Morning Star, in Darkest Night

Georg Friedrich Hellstrom (1825-1912) was born in Zeist to a Swedish father and Danish mother. He was educated in Niesky, where he played viola in the orchestra, sang in the choir, and was trained as an organist. After serving as a teacher in Niesky, Kleinwelka, and Ebersdorf, he was called to Christiansfeld, Denmark, in 1852. During his forty-two years of service there, he witnessed the transition of the congregation’s music towards a more romantic style. He was a prolific composer, and his frugal habits led him to copy many of his own compositions on the backs of older works by such composers as Christian Gregor, Freydt, Geisler, and others. He was well known in Germany and was offered the position of music teacher and organist at Gnadenfrei in 1859, but chose to remain at Christiansfeld. His later service included work at Gnadenberg (1894), Kleinwelka (1895), and Neudietendorf (1898), where he remained until his death.

Morning Star, in Darkest Night was edited from manuscript copies provided by the Nazareth Moravian Church, Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

In recognition of the work of the Moravian Music Foundation to "preserve, share, and celebrate the musical culture of the Moravians," Jeanne and David Serfas have provided the funding for this publication.