Augsburg Fortress

In this third collection of hymn texts from the pen of Susan Palo Cherwien, we are offered thirty elegant poems intended to be sung by a worshiping assembly. As before, each text is presented in poetic form and then also with a tune to which it may be sung. Many of those tunes are newly composed, while some are from the classic repertoire. And as before, composers will find inspiration here for their own labors.

As Cherwien points out in her notes on each text, most of these texts were written for a specific occasion, yet each one also is widely applicable within worship settings. Consistently we find a care for the English language that heightens and deepens the power of the expression. And yet they are grounded in a solid understanding of Christian theology and a wise awareness of the human condition. Susan Palo Cherwien's hymns are found in an increasing number of today's hymnals, and this collection will add to that treasury.