Christian Keymann (Hymn-Writer)

Born: February 27, 1607 - Pankratz, Bohemia, Germany
Died: January 13, 1662 - Zittau, Germany

Christian Keymann (Keimann) was the son of Zacharias Keimann, a Lutheran pastor at Pankratz, Bohemia. In 1627 he began his studies at the University of Wittenberg, receiving his master’s degree in 1634.

The same year Keymann was appointed the Town Council of Zittau as associate director of the gymnasium, and in 1638 was promoted to the position of Rector.

Keymann was a prominent teacher and author, especially of scholastic writings. His hymns, about 13 in number, are among the best of his time; they breathe a firm conviction of faith; they are churchly; they are an expression of sound Christian experience and are characterized by exceptional poetic beauty. Almost all of them came into church use. They rank high among those of the 17^th century, being of genuine poetic ring, fresh, strong, full of faith under manifold and heavy trials, and deeply spiritual.The melody was composed by James Tilleard (b England, 1827, - d 1876). A second melody by H. Pope has been taken from a Swedish book of chorales, where it was set to J.O. Wallin’s hymn: Stilla jag pea dig vill akta.

Source: ELHHB Website [Dahle, Library of Christian Hymns; Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal]
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (August 2003)

Texts of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

BWV 40, BWV 70, BWV 70a, BWV 124, BWV 154, BWV 157, BWV 380, BWV 410, BWV 499

Chorale Texts in Bach’s Vocal Works

Title

Year

EKG

Zahn

Freuet euch, ihr Christen alle

1645

Meinen Jesum laß' ich nicht

1658

Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gütig

1663

3889

Links to other Sites

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary Handbook - Biographies and Sources (ELHHB)

Bibliography