HYMNS OF THE HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH IN THE 16th CENTURY

In the 16th century verses were written only to be sung, to be presented in the form of a hymn or song. This was not only the general custom of the age, but it also fit the ancient Hungarian tradition. Hungarian preachers of the age who studied abroad got acquainted with Luther’s and Calvin’s perception on ecclesiastical singing and music. They realized that the Word of the Lord could be spread more effectively using songs for this purpose. Since translation of the Geneva Psalms was published in printing only in 1607, the Hungarian preachers wrote hymns themselves. Hymns represent texts of prayers, confessions of faith or confessions of sins. The works of the Hungarian hymn writers were a valuable musical material not only for the Hungarian Reformed congregations, but they were also an inspiration for the great masters of choir literature. The most famous Hungarian composers, Kodály Zoltán, Bárdos Lajos, Gárdonyi Zoltán, thought it relevant to popularize the most beautiful ecclesiastic hymns by creating choir works based upon these.