Peter, Simon

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Peter, Simon

Peter, Simon, American Moravian composer, brother of John Frederick (Johann Friedrich) Peter; b. Heerendijk, the Netherlands (of German parents), April 2, 1743; d. Salem, N.C, May 29, 1819. With his brother, he was educated at the Moravian Brethren’s schools in the Netherlands and Germany. He went to the U.S. in 1770. His ministry was spent in both the Northern and Southern Provinces of the Moravian Church (i.e., both Pa. and N.C). From 1784 to 1819 he lived in N.C. as pastor of several congregations, and was a member of the governing board of the Church. He composed only a few sacred anthems, but one, O Amblick, der mirs Herze bricht, is one of the most expressive Lenten songs written in America.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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Peter, Simon

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