Metzger, Philip A.

English

Lehigh University: Lehigh Preserve

Lehigh University
Lehigh Preserve
Flyer: A Special Collections Newsletter Special Collections Publications
9-1998
J. Fred. Wolle and his Music
Philip A. Metzger
Lehigh University
Follow this and additional works at: http://preserve.lehigh.edu/special-collections-publications-
flyer
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Special Collections Publications at Lehigh Preserve. It has been accepted for inclusion in
Flyer: A Special Collections Newsletter by an authorized administrator of Lehigh Preserve. For more information, please contact preserve@lehigh.edu.
Recommended Citation
Metzger, Philip A., "J. Fred. Wolle and his Music" (1998). Flyer: A Special Collections Newsletter. 7.
http://preserve.lehigh.edu/special-collections-publications-flyer/7
   
   No. 7  •  September 1998
       Lehigh University
      Information Resources
  Special  
  Collections
 Flyer
Published three or four times a year by Special Collections, Lehigh
University Information Resources, Linderman Library, 30 Library
Drive, Bethlehem, Pa. 18015-3067. To be placed on our mailing list,
please write to the above address or send e-mail to inspc
@lehigh.edu. Copies are also available, in pdf file format, at World
Wide Web site http://www.lib.lehigh.eduspec.coll/spec.coll.html. Your
comments and suggestions are always appreciated.
J. FRED. WOLLE
J. Fred.Wolle and His Music
John Frederick Wolle (1863-1933) is a well-known
figure in late 19th and early 20th century music in
Bethlehem, for most people in his role as founder
and first director of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem,
which is celebrating its centenary this season. He
came from a long line of Moravian musicians.
But Wolle played a much larger part in the
musical life of the area than just that. He was a
com-poser of a considerable amount of music for
Mor-avian worship, and was from 1887 to 1905 the
offi-cial organist of Lehigh University.
As a part of the centennial celebration, Moravian
College will host a conference from October 22
through 25, 1998 on Moravian music, which will
have one of its sessions, Saturday the 24th, on the
Lehigh campus in Linderman library. The session is
titled “Bach in America: J. Fred. Wolle and the
Bach Choir.” In addition, an ensemble will perform
one of the original pieces by Wolle held in Special
Col-lections, an anthem (a Protestant analogue to
the Roman Catholic motet) entitled “He Leads Us
On.” (See over for a view of the opening page.)
Paula R. Zerkle, director of choral music at
Moravian College, will conduct this piece. She had
these comments to make about it:
J. Fred. Wolle’s anthem, “He Leads Us On” was
written in 1888 for chorus, organ, and soprano and bass
solos. A version was also completed for chorus and
orchestra. The piece is about six minutes long, and for most
part, uses straight-forward harmonic progressions, with
chromaticism increasing in moments of heightened intensity.
The main theme is a bold vocal melody that consists of two
stately rising arpeggios. This theme is hinted at in the
arpeggiated organ accompaniment in the first few measures
and introduced in its entirety in individual choral lines early
in the piece. The melody frequently departs from this theme,
as it closely follows the nuance of the meaning of the text.
The chorus, after the introduction of the main theme, moves
mainly in homophonic texture, leaving much of the melody
interest later in the piece to the soprano and bass solos. The
anthem exhibits some highly expressive harmonic and
melody language typical of the Romantic period and merits
more frequent performances.
In addition to these manuscripts, Special Col-
lections also has a complete run of programs from
Bach Choir concerts, going back to the first
performance of the Mass in B Minor on March 27,
1900, which took place in the Central Moravian
Church in Bethlehem. 
Special Collections spe-cific holdings of Wolle
mate-rials is supplemented by his own set of the
B a c h - G e s e l l - s c h a f t ’ s
complete edition of Bach’s
works, published in 60
volumes between 1851 and
1899.
The Wolle manuscripts,
which include a number of
other compositions as well,
were originally presented to
the Lehigh library in May
1956, during the annual Bach
Festival, by Wolle’s daughter,
Mrs. G. Prescott Baker.
The anthem “He Leads Us
On”, was performed as part
of the sesquicentennial
celebra-tion of the Central
Moravian Church. This fall’s
presenta-tion probably marks
the first time since 1956 that
it has been performed.—P.A.M.
ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ
Special Collections is pleased to
have an exhibition of some of
its books in the permanent
gallery of the Lehigh Univer-
sity Art Galleries in the Zoell-
ner Arts Center. The gallery is
open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Wednesday through Saturday,
and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
ÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ
Special Collections materials are
available for research and consul-
tation without prior arrangement.
For further information contact
Philip A. Metzger, Special Collec-
tions Librarian, or Marie Boltz, Special Colle ctions
Assistant. Reading room hours are Monday through Friday,
1 p.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. Telephone: (610)
758-4506; fax (610) 974-6471; e-mail:
inspc@lehigh.edu.


J. Fred. Wolle and his Music

https://preserve.lehigh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=special-collections-publications-flyer

J. Fred. Wolle and his Music

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Lehigh University: Lehigh Preserve