"" is a German hymn to Mary which 19th-century theologians Johannes von Geissel and Heinrich Bone adapted independently from older models and folk tradition going back to the 18th century. The song addresses Mary by many descriptive adjectives and in prose. It is, in different versions of both text and melody, part of regional sections of the Catholic hymnal in German, Gotteslob, and of songbooks.

History The origin of is assumed in Austria in the first half of the 18th century, based on an elegy attributed to , published in in 1692.Laurentius von Schnüffis: Mirantische Mayen-Pfeiff. Oder Marianische Lob-Verfassung: In Welcher Clorus, ein Hirt, der Großmächtigsten Himmels-Königin, und Mutter Gottes Mariae unvergleichliche Schön- Hoch- und Vermögenheit anmüthig besingt. Geist- und Weltlichen, auch Predigern, sehr nutzlich, und annehmlich zu lesen. Mit schönen Kupffern, und gantz neuen Melodeyen gezihrt. , Dillingen 1692, p. 323; digitale-sammlungen.de. His proper name was Johann Martin; he applied the term ('Mirantian') – an anagram of his last name – to almost all his publications; thus mean's Martin's May Music, a May devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. His song is introduced by the line "Clorus wegen grosser Lieb verlangt höchlich daß allerholde seeligste angesicht der Mutter Gottes zu sehen" (Clorus desires highly, out of great love, to see the fairest blessed face of the Mother of God.), followed by a line in Latin and German quoted from the Song of Songs 2:14: " / ."

The beginning of the melody appears in Marc-Antoine Charpentier's Canticum in nativitatem Domini, H. 393, composed around 1676. The song became a spiritual Volkslied, widely distributed in leaflets and hymnals. The melody was also used in 1759 for a song of thanks for the victory of the Austrians against the Prussians in the Battle of Kunersdorf. It was published in 1808 by Achim von Arnim and Clemens Brentano in their collection Des Knaben Wunderhorn, entitled "Maria, Gnadenmutter zu Freyberg" (Mary, Mother of Mercy in Freyberg)).Achim von Arnim, Clemens Brentano (eds.): Des Knaben Wunderhorn. Vol. 2. Mohr und Zimmer, Heidelberg 1808, pp. 179ff.

The song became a hymn in two independent paraphrases, one by Johannes von Geissel in the 1842 Speyerer Gesangbuch,Katholisches Gesangbuch für das Bistum Speyer, Kranzbühler, Speyer 1842; cited in: Johannes von Geissel: Schriften und Reden. Vol. 2. DuMont-Schauberg, Cologne 1869, pp. 311ff. the other by Heinrich Bone in Cantate! in 1847.Heinrich Bone: Cantate! Catholisches Gesangbuch nebst Gebeten und Andachten für alle Zeiten und Feste des Kirchenjahres. Mainz 1847, pp. 212ff

In several versions of both text and melody, the hymn is contained in regional sections of the 2013 Catholic hymnal in German, Gotteslob. It is also part of songbooks. The hymn is still popular in the 21st century.

Poem and melodies Bone's text is: 1. Wunderschön Prächtige, Große und Mächtige, Liebreich holdselige, himmlische Frau; Welcher ich ewiglich Kindlich verbinde mich, Ja mich mit Leib und mit Seele vertrau! Gut, Blut und Leben Will ich ihr geben; Alles, ja Alles, Gedanken und Sinn, Geb‘ ich mit Freuden, Maria, dir hin!

2. Sonnenumglänzete, Sternenbekränzete, Leuchte und Trost auf der nächtlichen Fahrt; Vor der verderblichen Makel der Sterblichen Hat dich die Allmacht des Vaters bewahrt Selige Pforte Warst du dem Worte, Als es vom Throne der ewigen Macht Gnade und Rettung den Menschen gebracht.

3. Gottesgebärerin, Christi Ernährerin, Wundersam Mutter und Jungfrau zugleich! Herzenerquickende, Seelenbeglückende Quelle, an himmlischen Tröstungen reich! O du Getreue, Zu dir voll Reue Schauen wir hoffend und flehend hinan, Mutter, ach führ’ uns auf sicherer Bahn!

4. Du bist die Helferin, Du bist die Retterin Fürstin des Himmels und Mutter des Herrn! Spiegel der Reinigkeit, Stärke der Christenheit, Arche des Bundes, hell leuchtender Stern! Liebreich dich wende, Frieden uns sende, Mutter, ach wende die Augen uns zu, Lehr‘ uns in Demuth zu wandeln wie du.

5. Einst auch Betrübete, Vielfach Geübete, Kennest der Seelen tief innersten Schmerz; Niemand je untergeht, Der zu dir kindlich fleht, Keinen verachtet dein mütterlich Herz; Tröst uns im Leiden, Stärk uns im Scheiden, Bitte für uns deinen göttlichen Sohn, Wann er uns ruft vor den ewigen Thron. Beautiful, glorious, high and mighty, loving and blest, heavenly woman, to whom in all eternity childlike I tie myself, yes, entrust my body and soul. Possessions, blood and life I shall give to you; everything, yes all, thoughts and mind, I give joyfully to you, Mary.

Gleaming with sun rays, crowned with stars, light and comfort in dark journeys; From the pernicious blemish of mortals did the almighty father save you. Blessed portal you were to the word as it from the throne of eternal power brought grace and salvation to humanity.

Bearer of God, nurturer of Christ, miraculously mother and virgin at once! Refreshing our hearts, you souls-delighting source, rich in heavenly consolations! O you true one, to you full of remorse we look up, hoping and pleading, Mother, lead us to a safe path.

You are the helper, you are the saviour princess of Heaven and mother of the Lord! Mirror of pureness, strength of Christendom, Ark of the Covenant, bright radiant star! Turn lovingly, peace send to us, mother, turn your eyes to us, teach us to walk humbly like you.

Once saddened, often distressed, you know the souls' innermost pain; No one will perish who childlike implores you, your maternal heart despises no one; comfort us in our suffering, strength us in our parting, plead for us to your divine son when he calls us before the eternal throne.

The poem is in bar form, with a stollen of three lines, the first two short ones rhyming, and an abgesang of four lines, again the first two even shorter ones rhyming, and the last line similar to the last one of the stollen. The song addresses Mary by many descriptive and euphoric adjectives and in prose. The melodies have in common that they are in triple meter, mostly in steady quarter notes with a dotted quarter note to emphasise the middle of the short lines in the stollen. two eighth-notes in the short lines of the abgesang, and both elements appearing in the last lines of both.

References

Further reading Becker, Hansjakob: Geistliches Wunderhorn: Große deutsche Kirchenlieder. C. H. Beck, Munich 2001, , pp. 345–355. ; Schäfer, Christiane: Marienlieder im Spiegel der Gesangbuchgeschichte. In: , 62, 2008, pp. 578–582. Kurzke, Hermann; Schäfer, Christiane: Mythos Maria. Berühmte Marienlieder und ihre Geschichte. C. H. Beck, Munich 2014, , pp. 236–269, .

External links

"German and English text", lieder.net "Partial translation", forum.musicasacra.com "Different musical setting" (1900) by , with German and English words, Marian Library Special Collections at eCommons – via University of Dayton Wunderschön prächtige - verschiedene Melodien deutschland world , Church Choir Waldorf, St. Michael, Bornheim (Rheinland)