This is a Day

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, minister, and church administrator, visiting Pennsylvania and North Carolina 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. He died in Berthelsdorf, near Herrnhut, on November 6, 1801.

 

This Is a Day was edited from manuscript copies in the Salem Congregation music. This is the first anthem in the Psalm of Joy compiled by Johann Friedrich Peter for the celebration on July 4, 1783, marking the end of the American Revolutionary War. While the psalm text (Psalm 118:24) says, "This is the day…", and copies of this anthem in some of the other Moravian music collections use that text, this copy clearly indicates "This is a day…" The anthem may be performed with either the definite or indefinite article. It 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 publication of this anthem is sponsored by the Bethlehem Area Moravians, Inc., in celebration of the 275th Anniversary of the Moravian Congregation of Bethlehem, organized on June 25, 1742. This anthem was performed by a mass choir comprised of Bethlehem Moravians for the Anniversary Lovefeast on June 25, 2017 in Johnston Hall of Moravian College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.