In the tumultuous era of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther did far more than revolutionize church theology. As a self-proclaimed "friend of music," Martin Luther pioneered the inception and development of the congregational hymn, though the Catholic church and other reformers such as Calvin and Zwingli greatly minimized the role of congregational worship in their services. Luther, on the other hand, was a musician himself and viewed music as a perfect means to use the talents that God had bestowed to glorify Him, to unify the congregation rather than partition them into clergy and laity, and to express the theology of the Universal Priesthood of All Believers. This approach to music—especially the emphasis on the average person's contribution—was immensely popular among the German people, and thus congregational hymns like "Ein Feste Burg ist Unser Gott" became the fuel by which Lutheranism spread like wildfire throughout all of Germany. And, as the test of time has shown, the congregational hymn as inaugurated by Luther has continued to be one of the primary modes of worship in the Christian church to this day.
“Who loves not women, wine, and song,
He lives a fool his whole life long.”
—Martin Luther
The Reformation is remembered as a time of political change and a clash of theological ideologies, but it is often overlooked that the practice of worship at the time was being radically altered as well. This dynamic shift in worship music is largely due to the work of one man: Martin Luther. Martin Luther rose to prominence at a time when music was viewed with severe suspicion within the Catholic Church, who tried to limit and regulate what kind of music should be sung in their services. The position of other Protestants such as Jean Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli were even more extreme, and Luther labelled them “fanatics” for opposing music in all or nearly all forms.[1] Luther, on the other hand, was a self-proclaimed friend of music who wanted to see God’s gift of music made accessible to all people. Therefore, he stressed passionate congregational singing in services, revolutionising the way worship was approached, composed, and performed.
Luther was himself was a gifted musician, possessing considerable skill on the lute, a good voice and ear for choral singing, and modest ability as a composer of song. He received education, training, and experience in music at school in Eisenach and Erfurt during his formative years.[2] At the University of Erfurt, he received two nicknames after the things he was most known for: one was “The Philosopher,” the other “The Musician.”[3] He often entertained his closest friends with lutesong, acquainting him with music’s power to draw people together. Music continued to accompany him in his life and remained one of his favourite means of relaxation and sources of inspiration.[4] This musical background not only brought Luther to appreciate music, but also allowed him to make educated decisions about how worship music should be approached later in his life.[5]
Luther also proved himself capable as a composer, though he only dabbled in the art. Though it would be an exaggeration to call Luther a “musical genius of high rank”[6] (after all, Luther himself wrote that his skill was nothing compared to a composer such as Ludwig Senfl or Johann Walther), Luther wrote a few hymns that have endured the test of time. One in particular, “Ein’ feste Burg ist unser Gott,” became one of the most popular tunes of its time, sung across all of Germany and becoming the battle hymn of the Reformation.[7] This hymn became so popular that eventually it was grudgingly introduced into Roman Catholic churches, even achieving publication in a papal hymnal.[8]
Luther loved music, extolling it as one of God’s greatest gifts and calling it the most excellent art next to theology.[9] To him, the fact that music had often come under attack within the Catholic Church was a grievous offense. Luther earnestly hoped that “all Christians would love and regard as worthy the lovely gift of music, which is a precious, worthy, and costly treasure given mankind by God.”[10] Ever since St. Augustine had written a warning against the power of music in his Confessions, the Catholic Church had become extremely wary of utilising music except as a means to serve liturgical texts. St. Augustine had been skeptical of music on the grounds that it directly pleased the bodily senses and therefore considered it a worldly pleasure. However, Luther argued that if humankind was “created with natural musical appreciation and ability,” then taking pleasure from music was no more sinful than enjoying the visual esthetic of a sunset or any other beauty in nature.[11]
Luther ascribed a number of unique powers to music that set it apart from preaching, theology, or any other discipline. For example, music could banish a melancholy mood, calming a person’s spirit. Luther wrote that music could help a person to “forget all wrath, unchastity, arrogance, and other vices.”[12] It could strengthen a person to help them withstand “shameful lusts and bad company.”[13] Luther also claimed that music could prepare a person’s spirit to hear the Word.[14] Indeed, he said that it had often inspired his own fervour to preach.[15] All these benefits, in Luther’s mind, far outweighed the “exaggerated suspicion of anything not amenable to rational control” that the other church leaders so often displayed towards music.[16]
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[1] Edward M. Plass, What Luther Says (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959), 980.
[2] Carl F. Schalk, Luther on Music (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1988), 13-15.
[3] Eva Mary Grew, “Martin Luther and Music,” Music & Letters 19 (1938), 70, http://www.jstor.org/stable/727986 (accessed October 15, 2011).
[4] Robin A. Leaver, Luther’s Liturgical Music (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eardmans Publishing Company, 2007), 64.
[5] William H. T. Dau, Four Hundred Years (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1916), 229.
[6] Paul Nettl, Luther and Music (Philadelphia: The Muhlenberg Press, 1948), 62.
[7] Dau, Four Hundred Years, 235.
[8] Ibid., 234.
[9] Martin Luther, Sendschreiben Dr. Martin Luther’s an Ludwig Senfel (München, Germany: Lentner, 1817).
[10] Martin Luther, Foreword to Georg Rhau’s Symphoniae jucundae (Kassel, Germany: Bärenreiter-Verlag, 1959).
[11] Jeremy S. Begbie, ed. and Steven R. Guthrie, ed., Resonant Witness: Conversations Between Music and Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2011), 69.
[12] Plass, What Luther Says, 980.
[13] Martin Luther, Exegetica opera Latina (Erlangen, Germany: C. Heyder, 1829) .
[14] Begbie and Guthrie, Resonant Witness, 68-69.
[15] Ibid.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main focus of the text?
The text primarily focuses on Martin Luther's views on music and its role in worship during the Reformation. It highlights Luther's appreciation for music as a gift from God and how he promoted congregational singing, contrasting his views with those of other Protestants and the Catholic Church.
How did Martin Luther's background influence his views on music?
Luther was a skilled musician himself, having received education and training in music during his formative years. He played the lute, sang in choirs, and even composed songs. This musical background allowed him to appreciate music's power and make informed decisions about its role in worship.
What were Martin Luther's views on music?
Luther loved music and considered it one of God's greatest gifts. He believed that music could banish melancholy moods, strengthen individuals against vices, and prepare their spirits to hear the Word. He argued that enjoying music was not sinful, as God had created humankind with a natural appreciation for it.
What were some of the key hymns or musical works associated with Martin Luther?
Luther wrote a few hymns that became popular during the Reformation, including "Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott" (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God), which became a battle hymn of the Reformation and was even introduced into Roman Catholic churches.
How did Martin Luther's views on music differ from those of the Catholic Church and other Protestants like Jean Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli?
Luther believed that everyone should have access to music and that music could be used to serve God. The Catholic Church was cautious about using music, while Protestants such as Jean Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli were more extreme and wanted to restrict music altogether.
What other benefits did Luther ascribe to music?
Luther also claimed that music could help a person to "forget all wrath, unchastity, arrogance, and other vices." He also said that it had often inspired his own fervour to preach.
- Quote paper
- Thomas Yee (Author), 2011, Marrying Music and Theology: Martin Luther's Views on Worship, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/275833
