ABSTRACT
Luther’s famous quotation from his Tischreden (‘Table Talks’) may have been a directive for the rst centuries of Lutheran church music. e fact that Luther, himself a prolic musician, held music in such high esteem, placing it immediately aer theology, had a clear impact on Lutheran worship. From the sixteenth to the mid-eighteenth century Lutheran services were rich in their musical provision, especially in towns, where there were greater nancial resources available. e role and importance of music in Lutheran theology and services have been well studied by historians.2 is research has conrmed the prominent place that music had in Lutheran worship: congregational hymn singing gave parishioners an opportunity to contribute actively to the service; furthermore, there could be a more elaborate artistic musical repertoire performed by a choir, occasionally with instrumental accompaniment. A rich musical culture was therefore a
1 ‘Wer die Musik verachtet (sprach D.M. Luther), wie denn alle Schwärmer tun, mit denen bin ich nicht zufrieden. Denn die Musik ist eine Gabe und Geschenk Gottes, nicht ein Menschengeschenk. So vertreibt sie auch den Teufel und macht die Leute fröhlich: denn man vergißt dabei allen Zorns, Unkeuschheit, Ho ahrt und anderer Laster. Ich gebe nach der eologie der Musik die nächste Stelle und die höchste Ehre’: Martin Luther. Tischreden, ‘Luther Deutsch. Die Werke Martin Luthers in neuer Auswahl für die Gegenwart’, ed. Kurt Aland, vol. 9 (Stuttgart, 1960), no. 738, p. 265f. Unless otherwise stated, all translations are the author’s.
