Hans Adolph Brorson (20 June 1694 – 3 June 1764) was a Danish

pietist Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christianity, Christian life. Although the movement is ali ...

clergyman, hymn write and translator of German language hymns. He served as Bishop of the Diocese of Ribe.

Biography

Brorson was born at the vicarage at Randerup in

Tønder municipality Tønder (; ) is a town in the Region of Southern Denmark. With a population of 7,477 (as of 1 January 2025), it is the main town and the administrative seat of the Tønder Municipality. History The first mention of Tønder might have been in th ...

, Denmark. He belonged to a clerical family: his father Broder Brodersen was a parish priest in Randerup, both of this brothers were vicars. In 1712 he graduated from Ribe Cathedral School. From 1712 to 1716 Brorson studied theology at the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen (, KU) is a public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in Scandinavia, after Uppsala University. ...

. Brorson was appointed rector of

Holstebro Holstebro is the main town in Holstebro Municipality, Denmark. The town, bisected by Storå, Denmark, ''Storåen'' ("The Large Creek") and has a population of 37,487 (1 January 2025).Tønder Tønder (; ) is a town in the Region of Southern Denmark. With a population of 7,477 (as of 1 January 2025), it is the main town and the administrative seat of the Tønder Municipality. History The first mention of Tønder might have been in th ...

. In 1737, Broder was called to be Bishop at

Aalborg Aalborg or Ålborg ( , , ) is Denmark's List of cities and towns in Denmark, fourth largest urban settlement (behind Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense) with a population of 119,862 (1 July 2022) in the town proper and an Urban area, urban populati ...

. In 1741 he became Bishop of the Diocese of Ribe where he remained the rest of his life. He died during 1764 and was buried in

Ribe Cathedral Ribe Cathedral or Our Lady Maria Cathedral ( or ''Vor Frue Maria Domkirke'') is located in the ancient city of Ribe, on the west coast of southern Jutland, Denmark. It was founded in the Viking Age as the first Christian church in Denmark by Ansgar ...

. He began publishing hymns in 1732 while a pastor in southern

Jutland Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...

. His most important work was ''Troens rare klenodie'' (1739; "The Rare Jewel of the Faith"), which contained many translations of German Pietist hymns and 82 original pieces and went through seven editions in Brorson's lifetime. His outward social success as a clerical administrator was contrasted by private sorrows (an insane son, the early death of his first wife) but he resigned himself to his fate. Some of these problems are probably reflected in a second book of hymns, ''Svanesang'' ("Swan Song"), that was published posthumously in 1765. From this collection must be mentioned the still popular and hopeful funeral hymn ''Her vil ties'' ("Here will be silent") Almost forgotten after his death but "re-detected" during the romantic period Brorson is now ranked among the four greatest Danish hymn writers. His tune is not as strong as that of Kingo but in return he is more of a lyricist. Besides he is perhaps the first important Southern Jutland poet in Danish literature. The Christmas hymn ''Den yndigste rose er funden'' (1732) is included in the

Danish Culture Canon The Danish Culture Canon () consists of 108 works of cultural excellence in eight categories: architecture, visual arts, design, design and crafts, film, literature, music, performing arts, and children's culture. An initiative of Brian Mikkelsen i ...

. Brorson's lyrics formed the basis of the first two of

Edvard Grieg Edvard Hagerup Grieg ( , ; 15 June 18434 September 1907) was a Norwegian composer and pianist. He is widely considered one of the leading Romantic music, Romantic era composers, and his music is part of the standard classical repertoire worldwid ...

's Fire Salmer, 'Guds søn har gjort mig fri' ('God's son has set me free') and 'Hvad est du dog skjøn' ('O but you are beautiful'). Julesalmen "Den yndigste rose er funden"
(in Danish) Danmarkshistorien.dk. Retrieved January 20, 2013

Selected list of works

Songs * "The Rare Jewel of the Faith" * "Behold a Host, Arrayed in White (Den Store Hvide Flok)" * "Here will be silent" * "My Heart Always Wanders" * "I Walk in Danger All the Way" * "Now found is the Fairest of Roses" (Den yndigste rose er funden) * " :no:Her kommer dine arme små" ("Thy Little Ones, Dear Lord are We")

References

Other sources

*Egil Elseth (1985) ''Hans Adolph Brorson. Pietisten og Poeten'' (Oslo: Forlag Verbum)

External links

Song Text: Behold a Host, Arrayed in White
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brorson, Hans Adolph 1694 births 1764 deaths Danish male poets Danish Lutheran hymnwriters 18th-century Lutherans People from Ribe Burials at Ribe Cathedral Danish Lutheran theologians 18th-century Danish poets University of Copenhagen alumni 18th-century Danish Lutheran bishops