Wie soll ich dich empfangen

Wie soll ich dich empfangen. Paul Gerhardt* (1607-1676). This ‘Advents-Gesang’ (Advent hymn) was first published in Christoph Runge*and Johann Crüger*’s D.M. Luthers und anderer vornehmen geistreichen und gelehrten Männer geistliche Lieder und Psalmen (Berlin, 1653), a book published by Runge at the request of Luise Henriette, Electress of Brandenburg, in the hope of bringing together the Lutheran and Reformed congregations. The opening is based on Matthew 21: 8, describing the multitude welcoming Christ into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (the Gospel for the First Sunday in Advent is Matthew 21: 1-9). It had ten 8-line verses, all of which are found in EG (EG 11). In addition to asking ‘How...