LUTHER AND THE (RE) BIRTH OF CONGREGATIONAL WORSHIP
Martin Luther the Reformer loved the music of the Catholic church, their grand sweeping melodies, cadences, chants and polyphony. He realized, however, that the music of church services had not grown out of the spiritual life of congregations themselves. The genius of the music Luther loved had grown exclusively out of the work of liturgical composers and presiders, priests and trained Church and Cathedral Choirs who sang for Mass and on religious festive occasions. Congregational singing was not encouraged Indeed, according to the Council of Constance of 1415, “if laymen are forbidden to preach and interpret the Scriptures, much more are they forbidden to sing publicly in the Churches." The congregation could only listen to and learn to appreciate the wondrous polyphony. The Council had sent a letter to John of Mies, the successor of John Huss with the Bohemian Brethren, telling them to cease the singing of hymns in their services. [1]
[1] E.E. Ryden The Story of Christian Hymnody Augustana Press Illinois 1959 p.58
[1] E.E. Ryden The Story of Christian Hymnody Augustana Press Illinois 1959 p.58
As Luther was a proponent of the idea of the priesthood of all believers and not just the priesthood of ordained officers it is easy to see how this might have affected his belief in congregational worship. He wrote:
“We lack German poets and musicians - or they are unknown to us - who are able to make Christian and spiritual songs of such value that they can be used daily in the house of God.”[1]
[1] Ryden Hymnody 59
“We lack German poets and musicians - or they are unknown to us - who are able to make Christian and spiritual songs of such value that they can be used daily in the house of God.”[1]
[1] Ryden Hymnody 59
the martyrdom of heinrich voes and johannes esch in antwerp
An early woodcut memorializing the martyrdom of Monks Heinrich Voes and Johannes Esch
Something happened to stir Luther into action about what he heard and saw. The Reformation ideas were seeping across Europe and some of the authorities were taking a firm line against the Reform. In Belgium, the church authorities sentenced to death the Abbot of an Augustinian Monastery with two of his followers for following the teaching of the reformation. Tragically the Abbot was strangled to death in his cell while his two monks, Heinrich Voes and Johannes Esch, were both sentenced to death by burning at the stake. Their only hope of saving their lives, they were told, was to recant of their beliefs. They replied they would rather die as martyrs than deny what they had come to believe . The funeral fire was thus lit, and, before the smoke and flames engulfed them, they were heard to sing the old Latin hymn, ‘Te Deum Laudamus’- ‘Lord God we praise Thee’.
the birth of the lutheran evangelical chorus; 'ein neues lied'
An early transcription of Luther's Hymn 'Ein neues Lied' telling the story of Voes and Esch Martyrs
When word of their sacrifice reached Wittenberg, it awoken a poetic energy in Luther, and he immediately wrote a festival hymn commemorating the first martyrs of the Reformation movement. It was reported that, as the flames started to surround Voes, witnesses heard him exclaim ‘Behold blooming roses are streaming around me’. Luther took these words and wrote: Summer is even at the door – the Winter now hath vanished. The tender flowerets spring once more, and He who winter banished will send a happy Summer. [1] The hymns’ opening words were ‘Ein neues Lied wir heben an’ (a new song we are starting). It was no longer a church hymn but more like a popular Ballad or a folk song – a song of the folk. With this composition the era of the popular ‘evangelical chorus’ or worship song we understand today had indeed come.
[1] Ryden Hymnody 59. It is interesting to note the words of St Theresa of the Little Flower a few hundred years later who said: “After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses. I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth. I will raise up a mighty host of little saints."
[1] Ryden Hymnody 59. It is interesting to note the words of St Theresa of the Little Flower a few hundred years later who said: “After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses. I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth. I will raise up a mighty host of little saints."
the first congregational hymnbooks
An original copy of the Achtliederbuch from the Saxon Library in Dresden
It was not long indeed before several new hymns and choruses had been written and a collection appeared in a little hymnbook was printed in Wittenburg in 1524 called Achtliederbuch. It contained just eight hymns, with four by Luther, three by Sperati and one by Justus Jonas. Church authorities, it is said, declared the ‘whole people were singing themselves into his [Luther’s] doctrines’. The demand for more Congregational music grew and a new collection the Erfurt Enchiridion was published within the same year with twenty-five hymns, including eighteen attributed to Luther. It is no wonder Luther was then called ‘The Father of Evangelical Hymnody’. [1]
[1] Ryden Hymnody 57
[1] Ryden Hymnody 57
hymnody at the times of remembering the augsburg confession
The Tower at the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg with the text of Luther's 'A Mighty Fortress inscribed: Ein Feste Burg
Luther’s most famous hymn was the well known ‘A mighty Fortress is our God’. The German Jewish poet Heine called it the ‘Marseillaise’ of the Reformation, while Frederik the Great referred it as 'God Almighty’s Grenadier March’. When Gustavus Adolphus, the Lutheran King of Sweden, was at war with Tilly at the Battle of Leipzig, he led his army with singing ‘Ein’ Feste Burg’. When Tilly fell and the battle was over he fell on his knees and thanked God for the victory saying ‘He holds the field forever’.
Luther did not think he had invented a whole new way of worship; he felt the Holy Spirit had inspired the old Latin hymns, many of whose words he adapted in his new settings; Like any reform in the history of the Church, he took the older faith traditions and put them in a new form which was accessible for a new time and - in Luther’s case – in the German language.
How did hymnody fare I the difficult times of the 30 years war at the times when the Augsburg Confession was commemorated, and later, when the Centenaries of the Confession were celebrated in the different centuries?
