Advent song

Advent songs are Christian songs that sing about Advent , the expectation of the coming of God among people, and are therefore sung during Advent . Advent songs are shaped by the ardent expectation of the Savior ("Come ...", Maranatha ), the light symbolism and the imagery of the Old Testament prophecies .

In addition to the spiritual Advent song, there are also a number of Advent folk songs. Well-known Advent carols from the German-speaking area are listed in the following overview chronologically according to their origin.

chronology

14th Century

Welcome to us, Herre Christ (melody: Aachen 14th century, Dutch melody around 1600; Walter Rein , 1934)

16th Century

Mankind laments out of hard woe (Text: around 1525; melody based on Michael Vehes hymn book, Leipzig 1537) ( GL ^old 109)
The morning star has penetrated (text: Daniel Rumpius , 1587; Str. 2–4, edited by Wilhelm Witzke and Otto Riethmüller , 1932), melody: Michael Praetorius (EG 69)
God's Son is coming (Text: Michael Weisse ( Böhmische Brüder ) attributed, 1544; Melody: "Ave hierarchia", Hohenfurt 1410, revised by the Bohemian Brothers)
God, holy creator of all stars (text: Thomas Müntzer based on the hymn "Conditor alme siderum" (10th century), 1523; melody: Kempten around 1000)
Dear Christians, rejoice now (Text: Erasmus Alber , 1546; melody from "Stand up, you dear little children", 15th century)
Now come, the Gentile Savior (text: Martin Luther based on the hymn Veni redemptor gentium of St. Ambrose (around 386), 1524; melody: Einsiedeln 12th century revised by Martin Luther). Text in Wikisource
Wake up, the voice calls us (text and melody: Philipp Nicolai , 1599)

17th century

Up, up, the right time is here (text: Martin Opitz , 1626; melody: from Schemelli's hymn book, Leipzig 1736)
A white pigeon flew (first print: hymn book by Nikolaus Beuttner 1602, older origin)
A ship is coming, loaded ( Daniel Sudermann based on a Marian song from Strasbourg 15th century, 1626; melody: Cologne 1608)
Thank God all over the world (Text: Heinrich Held , 1658; Melody: Frankfurt / Main 1659, Halle 1704)
Now shout for joy, all you pious ones (Text: Michael Schirmer , 1640; Melody: Johann Crüger , 1640)
Open the door , the gate opens wide (text: Georg Weissel based on Psalm 24.7–10 EU , 1623/1642, melody: Hall 1704)

With Ernst, o human children (Text: Valentin Thilo , 1642, Str. 4 Lüneburg 1657; melody from "Von Gott ich nicht ich nicht", Lyon 1557)

O Savior, tear open the heavens (Text: Friedrich Spee , 1622, Str. 7 bei David Gregor Corner , 1631; Melody: Cologne 1638, Augsburg: Rheinfelsisches Gesangbuch 1666)

Our dear women's dream (first print: hymn book by Nikolaus Beuttner 1602, older origin)

How should I receive you (text: Paul Gerhardt , 1653; melody: Johann Crüger , 1653)

18th century

Thaw, heaven, the righteous (text: Michael Denis after Isaiah 45.8 EU , 1774; melody: Norbert Hauner , Landshut 1777)
Veni, veni, Emmanuel (Text: Cologne 1710; different melody versions)

19th century

Your King comes in low covers (Text: Friedrich Rückert , 1834; Melody: Johannes Christoph Andreas Zahn , 1853)
Lord, send your son down to us (text: after Heinrich Bone , 1847; melody: Andernacher Gesangbuch, Cologne 1608)
Makes the gates wide open (Text: Albert Knapp , before 1864; Melody: Adolf Lohmann , 1938) ( GL 360)
Maria walked through a thorn forest (text and melody: traditional from Eichsfeld , handed down from 1850)
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Text: after Heinrich Bone in Cantata 1852; Melody: Kölner Gesangbuch 1852)
See, the Lord will draw near (text and melody: Leitmeritzer Choralbuch) (edited GL 622,4)
Daughter Zion, rejoice (text: Friedrich Heinrich Ranke , 1820/1826; melody: Georg Friedrich Händel , 1747)

