THE INFLUENCE OF THE LIVLAND MORAVIAN CHURCH ON LATVIAN MUSIC CULTURE

Abstract

At the end of 1720, the first representatives of the recently re-established Herrnhut / Upper Lusatian Moravian Church arrived in Livland (nowadays Vidzeme). At the end of 1730, the local peasants accepted the ideas they brought, and the Moravian Church became a reality in many locations in the province of Livland. By 1742, it had accepted approximately 3000 peasants. Gradually, overcoming varied obstacles, among them the ban on the movement in 1742/1743, the Moravian Church grew both in territorial scope and in numbers, and by the 19th century it had more than 30,000 members, and the number of supporters was even greater. The Moravian Church influenced many varied areas of life in Livland, including the music culture of the local inhabitants.