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