards a good Christian service. It would not only attract and civilize the wild Indians, but it would do much good in spreading the Gospel truths among the sects and others by attracting them. Instrumental music is especially serviceable here. Thus a well-sounding organ would perhaps prove of great profit, to say nothing of the fact that the Indians would come running from far and near to listen to such unknown melody, and upon that account might become willing to accept our language and teaching, and remain with people who had such agreeable things; for they are said to come ever so far to listen to one who plays even a reed-pipe (rohr-pfeiffe): such an extraordinary love have they for any melodious and ringing sound. Now as the melancholy, saturnine stingy Quaker spirit has abolished (relegiert) all such music, it would indeed be a novelty here, and tend to attract many of the young people away from the Quakers and sects to attend services where such music was found, even against the wishes of their parents. This would afford a good opportunity to show them the truth and their error.

“If such an organ-instrument (Orgel-werck) were placed in the Swedish church ... it would prove of great service to this church.

“If there were music in the church, the young people would consider church-going a recreation.

“The Lord of Hosts ... would be praised and honored with cymbal and organ.

“And it may be assumed that even a small organ-instrument and music in this place would be acceptable to God, and prove far more useful than many hundreds in Europe, where there is already a superfluity of such things.

“There are in Europe masters enough who would build such instruments, and a fine one can be secured for 300 or 400 thalers. Then if an experienced organist and musician could be found, and a curious one, who would undertake so far a journey, he would be very welcome here. In case this could not be, if we only had an organ, some one or other might be found who had knowledge thereof.”[31]

The writer of this missive was somewhat of a poet himself, and composed several fine hymns, some of which are in use at the present day.[32]

Whether the appeal for musical instruments was of avail, we know not, but in the _Journal of Rev. Andreas Sandel_ for July 20, 1702, is mentioned one Jonas, organist of Gloria Dei church. Again, on November 24, 1703, when Falckner was ordained in this church, Sachse says:

“The service was opened with a voluntary on the little organ in the gallery by Jonas the organist, supplemented with instrumental music by the Mystics on the viol, hautboy, trumpets (_Posaunen_) and kettle drums (_Pauken_).”[33]

The first church organ in Philadelphia, then, was placed in a Swedish Lutheran church largely by means of a German. Although the merit for this achievement must be divided between the Germans and Swedes, in one department of music--the singing of hymns--the Swedes probably were pre-eminent. In 1696 Charles, King of Sweden, sent to the church at Wicacoa, one hundred hymn-books,[34] while in 1712 another lot, consisting of “360 hymn books of three sorts” were shipped.[35] The Swedes were strict, too, in the regulations of the church services, especially of singing. In 1702, Rev. Andreas Sandel imposes a fine “for untimely singing, six schillings.”[36] Especially interesting is the account concerning the attempt of Pastor Andreas Hesselius, of Christiana, Delaware, to reform church singing in 1713. Acrelius says:

“He had special regard to propriety in church-singing, in which there was often such discord as though they intended to call their cows to the church. In opposition to which it was represented that as all those who possessed the gift of praising God with a pleasing voice in psalms and hymns should not stand mute, so, on the other hand, those who were unfitted for this should not with their harsh voices, hinder others and make confusion, but, by softly singing after the others, train themselves to correct singing. During the singing, he went around the church and aided where they failed.”[37]

It is very probable that in Philadelphia, this same instruction in church singing prevailed, since Hesselius was for some time Provost, and had a right to command, and also, because Samuel Hesselius, his brother, occupied the pulpit at Wicacoa and could more easily be coerced--if necessary--to establish this method of instruction.