Das Gebetshaus Augsburg und seine (Augen-)Lieder

The 'Eye Songs' of the Prayer House Augsburg are not merely products of desk work; rather, many of the texts and melodies have emerged as a whole or at least in part from spontaneous prayer and singing in the Prayer House Augsburg. Some manifest concrete feelings and longings in the relational journey between God and the songwriter. It is the profound simplicity that gives the 'Eye Songs' their uniqueness, making them difficult to categorize into predefined categories. The 'Eye Songs' do not want to be reduced to the function of a 'background soundscape'; instead, they challenge the listener to engage with them. This book aims not only to explore the 'Eye Songs' acoustically but also to delve into the deeper content dimensions of the texts. Christian songs convey—sometimes not obviously, sometimes more implicitly—statements about the image of God that the author and the song carry in their hearts. This work seeks to approach the 'Eye Songs' in an exploratory manner. To prevent the examination of the songs from becoming unfocused, the following set of questions will serve as a framework and point of orientation for the analysis: How can the image of God in these songs be characterized, and what view of humanity stands in contrast to it? What relationship dynamic between God and humanity is depicted? Do the 'Eye Songs' possess distinctive characteristics that set them apart from other songs or genres? And how should they be evaluated in terms of performative aspects? To find answers to these questions, modern worship songs and the chants from Taizé will be used as comparative materials. Following a quantitative analysis and a qualitative examination of the 'Eye Songs', a content and musical comparison will follow. The conclusion will address the question of performance, derived from the insights gained.