Kindleinwiegen
kindleinwiegen rocking christchild christian nativity tradition traced back liturgical drama later medieval period tradition primarily german speaking part central europe appeared across region variety form chiefly though exclusively monastery church widespread fifteenth nineteenth century survived strongly roman catholic region area switched protestantism following intervention martin luther others german language term used celebration include christkindlwiegen verb included compound word wiegen indicates rockingcradling weighinggetting measure baby celebration involved form congregational dancing accompanied singing around picture jesus placed crib adjacent altar performance led priest singing least initially appears consisted duet sung two priest ceremony still carried believed uniquely parish church st mary purification blidworth nottinghamshire england usually nearest sunday candlemas although sunday fall january usually enacted following sunday always first sunday february restored blidworth service took place th february marked centenary restoration detail search blidworth rocking first surviving record kindelwiegenfeier appears de investigatione antichristi produced gerhoh provost augustinian cannon monastery reichersberg upper austria according gerhohs description location ceremony monastery church participant monk secular cleric ceremony comprised singing several song book hour unspecified liturgical source enriched various dramaactions participant later century wider level congregation participation became norm fifteenth century custom spread practically church germany sixteenth century began rejected hardline protestant congregation however increasingly rejected child rocking ceremony one fruit papist superstition nevertheless even region touched protestant reformation took long time christkindlwiegen disappear entirely bach biographer philipp spitta describes custom regarding kindleinwiegen protestant leipzig city council formally abolished practice start comment hymn german also us latin word virga jesse floruit used leipzig composer kuhnau bach christmas compositionsthe latingerman christmas hymn … part least lullaby sung cradle christ since included leipzig cantor vopelius leipzig hymn book must ordinary use old christian custom place manger church perform event christmas night drama mystery boy represented angel proclaimed birth saviour priest entered shepherd drew near manger others asked seen … gave answer sung lullaby manger mary joseph also represented mary asks joseph help rock child declares ready shepherd sing song custom kindleinwiegen called … full force beginning th century leipzig one custom council wished abolish year … proposal met little favour … particular custom kindleinwiegen actually survived bach day find lullaby christmas oratorio … word put together kuhnau christmas cantata adopted bach reflect simple old custom still popular time leipzig representing dramatically church angelic message adoration shepherd ideal way poetic musical counterpart throughout century considerable variation concerning detail ceremony even region remained staunchly catholic counterreformation took hold reaction medieval jollity earlier celebration image jesus tended removed crib placed instead altar felt respectful also increasingly use prop santa claus doll supervise proceeding another version young girl village dressed brought church wax doll baby jesus provides link christmas nativity scene centred crib became popular nineteenth century remains focus christmas decoration many church today another surviving link christkindlwiegen custom christmas song joseph lieber joseph mein still popular german speaking area believed originated one song would accompanied old ceremony although christkindlwiegen generally fallen use start twentieth century revival january viennese medieval music expert eberhard kummer marked th anniversary ceremony first surviving recorded mention revival performance st gertrudes church klosterneuburg short distance upstream vienna proceeding involved two altar girl rocking christchild crib accompaniment authentic dancing ceremony took place klosterneuburg january january spitta philipp fünftes buch leipziger jahre von — johann sebastian bach zweiter band breitkopf härtel fünftes buch leipziger jahre von — pp johann sebastian bach zweiter band dritte unveränderte auflage leipzig breitkopf härtel book v leipzig pp johann sebastian bach work influence music germany – translated clara bell john alexander fullermaitland three volume vol ii london novello co