[ work in progress ]
Introduction
English translation of a text by Claudius Buser published on the website of the St. Chrischona Theological Seminary in March 2026 (excerpts):
Since 1840, music at St. Chrischona has evolved from simple congregational singing via trombone choirs and men’s choirs to mixed choirs, recordings, musicals, and its own degree program. Dora Rappard and, later, Hans Rüdiger, played a formative role.
Congregational singing has existed ever since Christians began gathering in their homes. In the early Middle Ages, the focus shifted away from the congregation and toward the choir singers and monks (with the exception of Ambrosian chant in northern Italy and southern Switzerland). However, congregational singing has enjoyed a resurgence since the Reformation (only Zwingli took issue with it).
Chrischona has been singing since its inception in 1840. Of course, it was disorganized and very small at first, but in the memorial tributes written for various instructors (including Spittler), there are already mentions of the “brothers” singing hymns. Soon after, a regular Brothers’ Choir was formed, consisting of all the brothers present.
The Origins of Trombone Choirs
It was not just about singing. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, Chrischona Brother Adam Ewald (1847–1918), serving as a stretcher-bearer (medic), observed the military bands at funerals and thought that such brass music could also be introduced into Christian communities. He himself founded the very first trombone choir in Germany in 1885. Chrischona had already taken up these ideas somewhat earlier. In the Glaubensbote journal from 1883, we read:
“Our newly formed trombone choir also made its presence heard. The instruments were a gift from Mr. Jäger in Fälkli. Six or seven brothers, under the guidance of a knowledgeable fellow resident, quickly learned the art of playing them. Now a chorale in honor of God resounds quite upliftingly every Sunday morning at 6 o’clock and on other occasions.” [Der Glaubensbote 7, no. 6 (1883): 72]
Dora Rappard Promotes Music Education
Back to choral singing: The major breakthrough in music and singing was pioneered by Dora Rappard (1842–1923). She, the “Chrischona Mother,” was a gifted hymn writer and composer. Now the brothers sing songs from the Reformation era, songs by Count Niklaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf [Britannica], Gospel and revival songs, and, of course, the songs of Dora Rappard. This new direction in music education is also reflected in the curriculum: piano, harmonium, and voice lessons—including the basics of conducting (with the aim of every community preacher serving as a choir director)—are now a standard part of the training:
(Klavier: piano · Posaunenchor: trombone choir · Gesang: singing · Harmonium: harmonium)
Together with her husband Carl Heinrich Rappard (1832–1909), Dora Rappard published the first St. Chrischona hymnal in 1875: Gemeinschaftslieder [Community Songs]. It spread rapidly and went through many new editions. Decades later, this hymnal was revised and expanded, and the circle of publishers was broadened. It was published in 1955 under a new title: Neues Gemeinschaftsliederbuch [New Community Hymnal], and had to be reprinted as early as 1958. This hymnal was jointly published by the [St. Chrischona] Pilgrim Mission, the Mennonites of Switzerland and Alsace, and the Evangelisches Gemeinschaftswerk Bern.
During the two World Wars, people certainly continued to sing, yet this was not a time for great gospel songs in Chrischona. Rather, it was a time of mourning and deprivation, as the number of male and female Bible students had plummeted dramatically, and the survival of the ministry was in jeopardy. And yet—perhaps out of defiance and as a source of solace—several “Pilgrim Songs” were published for choirs during this period under the title Pilgerlieder: Klänge aus dem Brüderkreise [Pilgrim Songs: Sounds from the Circle of Brethren]. Furthermore, as an innovation and evolution of the tradition, Chrischona songbooks specifically for women were introduced.
Selected hymnals printed at St. Chrischona
German
Pilgerharfe
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Glaubens-Lieder
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Amharic
Yägubaʼe mäzmurat [የጉባኤ መዝሙራት, Congregational hymns]. Edited by Bengt P. Lundahl. St. Chrischona: [for the] Swedish Evangelical Mission, 1881. [View online]
Oromo
2 Oromo hymns. Published in the appendix to the Oromo translation of Barth’s Bible Stories, edited by Johann Jacob Greiner. St. Chrischona: Mission, Press, 1881. [View online]
Further reading
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Cross-references
» Aregawi, Letter written on 1873.11.18
» Gebru Desta (?), Letter written in 1886