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 arranged for three-part choir from an edition made from manuscript copies in the Salem Congregation Collection and the Johannes Herbst collection. The original edition, in the key of D major, is published as MMFS1301.

 

The funding for this anthem was provided in loving memory of Dr. Charles Bean, longtime choir member at Waconia Moravian Church, whose beautiful baritone voice and warm and gracious presence embodied the spirit of Christmas for many decades.