Karl von Winterfeld (1784-1852), a jurist who dis­tinguished himself by several works on church music, including Zur Geschichte heiligcr Tonkunst, a series of articles published in two volumes (Leip­zig, 1850-1852). In the second volume he devotes a very interesting chapter to the hymns of the Ana­baptists in the 16th century, analyzing with com­plete objectivity a hymnbook of 1570 which came into his hands in the Royal Library in Munich, titled, Ein schon Gesangbüchlein geistlicher Lieder (see Hymnology). Historically this work has been superseded by Rudolf Wolkan's Lieder der Wiedertäufer (Berlin, 1903). It nevertheless is to Winterfeld's credit that he pointed out the uniqueness and significance of Anabaptist songs 50 years earlier than Wolkan.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 963. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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