Hymns -- History and criticism; Lutheran Church -- Hymns -- History and criticism
The fifth period, the nineteenth century.—The hymnological situation in
Sweden in the nineteenth century was somewhat similar to that in
Germany. But it is hardly a question of returning to the old, because
neological activities were not able to deprive the Swedish Church of her
old hymnody. Efforts to give to the Church a large number of the best of
the old church hymns (Greek, Latin, German and Scandinavian), carefully
edited, and some new Swedish church hymns, resulted in the important
Swedish Hymnal of 1819. It has remained to this day (1925) the official
and popular Hymnal of the Swedish Church. It is the Swedish hymn book of
the Augustana Synod. With respect to the old church hymns in the hymnal,
it may be said that much was gained by this work of revision. Most of
the new hymns are excellent. A few of the hymns betray neological
influences. On the whole, however, the Hymnal of 1819 is a very fine
Lutheran hymn book. It contains 500 hymns. Revision is undoubtedly
needed, and such work has been going on for some time.
Among Swedish hymn writers who contributed to the Hymnal of 1819 we note
especially Bishop J. O. Wallin (died 1839) and Bishop F. M. Franzen
(died 1847). Wallin produced 128 original hymns and revised or
translated very many old and new hymns. The Hymnal of 1819 has often
been called Wallin’s Hymnal. Most of his hymns are immortal
masterpieces. Franzen produced 22 original hymns. As a hymnist Franzen
possessed less rhetorical elevation and force than Wallin, but he is
fully equal to Wallin not only in the Biblical-evangelical quality of
the content but also in the lyrical heartiness of the tone as well as in
the transparency and simplicity of the language. Other important Swedish
hymn writers of this period are Samuel J. Hedborn (died 1849) and Erik
Gustaf Geijer (died 1847). Johan Henrik Thomander and Per Wieselgren are
the editors of the Swedish Hymnal (1819) that is used in the Swedish
Lutheran Augustana Synod, U. S. A.
In the Danish Church the well known N. F. S. Grundtvig (died 1872) has
rendered great service as a reviser of old church hymns and writer of
several excellent original hymns. The Norwegian Lutheran hymn book by
Rev. M. B. Landstad (died 1881) is a very important hymnological work.
It is a popular hymnal in the Norwegian Church. An important Swedish
hymn book was published in Finland in 1880, which contained many
excellent old church hymns from Swedish and German sources, but also
several new hymns by such well known Finnish scholars as Johan Ludvig
Runeberg (died 1877), Zacharias Topelius (died 1898), and others.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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