Johann Olearius (Hymn-Writer)

Born: September 17, 1611 - Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Died: April 24, 1684 - Weißenfels, Germany

Johann (Johannes Gottfried) Olearius was the son of Johann Olearius, pastor of St. Mary’s church and Superintendent at Halle. He entered the University of Wittenberg in 1629 (M.A. 1632, D.D. 1643), where he became a lecturer and, in 1635, adjunct of the philosophy faculty.

In 1637, he became Superintendent at Querfurt. In 1643, Duke August of Sachsen-Weissenfels appointed Olearius chief court preacher, and private chaplain at Halle, where he became Kirchenrath in 1657, and General Superintendent in 1664. On the death of Duke August in 1680, the administration of Magdeburg fell to the Elector of Brandenburg, and Duke Johann Adolf gave Olearius similar appointments at Weissenfels, which he held un­til his death.

Olearius wrote a Bible commentary and various devotional works. He also compiled Geistliche Singe-Kunst, one of the largest and most important German hymnals of the 17^th Century. The first edition appeared in Leipzig in 1671, with over 1,200 entries; the second in Leipzig in 1672, with 1,340 hymns. The first edition contained 302 hymns by Olearius himself, marked “D. J. O.”

Source: Cyber Hymnal Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (May 2003)

Texts of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

BWV 30, BWV 129, BWV 449

Chorale Texts used in Bach’s Vocal Works

Title

Year

EKG

Zahn

Dich bet ich an, mein höchster Gott

1686

2437

Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott

1665

Tröstet, tröstet meine Lieben

1671

Links to other Sites

Johannes Gottfried Olearius (Cyber Hymnal)

Olearius (CCEL)

Bibliography