So nimm denn meine Hände

The Latvian teacher and poet Julie Hausmann (1826-1901) wrote the text of this famous chorale So nimm denn meine Hände (O Take My Hand, Dear Father). Given the great physical difficulties of Hausmann, the subject matter of the song becomes a very personal experience. takes on a very personal meaning.

Perhaps that is why it is often used as an elegy. The themes of this song – blind faith in God, death and eternal life, and shear life with each other – make this piece suitable for funerals as well as weddings.

The melody was composed by Philipp Friedrich Silcher. Jacob de Haan creates a reflective and simple arrangement that carries on the great romantic tradition, particularly that of Wagner and Bruckner.