Lyra Davidica

The Lyra Davidica ("the harp of David"; expanded title: Lyra Davidica, or a Collection of Divine Songs and Hymns, Partly New[ly] Composed, Partly Translated from the High-German and Latin Hymns)^[1] is a collection of hymns and tunes first published in 1708.^[2] The volume was published by John Walsh (printer). The collection was one of many containing hymns translated (mostly) from German, at a time when Anglicanism was heavily influenced by German evangelical pietism.^[3]

Only surviving melody

One well-known hymn from the collection is the Easter hymn "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today", whose melody is the only one which has survived since the original publication in 1708.^[4]

Impact

Philip Pullman named Lyra Belacqua, the heroine of his trilogy His Dark Materials, after the Lyra Davidica.^[5]

References

1. Walsh, J.; Hare, J.; Randal, P. (1708). Lyra Davidica, or a Collection of Divine Songs and Hymns, Partly New Composed, Partly Translated from the High-German and Latin Hymns; and set to easy and pleasant Tunes, for more General Use. The Musick Engrav'd on Copper Plates. London, Printed for J. Walsh, J. Hare, and P. Randal. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
2. Davison, Archibald T.; E., L. (1969). "Hymn, English". In Apel, Willi (ed.). Harvard Dictionary of Music (2nd ed.). Cambridge, Massachusetts: Belknap Press (published 2000). pp. 398–399. ISBN 978-0-674-37501-7.
3. Davis, John R. (2007). The Victorians and Germany. Bern: Peter Lang. p. 43. ISBN 978-3-03-911065-0.
4. "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today". Swansea, Wales: Parish of Oystermouth. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
5. Schwartz, Alexandra (29 September 2019). "The Fallen Worlds of Philip Pullman". The New Yorker. Retrieved 14 February 2021.

External links

• Lyra Davidica at the Internet Archive