Glory to God in the Highest

Christian Gregor (1723-1801) has been called the "father of Moravian music." He was born in Silesia and joined the Moravian Church when he was seventeen. He served the church as organist and minister and held important positions as a church administrator, visiting Pennsylvania and North Carolina in that capacity in 1770-1772. He was consecrated a bishop in 1789. Gregor was instrumental in Moravian liturgical development and introduced the use of concerted anthems and arias into the services. In addition to editing the hymnal of 1778 and the chorale book of 1784, he composed several hundred other musical works—over 1100 manuscripts of Gregor’s music are preserved in the American collections. He died in Berthelsdorf, near Herrnhut, on November 6, 1801.

 

Glory to God in the Highest was edited from manuscript copies in the Salem Congregation Collection and the Johannes Herbst collection. The anthem is scored for strings and organ. Full score and parts are available from the Moravian Music Foundation, as is a copy of the organ part in a lower key.

 

The funding for this publication was provided by the Hope Moravian Church in Hope, Indiana, to honor Eleanor Settle and her 30 years of devoted service as Church Secretary. Eleanor’s extraordinary dedication, in the office and in the many other places she volunteers her time, continues to enrich our life and inspire us to be more faithful members of the Body of Christ.