Luther did not think he had invented a whole new way of worship; he felt the Holy Spirit had inspired the old Latin hymns, many of whose words he adapted in his new settings; Like any reform in the history of the Church, he took the older faith traditions and put them in a new form which was accessible for a new time and - in Luther’s case – in the German language.
How did hymnody fare I the difficult times of the 30 years war at the times when the Augsburg Confession was commemorated, and later, when the Centenaries of the Confession were celebrated in the different centuries?
hymnody in the time of the 30 years war
Melody & text of Herzliebster Jesu (NLGB 71) from the Neu Leipziger Gesangbuch, pp 153-156 as probably it would be known to J.S. Bach (https://www.bach-cantatas.com/CM/Z983.htm)
The advent of the 30 years war was unable to quench spirituality or Christian artistic creation in Germany. Many wonderful hymns and choruses were written at this time of immense suffering. Between 4 and 8 million people died across Europe and many others were afflicted with famine and disease. Parts of Germany itself lost up to 50% of their populations because they were of the wrong religious or political persuasion. The era however also gave birth to some of the most famous German Protestant hymns. Many of these in translations became an inheritance of all Christian churches in many lands while the stories of their composers were often unknown. Hymnwriter Johann Heermann (1585-1647) had to flee several times from his city of Köben which was plundered several times by Catholic troops. He was chased when he tried to cross the Oder river to Poland while being shot by his pursuers. His most famous hymn was 'Herzliebster Jesu' which became popular with the Evangelical Community and which demonstrated an unfailing faith in Christ. Its tune appeared in Johann Crügers Neues vollkömmliches Gesangbuch Augsburgischer Confession (Berlin, 1640) - the New Complete Hymnbook of the Augsburg Confession. It was susequently used by Bach in several of his cantatas and in several movements of his his St John and St Matthew Passions. Many other writers came from this time including George Weissel (1590-1635) who wrote the well known' Lift up your heads, ye Mighty gates', and Heinrich Theobald Schenk (1656-1727) who wrote 'Who like these like stars appearing?'
the hymnwriting of paul gerhardt (1607-1676)
Paul Gerhardt, posthumous portrait c. 1700 from the church in Lübben (Spreewald)
Probably the most famous of all this period was Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676) who wrote many hymns which are still sung today. He was born in a middle class family in a small town called Gräfenheinichen between Halle and Wittenberg. After graduating from school he attended Wittenberg University University where his Lutheran teachers Paul Röber and Jacob Martini promoted their faith and theologies through hymnwriting. These hymns in turn influenced their sermons and Gerhardt learnt from these teachers the use of hymnody in pastoral care and instruction. Because of the situation of the war he was unable to take up a Pastorate, so after his graduation in 1642 he moved to Berlin. There he gained the attention of Organist Johann Crüger who was the Cantor at the Nicolai Church. Crüger included many of Paul's hymns in his hymn collection called 'Praxis pietatis melica'. During the interconfessional strife between Lutherans and Reformed Gerhardt sought to be a peacemaker but as a result was removed from his position. Johnann Sebastian Bach used Gerhardt's texts in several of his Cantata as well as in both his Passions and the Christmas Oratorio. His most famous words ' O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden' were also used by Bach. These were translated to English by James Alexander as "O Sacred Head surrounded' with a melody by Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612). Many of his 123 hymns are equally to be found in the Lutheran Evangelische Gesangbuch and the Catholic Gotteslob - two current 21st century German hymnals. (Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gerhardt)
early hymnbooks at the time of the 30 years war
The period of the Thirty Years War was one of great suffering. It was also a period of great creativity producing some of the most famous hymns of the Christian Church. The German hymnbook 'Praxis Pietatis Melica' - 'Practice in Piety in Song' - was published by Johann Cruger in Berlin. The Hymnal was reprinted in 45 editions and was the most successful and widely known Lutheran hymnbook of the 17th century. In its final edition of it contained over 550 hymns, including those of Martin Luther and settings by Cruger himself of ninety hymns written by Paul Gerhardt. One of the most famous hymns in the collection was 'Nun Danket Alle Gott'- known in English as ' Now Thank We all our God' written by Lutheran Pastor Martin Rinkart.
'now thank we all our god' and composer martin rinkart
Pastor Martin Rinkart (1586-1649) Composer of 'Nun Danket all Gott' 'Now Thank we all our God
Martin Rinkart was born in Eilenberg, Saxony in 1586. He was educated at the St Thomas School and Church in Leipzig and was a member of the famous Thomaner Choir. He was later ordained to serve in the Lutheran ministry and served at several churches before, at the age of 31, he was appointed Archdeacon of his native town of Eilenburg. This was just after the outbreak of the Thirty Years War. His town and Pastorate had to endure many years of war, and he had to quarter soldiers and help refugees who flooded into town in the wake of the advance of Swedish troops. A plague struck the city killing 800 inhabitants, including women, children, the clergy and Rinkart's own wife. At one period Rinkart had to bury 40-50 people a day and a total of 4,480 dead. When the Swedish forces demanded a ransom in the town he left to please mercy with the Swedish general. When this was refused he returned to Eilenberg saying 'Come my children, we can find no hearing, no mercy with men. Let us take refuge with God'. He prayed with such fervor that the Swedish General relented and lowered the ransom payment to 2,000 florins. His hymn 'Nun Danket all Gott' Now Thank We all our God' was written as a simple hymn of thanksgiving for meals. It was sung at a special national thanksgiving when the Thirty Years War ended. With 'A Mighty Fortress is our God' it is the most widely hymn sung in all churches in Germany and indeed is known throughout the Christian world.