Gottfried Vopelius

Engravings from Vopelius' 1693 Leipziger Gesangbuch, which was largely based on his earlier Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (1682).^[1]

Gottfried Vopelius (28 January 1645 – 3 February 1715), was a German Lutheran academic and hymn-writer, mainly active in Leipzig. He was born in Herwigsdorf, now a district of Rosenbach, Oberlausitz, and died in Leipzig at the age of 70.^[2]

Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch

Chorale "Das alte Jahr vergangen ist", on a text by Johann Steuerlein, as included in the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch, pp. 89–99(ff.)

Vopelius is primarily remembered for the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch (New Leipzig Hymnal) which he published in 1682.^[2][3][4] The subtitle of the publication reads:

... Von den schönsten und besten Liedern verfasset, In welchem Nicht allein des sel. Herrn D. Lutheri und andere mit Gottes Wort, und unveränderter Augsburgischer Confession überein stimmende, und in Christlicher Gemeine allhier, wie auch anderer reinen Evangelischen Orten und Landen eingeführete und gebräuchliche Gesänge, Lateinische Hymni und Psalmen, Mit 4. 5. bis 6. Stimmen, deren Melodeyen Theils aus Johann Herman Scheins Cantional, und andern guten Autoribus zusammen getragen, theils aber selbsten componiret; Sondern auch die Passion nach den heiligen Evangelisten Matthaeo und Johanne, die Auferstehung, die Missa, Praefationes, Responsoria und Collecten, auf die gewöhnlichen Sonn- und hohen Festtage, das Magnificat nach den 8. Tonis, Te Deum laudamus, Symbolum Nicaenum, &c. Choraliter, Und was sonsten bey dem ordentlichen Gottesdienste gesungen wird, zu finden

— Gottfried Vopelius, title page of the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch

Or, translated:

... Compiled from the most beautiful and best songs; In which not only songs of the blessed Dr. Luther, and other (songs) with the Word of God, and in accord with the unmodified Augsburg Confession, but also (songs) as introduced and customary in other untainted Evangelical places and regions, and Latin hymns and psalms, set for four, five and up to six voices, the settings of which are partly collected from Johann Herman Schein's Cantional, and from other good authors, and partly also composed by myself, —in particular also the Passion according to the saint Evangelists Matthew and John, the Resurrection, the Mass, Prefaces, Responsories and Collects, for ordinary Sundays and high Feasts, the Magnificat in the eight tones, Te Deum laudamus, Symbolum Nicenum, etc. choraliter, and whatever else is sung in regular church services— are to be found

In his Leipzig time (1723–1750), Johann Sebastian Bach used this hymnal as a reference work for many of his sacred compositions.^[5]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gottfried Vopelius.

• Scores edited by Gottfried Vopelius at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)