20th century

The light of a candle (text: Rolf Krenzer ; melody: Peter Janssens , 1985)
The people who still walk in the dark (Text: Jürgen Henkys based on the Dutch "Het volk dat wandelt in het duister", 1981; Melody: Fritz Mehrtens , 1959)
Your kingdom, oh Lord, will come (text: Georg Thurmair , 1959; melody: Adolf Lohmann , 1961)
Your day, Mr. Christ, throws in its glow in our world (text: Eugen Walter , 1951; sung on "Macht weit die Gforten", 1938)
The green branch in our hand (text: Wilhelm Willms , 1980; melody: Peter Janssens, 1980)
The night has advanced (text: Jochen Klepper , 1938; melody: Johannes Petzold , 1939)
Rejoice in the Lord, because he is near (text: biblical and Friedrich Dörr , 1969; melody: Paderborn 1616, Düsseldorf 1836)
Come, you savior of the world (text: Markus Jenny based on the hymn “Veni redemptor gentium” by Ambrosius of Milan, 1971; melody: Einsiedeln 12th century)
Announces everyone in need (Text: Friedrich Dörr , 1972; melody from "Morgenglanz der Ewigkeit", Hall 1704)
Maranatha - Lord come again (text and melody by Christians from the GDR, 1973)
O Lord, when you come (text and music: Helga Poppe 1979)
O come, o come, you morning star (text: Otmar Schulz based on the English "O come, o come Emmanuel", 1975; melody: France 15th century)
See, the good time is near (text: Friedrich Walz 1972, melody: Christmas carol from Moravia)
Dew from Himmelshöhn (Text: Maria Luise Thurmair , 1952, Heinrich Rohr , 1952) ( GL 158; GL ^old 103)
Thaws heaven from the Höhn (text: Johannes Schlick , 1970; melody by Johannes Spangenberg , Erfurt 1544) ( GL ^old 104)
Now carry a light into the world (text and melody: Wolfgang Longardt , 1972)
“Comforts, comforts”, says the Lord (text: Waldemar Rode according to Isaiah 40.1–10 EU , 1938; melody: Hans Friedrich Micheelsen , 1938)
We say to you to the dear Advent (text: Maria Ferschl , 1954; melody: Heinrich Rohr , 1954)
We move to the gates of the city (text: Gottfried Schille , 1971; melody: Manfred Schlenker , 1971)

21st century

Rejoice in the Lord, because he is near (text: biblical, 4 stanzas based on Karl B. Frank, St. Pölten, Meßsingbuch Klosterneuburg 1936; melody and piano setting: Sebastian H. Unterberger, Salzburg 2017)
Lord, send your son down to us (Text: transcriptions of the Latin O-Antiphons , 9 stanzas by David Gregor Corner 1631, Heinrich Bone 1847 and Cologne 1887; melody and piano setting: Sebastian H. Unterberger, Salzburg 2017)

Advent songs without spiritual reference

Advent, Advent, a little light is burning ( nursery rhyme of unknown origin, also sung to different melodies)
It's Christmas time soon (text: Karola Wilke ; melody: Wolfgang Stumme ; around 1940)
Thick red candles (text: Rolf Krenzer ; melody: Detlev Jöcker )
The snow trickles softly (Text: Eduard Ebel , around 1895; Melody: Volksweise?)
Good evening, good evening, it's already Christmas (text: trad./ Ilse Naumilkat ; melody: folk tune)
Tomorrow, children, there will be something (text: Karl Friedrich Splittegarb , 1795; melody: Carl Gottlieb Hering , 1809)
Are the lights lit (text: Erika Engel-Wojahn ; melody: Hans Sandig )
Anticipation, greatest joy (text: Erika Engel-Wojahn ; melody: Hans Naumilkat )

literature

Gerhard Engelsberger: Images of God's Coming. Poets, pictures and message of the Advent carols. Evangelical Press Association for Baden eV, Karlsruhe undated [1992], ISBN 3-87210-341-5 .

Web links

Commons : Advent song - collection of images, videos and audio files

Wiktionary: Advent song - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations