Moravian Archives, Bethlehem, Pa. This Month in Moravian History

Issue 64 May 2011

Christian Ignatius LaTrobe (1758-1836)

This month marks the 175th anniversary of held for 50 years until his retirement in was lost in flourishes and ill-placed decora- the death of the Moravian clergyman, musician 1834. His son John remarked, “It is rare to tions, and deformed by long straggling inter- and composer, Christian Ignatius LaTrobe on meet with an instance in which a man is so ludes.” Through the intervention of Bishop May 6, 1836. He served the church in a variety exactly fitted to the position he is appointed Spangenberg LaTrobe switched to a simpler of ways as a talented man from a talented fam- to occupy.” His father was perfect as secre- musical style where he strove “not to dis- ily. His father, Benjamin LaTrobe, was super- tary since he had an “earnest desire to be an turb, but to further the devotion of the intendent of the in . instrument for the advancement of Christ’s congregation.” In a collection of Moravian His mother, Anna Margarette Antes, was the kingdom, yet with no decided predilection hymn tunes compiled for English audiences, sister of John Antes, gifted American composer for the Christian ministry.” In 1796 LaTrobe LaTrobe stressed simplicity as the “grand and instrument maker. His brother, Benjamin was appointed secretary of the Moravian source of beauty in church music” which en- Henry LaTrobe, a renowned architect, designed Church in England, and began publishing the ables one to “feel His divine presence with the United States Capitol. missions magazine, Periodical Accounts. As us.” He lamented the “prevalence of deprav- missions administrator he translated History ity” (i.e. loud and showy instrumentation) of the Mission of the United Brethren Among which disturbed the connection to Christ. the Indians in North America by Loskiel from LaTrobe was a close friend of Franz German into English in 1794. In 1815 , whom he visited often when LaTrobe made an official visit to the Mora- the latter visited England. LaTrobe dedicated vian missions in South Africa, where he three piano sonatas to Haydn, in addition to planned the founding of a new mission sta- composing clarinet concertos, duets and tion named Enon. Besides publishing an ac- arias, and more than a hundred vocal pieces. count of his trip, he also started writing his posthumously published Letters to My Children (1851), a collection of essays on a variety of topics, including the abolition of slavery and his thoughts on church music. LaTrobe was not only a gifted administra- tor, but also an accomplished musician and The first measures of a tune, composed by composer. In fact, he was the only Moravian LaTrobe, as printed in the tune book he composer to receive wide recognition out- edited (1791). side the church in his lifetime. He recalled, Christian Ignatius LaTrobe was born on “From my earliest infancy, every kind of mu- February 12, 1758, at the Moravian settle- sical sound immediately attracted my atten- ment, Fulneck, in Yorkshire, England, where tion.” He thanked God for his “genius for Sources he attended school before entering the music,” as he played the violin, , violon- Periodical Accounts; Dienerblätter; Letters to My Moravian boys’ school in Niesky, , cello, oboe, French horn, trumpet, trom- Children by C.I. Latrobe, (London, 1851); Music of in 1771. After graduating he remained at bone, bassoon, clarinet and double bass, the Moravian Church in America, ed. Nola Reed Niesky as a teacher before returning to Eng- besides the organ and pianoforte. Knouse, 2008; Hymn-Tunes sung in the Church of land in 1784. Three years later he was During his school days LaTrobe described the United Brethren, collected by Christian Ignatius appointed secretary to the Society for the his musical taste as “bad ... the noble sim- LaTrobe, [1790?]. Furtherance of the Gospel, a position he plicity of our church music and hymn tunes www.moravianchurcharchives.org