Martin Janus (also Martin Jahn, ''Jähn'' and ''Jan''; c. 1620 – c. 1682) was a German Protestant minister, church musician, hymnwriter, teacher and editor. He wrote the lyrics of the

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

"Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne", which became popular in the arrangement of a

Bach chorale Johann Sebastian Bach's chorale harmonisations, alternatively named four-part chorales, are Lutheran hymn settings that characteristically conform to the following: * four-part harmony * SATB vocal forces * pre-existing hymn tune allotted to the ...

as '' Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring''.

Career

Born in

Merseburg Merseburg () is a town in central Germany in southern Saxony-Anhalt, situated on the river Saale, and approximately 14 km south of Halle (Saale) and 30 km west of Leipzig. It is the capital of the Saalekreis district. It had a diocese ...

, Janus inscribed to the University of Königsberg on 14 March 1644. He probably received musical education even before. After studying theology for several semesters, he became church musician (''Kantor'') in Steinau, part of the Duchy of Oppeln. During the Thirty Years' War, he had to flee because the area became Catholic again during the

Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also called the Catholic Reformation () or the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to the Protestant Reformation. It began with the Council of Trent (1545–1563) a ...

. Janus worked as the music director for two churches in Sorau in Lower Lusatia, probably supported by Freiherr Sigismund Seifried von Promnitz. After the death of Promnitz in 1654, Janus moved to Sagan where he became rector and musician at the municipal school (''Stadtschule''). C. 1664, he also became minister in the nearby Eckersdorf (now ''Bożnów'' in Sagan) He had to flee again when Duke Wenzel Eusebius von Lobkowicz made the Duchy of Sagan Catholic again, and Protestant preachers and teachers were expelled. Janus found a position as church musician in the duchy of Ohlau, where Luise of Anhalt-Dessau resided. He died in Ohlau c. 1682.

Work

''Passionale melicum''

In 1652, Janus published a collection of 50 four-part settings of Passion-songs. It is regarded as the first collection of Passion-songs. In 1663 he published a collection of 200 songs, titled ''Passionale melicum''. It was intended for use at home. Several songs became well-known, for example "Du großer Schmerzensmann" on a text by , which is part of the current Protestant hymnal '' Evangelisches Gesangbuch'' as EG 87.

Lyricist

Janus wrote songs himself, but only one became popular, "". It was not part of his song collections, but appeared in the hymnal ''Christlich Herzens Andacht'' in Nürnberg in 1665.

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...

used two stanzas of this hymn, with the "

Werde munter, mein Gemüte "" (Become cheerful, my mind) is a Lutheran evening hymn by Johann Rist in twelve stanzas of eight lines each, printed in 1642. The hymn was translated to English and appeared in 67 hymnals. History The hymn was first published as "Dritte Zehen" ...

" hymn tune, to close the two parts of his cantata ''Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben'', BWV 147: for Part I the sixth stanza, "Wohl mir, daß ich Jesum habe" and for Part II the 16th stanza, "Jesus bleibet meine Freude". This

chorale setting Chorale settings refer to a wide variety of musical compositions, almost entirely of Protestant origin, which use a chorale as their basis. A chorale is a simple melody, often based on Gregorian chant, written for congregations to sing hymns. Chora ...

became popular in the arrangement '' Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring''.

Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel (13 January 1690 in – 27 November 1749 in Gotha) was a prolific German composer of the Baroque era. Stölzel was an accomplished German stylist who wrote a good many of the poetic texts for his vocal works. Biogra ...

used the 12th stanza of this hymn, "Wenn die Welt mit ihren Netzen", in his Passion oratorio ''

Die leidende und am Creutz sterbende Liebe Jesu Die, as a verb, refers to death, the cessation of life. Die may also refer to: Games * Die, singular of dice, small throwable objects used for producing random numbers Manufacturing * Die (integrated circuit), a rectangular piece of a semicondu ...

'' (1720).D-B Mus.ms. 21412 III (12)
Ein Lämmlein geht und trägt die Schuld: Passions-Oratorio di Stölzel
at Berlin State Library website. , p. 149.D-SHs Mus.A15:2: , § 1.7.1.

References

Bibliography

* * * * *

External links

*
Jesu, meiner Seelen Wonne / Text and Translation of Chorale
Bach Cantatas Website
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
The Oxford Dictionary of Musical Works

bach-chorales.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Janus, Martin German classical organists German male organists German Protestant hymnwriters 17th-century Lutheran clergy 1620s births 1680s deaths Male classical organists