Hölty was the most gifted lyric poet of the Göttingen circle. He was influenced by Johann Uz and Friedrich Klopstock, but his love for the Volkslied and his delight in nature preserved him from the artificiality of Uz and the unworldliness of Klopstock. A strain of melancholy runs through all his lyrics. His ballads are the pioneers of the rich ballad literature on English models, which sprang up in Germany over the next few years. Among his most familiar poems are: "Üb' immer Treu' und Redlichkeit" (1776), "Tanzt dem schönen Mai entgegen", and "Wer wollte sich mit Grillen plagen" (1776).[1]
To many, the opening lines of Hölty's poem "Der alte Landmann an seinen Sohn" ("The Old Farmer to His Son") are the very embodiment of all Prussian virtues. This poem was set to music by Mozart to a melody adapted from the aria "Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen" from his 1791 opera The Magic Flute. It was played daily by the carillon of the Potsdam Garrison Church[2] where Frederick the Great was initially buried. The text reads as follows: "Üb' immer Treu und Redlichkeit / Bis an dein kühles Grab; / Und weiche keinen Fingerbreit / Von Gottes Wegen ab." Translation: "Use always fidelity and honesty / Up to your cold grave; / And stray not one inch / From the ways of the Lord."[3]
Hölty's collection Gedichte (poems) was published by his friends Count Friedrich Leopold zu Stolberg and J. H. Voss (Hamburg, 1783). A new edition, enlarged by Voss with a biography, came out in 1804, followed by a more complete but still imperfect edition by F. Voigts (Hanover, 1857). The first complete edition was that of Karl Halm (Leipzig, 1870), who had access to manuscripts not hitherto known.[1][4]
Many of Hölty's poems were set to music by composers including Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Fanny Hensel-Mendelssohn, and Brahms, and his verse 'Ihr Freunde, hänget, wann ich gestorben bin' is inscribed above the final movement of the Harp Sonata by Paul Hindemith. Several streets and schools in Germany are named after him, including the Hölty-Gymnasium in Wunstorf near Hanover; in 2008, the biennial poetry prize Hölty-Preis was created in his name.
Notesedit
^ abcOne or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Hölty, Ludwig Heinrich Christoph". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 13 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 620.
^"Hölty, Ludwig Christoph Heinrich, Gedichte, Sämtliche Gedichte, Der alte Landmann an seinen Sohn". www.zeno.org (in German).
^See Herrmann Ruete, Hölty, sein Leben und Dichten (Guben, 1883), and A. Satier, Der Göttinger Dichterbund, vol. ii (Stuttgart, 1894), which contains an excellent selection of Hölty's poetry.
External linksedit
Media related to Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Hölty at Wikimedia Commons
Garrisonkirche Glockenspiel vor dem Krieg on YouTube. This 37-second recording is the only one known to exist of the original carillon of the Potsdam Garrison Church. It is playing Mozart's melody for "Üb' immer Treu und Redlichkeit" by Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty (1748-1776).
May 08, 2024
ludwig, christoph, heinrich, hölty, december, 1748, september, 1776, german, poet, known, especially, ballads, ludwig, hölty, hölty, born, electorate, hanover, village, mariensee, today, part, neustadt, rübenberge, where, father, pastor, 1769, went, study, the. Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Holty 21 December 1748 1 September 1776 was a German poet known especially for his ballads Ludwig Holty Holty was born in the Electorate of Hanover in the village of Mariensee today part of Neustadt am Rubenberge where his father was pastor In 1769 he went to study theology at the University of Gottingen There he formed a close friendship with Johann Martin Miller Johann Heinrich Voss Heinrich Christian Boie the brothers Stolberg and others and became one of the founders of the famous society of young poets known as the Hain or Gottinger Hainbund By the time he left the university in 1774 he had abandoned all intention of becoming a clergyman but he was not to enter any profession He died of consumption at Hanover 1 Holty was the most gifted lyric poet of the Gottingen circle He was influenced by Johann Uz and Friedrich Klopstock but his love for the Volkslied and his delight in nature preserved him from the artificiality of Uz and the unworldliness of Klopstock A strain of melancholy runs through all his lyrics His ballads are the pioneers of the rich ballad literature on English models which sprang up in Germany over the next few years Among his most familiar poems are Ub immer Treu und Redlichkeit 1776 Tanzt dem schonen Mai entgegen and Wer wollte sich mit Grillen plagen 1776 1 To many the opening lines of Holty s poem Der alte Landmann an seinen Sohn The Old Farmer to His Son are the very embodiment of all Prussian virtues This poem was set to music by Mozart to a melody adapted from the aria Ein Madchen oder Weibchen from his 1791 opera The Magic Flute It was played daily by the carillon of the Potsdam Garrison Church 2 where Frederick the Great was initially buried The text reads as follows Ub immer Treu und Redlichkeit Bis an dein kuhles Grab Und weiche keinen Fingerbreit Von Gottes Wegen ab Translation Use always fidelity and honesty Up to your cold grave And stray not one inch From the ways of the Lord 3 Holty s collection Gedichte poems was published by his friends Count Friedrich Leopold zu Stolberg and J H Voss Hamburg 1783 A new edition enlarged by Voss with a biography came out in 1804 followed by a more complete but still imperfect edition by F Voigts Hanover 1857 The first complete edition was that of Karl Halm Leipzig 1870 who had access to manuscripts not hitherto known 1 4 Many of Holty s poems were set to music by composers including Mozart Beethoven Schubert Mendelssohn Fanny Hensel Mendelssohn and Brahms and his verse Ihr Freunde hanget wann ich gestorben bin is inscribed above the final movement of the Harp Sonata by Paul Hindemith Several streets and schools in Germany are named after him including the Holty Gymnasium in Wunstorf near Hanover in 2008 the biennial poetry prize Holty Preis was created in his name Notes edit a b c nbsp One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Holty Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 13 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 620 Moral ohne Anstand Deutschlandradio in German Holty Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Gedichte Samtliche Gedichte Der alte Landmann an seinen Sohn www zeno org in German See Herrmann Ruete Holty sein Leben und Dichten Guben 1883 and A Satier Der Gottinger Dichterbund vol ii Stuttgart 1894 which contains an excellent selection of Holty s poetry External links edit nbsp Media related to Ludwig Heinrich Christoph Holty at Wikimedia Commons Garrisonkirche Glockenspiel vor dem Krieg on YouTube This 37 second recording is the only one known to exist of the original carillon of the Potsdam Garrison Church It is playing Mozart s melody for Ub immer Treu und Redlichkeit by Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Holty 1748 1776 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Holty amp oldid 1190224064, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
