Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur
"Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur" is a poem by German pastor, poet, and hymnist Christian Fürchtegott Gellert, which first appeared in Gellert's 1757 Collection of Odes and Songs. The poem is best known in a choral setting by Ludwig van Beethoven (Opus 48, No. 4) for chorus and piano, composed in 1803. Beethoven's choral anthem is usually entitled Die Himmel rühmen, the opening words of the poem, or The Heavens are Telling in English. An arrangement for organ and choir (The Heavens are Telling, 1925) by Virgil Thomson is a popular version in the United States.[1]
Gellert's poem is inspired by the opening verses of Psalm 19 and expands upon those verses with themes of natural theology popular during Gellert's lifetime, in which the Creator's magnificence is revealed in the wonders of nature.
References
- ^ Beethoven, Ludwig van; Thomson, Virgil; Gellert, Christian Fürchtegott (1925). "The Heavens are Telling Sheet Music (Digital Download)" (sheet music). SheetMusicPlus.com. E. C. Schirmer Music Company. Retrieved August 12, 2016.