Holy songs

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Spiritual songs is the title of a collection of poems by Novalis (Friedrich von Hardenberg). The collection was published posthumously in 1802.

The work

The term " songs " goes back to the spiritual tone in which the poems are written. Novalis himself did not write any melodies for the poems. The fifteen songs contained in this collection were not conceived by Novalis as a closed unit, but only put together by the editors under this title. The first songs were completed in autumn 1799, the last precisely datable song was written in August 1800. Thus, the material was created parallel to work on the Hymns to the Night and on Heinrich von Ofterdingen (songs X, XIV and XV are part of the continuation plans for the Ofterdingen). The background to the development was the Protestant hymnal reform at the end of the 18th century. The poems are not to be understood as a cycle , but were conceived by Novalis as new, spiritual songs for use in the community. He wanted to bring more vitality, intimacy and mysticism to the hymns. His songs should help the congregation gather and deepen their faith. Therefore Novalis tried to use a simple, quiet and metaphorical tone. Novalis rejected the didactic and dogmatic traditions and instead tried to awaken the religious sense of the human being by speaking to the heart. The “Spiritual Songs” were very successful and one of his most famous poems in the 19th century.

The seventh song, entitled "Hymne", stands out from the other songs in terms of time, form and content. The tone is close to the "hymns to the night" and the poem is full of metaphors. This song was probably written as early as 1798. It is about the mystery of the Lord's Supper . As the marriage of heaven and earth, Novalis creates the connection between physical, earthly body and mystical spirit-body. By consuming the divine spirit in the form of bread, man draws closer to God. Thus the person goes through a new birth or rebirth and becomes part of the "world organism".

Some of his spiritual songs were also found in various Protestant hymn books of the 19th century. recorded. Most often these were songs I, V, VI and IX (less often III and IV). When they were recorded, the songs were set to music several times. In the course of the integration into a hymn book, however, the songs were drastically changed. It can be said that the elements typical of Novalis have been deleted and only the Pietistic elements have been preserved. For example, the areas of Orient / poetry, erotic imagery and the philosophy of history have been completely excluded. The unfamiliar, innovative components were thus eliminated. These changes show that the “Spiritual Songs” are primarily early Romantic poems that cannot easily be reconciled with traditional ideas about hymns. Novalis formulates the idea of ​​a higher world, the returned golden age, religiously. Christ is the Bringer of the Golden Age, because his death means new life. The romantic triad model typical of Novalis is also used in this work. Both Christ and Mary , to whom songs VIII, XIV and XV are dedicated, appear as mediators between man and the divine. Thus the early romantic middle religion is given expression.

There is a childlike, simple, trusting tone in the songs and the relationship with Christ is intimate and friendly. Novalis' notes on his songs from this period are less simple and show that the tone of concentrated, intellectual work is not just a pious expression of inner feeling. Novalis took a lot of notes at this time that could be described as "impious", such as: B. Considerations about the relationship between lust, religion and cruelty or considerations about the begetting of Jesus by a Roman soldier. This shows that Novalis also wants to be active in the field of religion and is not ready to accept mere traditions.

In the course of the 19th century, the areas of sacred and profane poetry drifted more and more apart, and poets from one area received little recognition in the other. Novalis was included in church hymn books as one of the last great poets . However, none of his works can be found in the current Protestant hymnbook.

expenditure

In 1802, seven songs appeared posthumously in the Musenalmanach published by August Wilhelm Schlegel and Ludwig Tieck for the year 1802 (Tübingen 1802). The whole collection appeared in the same year in the writings published by the same editors in 2 volumes, Berlin 1802.

The songs are also part of all work editions. For an overview, see the Novalis International Bibliography (URL under Web Links ).

literature

  • Hans-Horst Hensche: Spiritual songs. In: Walter Jens (Ed.): Kindlers new literary dictionary . Kindler, Munich 1988–1992.
  • Hermann Kurzke : Novalis. Beck, Munich 1988.
  • Heinz Ritter-Schaumburg : The Spiritual Songs of Novalis. Their dating and origin. In: Yearbook of the German Schiller Society. 4, Wallstein, Göttingen 1960, pp. 308-342, ISSN  0070-4318 .
  • Margot Seidel: Novalis' spiritual songs. (= European University Theses; Series 1, 730). Lang, Frankfurt am Main 1983.
  • Herbert Uerlings: Friedrich von Hardenberg, called Novalis. Work and research. Metzler, Stuttgart 1991.
  • Herbert Uerlings: Novalis. Reclam, Stuttgart 1998.

Web links

Spiritual songs at Zeno.org .