Austrian hymnody

Introduction Vernacular-language Christian hymnody in central Europe is characterised by a rich history of spiritual singing in church communities, especially since the 16th century, during which period the church hymn emerged as a fundamental characteristic of reformed Christianity. But the beginnings of this history go back to the Middle Ages. From then onwards, and not only as a reaction to reformed practice, the vernacular church hymn formed an important part of church musical and liturgical tradition and the traditions of the history of faith in the Roman Catholic Church. In all periods in its history, Austria has been an important region for the reception of German hymns. To a large...

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