O Sacred Head! sore wounded

Author: Paul Gerhardt translated James Waddell Alexander Metre: 76 76 D (see more)

O Sacred Head! sore wounded

This hymn, thought to be based on a Latin original by the Cistercian Abbot of Villers-en-Brabant , Arnul von Löwen (d.1251), arises from the devastation of the Thirty Years War in Europe and written by the high-profile and well-loved preacher and hymn writer, Paul Gerhardt (d.1676). Gerhardt was deposed from office and banned for resisting the Elector’s attempt to restrict freedom of speech, resulting in a life of hardship. The hymn was much admired by John Wesley (d.1791), founder of the movement within the Church of England that resulted in Methodism. The stately tune comes from a sacred song book from Leipzig (1736) and is quite likely to be by Johann Sebastian Bach (d.1750). The translator James Alexander (d.1859) was the son of Archibald, a Presbyterian minister who became the first Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary. He became a pastor, before being appointed a Professor of Rhetoric and Belles-Lettres and later of Latin and English Literature before returning to his parish. Hans Hassler (d.1612), returning from Italy where he was much affected by its musical forms, became director of music in his home town of Nurnberg and later worked at the court of Christian II of Saxony (Dresden). He was a most versatile musician, an expert in organ design, a writer and publisher of music for both Roman and Lutheran worship, but just as at home with secular song, out of which came this most famous melody, made immortal by its use by J S Bach in The St Matthew Passion.

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Passion Chorale

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Themes

Bible References

Psalms 17:15
Isaiah 52:14a
Isaiah 53:4-5
Matthew 27:29
John 19:2,5
John 19:2,5
John 21:15-22
Acts 7:54-56
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
1 Peter 2:24
1 Peter 3:18a

O Sacred Head! sore wounded

Tunes

Passion Chorale

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Themes

Bible References

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November 24th, 2019

8 August 2021