Philipp nicolai biography plague

In the depths of a fearsome epidemic that ravaged his community, a small-town German pastor wrote a hymn to bring his congregation hope. More than 400 years later, "Sleepers Awake" still comforts and inspires us, perhaps now more than ever before.

The Piece

There's a short piece with a gorgeous, unforgettable melody that we play on the radio sometimes, called Sleepers Awake.

While you're listening to it, even just for those few minutes, there's peace; everything is calm and beautiful, the music speaking to us as clearly today is it did when it was written.

That's no coincidence. Sleepers Awake has its roots in another epidemic, one that cast a shadow over a small German town.

It comes from a meditation on hope in an uncertain time, and took a long and surprising journey to reach our ears yet again with its message of comfort.

The Backstory

When we announce this lovely piece on WCRB, we usually say some