MARTIN LUTHER’S CONTRIBUTION ON CONGREGATIONAL SINGING

Background

Martin Luther was an important person on the era of ‘Reformation in Germany’. He was

born in Eisleben, Germany on November 10th 1483, and passed away on February 18th 1546, in

the same city where he was born. At that time he was a voice speaking for a multitude who had

been voiceless.1 In his preaching, Luther proclaimed three important theology: sola fide

(justification by faith alone); sola gratia (salvation by grace alone); and sola scriptura (the Bible

alone as the source of the believer’s authority for doctrine and practice.) He said that God spoke

directly to the believer through His Word and believers could address God directly in prayer and

especially in their songs.2

At that time, in the most of Western Europe, congregational singing in corporate worship

almost gone, and in some areas even disappeared, and music for the liturgy became the

responsibility of clergy and choir only, so the congregation did not take part in worshiping. The

area that was least affected by this trend was Germany. 3

“Luther’s background as an Augustinian monk had taught him the value of a devotional

life of prayer and also gave him a deep love of music. Not only was he profoundly familiar with

1
Howard F. Vos, Exploring Church History (Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1994), 85.
2
Ibid., 88.
3
William J. Reynolds and Milburn Price, A Survey of Christian Hymnody (Illinois: Hope Publishing,
2009), 25.

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the traditional Gregorian chant but he was trained as a singer and lutenist and able to compose

adequately in the polyphonic style of the times.”4

The German chorales received their impulse from Martin Luther. He gave influence of

thought and work of the German and Scandinavian chorales (hymns). In 1524, seven years after

Luther’s 95 Theses were first posted, the first Lutheran hymn collection appeared.5

Before the time of Luther, the congregation still did not have the opportunity to be

singing participants in the liturgy. Luther gave the German people not only a Bible in their own

tongue, but also a hymnbook. In his hands the hymns became a powerful spiritual weapon, and

he became the father of evangelical hymnody. 6

Luther successfully influenced the idea that the communal singing of Christian song

could be an important part of public worship.7 If we compare and see the angel from the three

Reformers, Martin Luther recovered the congregation’s singing, Ulrich Zwingli denied it, and

John Calvin restricted it.8

4
Andrew Wilson-Dickson, The Story of Christian Music: From Gregorian Chant to Black Gospel an
Authoritative Illustrated Guide to All The Major Traditions of Music for Worship (Oxford: Lion Publishing, 1992),
60.
5
Harry Eskew and Hugh.T McElrath, Sing with Understanding (Nashville, TN: Church Street Press, 1995),
98.
6
Vos, Exploring Church History, 88.
7
Erik Routley, A Panorama of Christian Hymnody, ed. Paul A. Richardson (Chicago: GIA Publications,
1979), 1.
8
Paul Westermeyer, Te Deum: The Church and Music (Minneapolis: The Fortress Press, 1998), 141.
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Luther’s Philosophy in Music

In this section we will see from Luther’s perspective in Luther’s philosophy and it will

help us to understand of how Luther gave the big contribution in the congregational singing.

From my perspective it is because Luther has a lot of ‘open mind’ idea about music which is a

gift from God.

Luther believed music to be of utmost importance in worship. Luther gave an advice of

full involvement of the people and restored the congregational singing to an important place as

part of their liturgy. 9

He based his statement about the important regarding of worship, praise, and singing

from his commentary on Psalm 147 and from his lecture on Isaiah 42:10:

God does not demand great sacrifices or precious treasures of great price for His
blessings. No, He asks for the easiest work of all, namely to sing and praise.
The worship of the New Testament… is nothing else than song, praise, and thanksgiving.
This is a unique song. God does not care for our sacrifices and works. He is satisfied with
the sacrifice of praise.10

And also he wrote “The Fathers and prophets wanted nothing else to be associated as

closely with the Word of God as music…. After all, the gift of language combined with the gift

of song was only given to man to let him know that he should praise God with both word and

music, namely by proclaiming (the Word of God) through music.”11

9
Eskew and McElrath, Sing with Understanding , 98.
10
Reynolds and Prince, A Survey of Christian Hymnody, 26.
11
Ibid.
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Luther said that music is next to theology.12 Luther also said, however, that “next to the

Word of God, music deserves the highest praise.” Music is not only next to theology, then; it is

next to the word of God.13

Luther was not simply fond of music. Luther thought music has a theological reason for

being: it is a gift of God, which comes from the “sphere of miraculous audible things,” just like

the word of God. Music is unique in that it can carry words. Since words carry the word of God,

music and the word of God are closely related.14

Luther said that music bears the word. “God,” says Luther, has the “Gospel preached

through the medium of music.”15 This statement helps us to understand his philosophy about

music that can help a lot and give a big impact in preaching the word of God.

Luther also thought that music is a proclamation of the word of God. “The gift of

language combined with the gift of song,” he said, was given to human beings to let us know that

we “should praise God with both word and music, namely, by proclaiming the word of God

through music.”16 Luther said that through music we are celebrating our Lord Jesus Christ Who

12
Martin Luther, Letter to Ludwig Senfl (1530), WA, Briefwechsel, V, p.639, no.1727; as quoted in Paul
Westermeyer, Te Deum: The Church and Music (Minneapolis: The Fortress Press, 1998), 144.
13
Westermeyer, Te Deum: The Church and Music, 144.
14
Ibid, 145.
15
Quoted in Paul Westermeyer, Martin Luther: “Table Talk,” Dr. Martin Luthers Sammtliche Schriften
(St.Louis: Concordia Publishing House, I88off.)

Martin Luther, Preface to Georg Rhau’s Symphoniae iucundae; as quoted in Paul Westermeyer, Te
16

Deum: The Church and Music (Minneapolis: The Fortress Press, 1998), 146.
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has won the victory. So that we are as a Christian together with the believers to celebrates the

victory that our Lord Jesus Christ has won. 17

Luther’s philosophy about music was both radical and also conservative. He used all of

the past, and he welcomed new texts and music as long as they were well-crafted and durable.

Texts of the songs that denied the centrality of justification by grace through faith were

unacceptable, but a wide variety of fine musical craft from the past and present was warmly

welcomed.18

Luther’s Concerns

Luther concerns in Congregational singing, He has desire for congregational involvement

in the liturgy through singing.19 And congregational singing should be understandable, and make

them feel at home in the new church by using familiar hymns (songs).

One of Luther’s primary concerns was for the musical education of children in the

schools. In his writing, “To the Councilmen of All Cities in Germany That They Establish and

Maintain Christian Schools.” Luther remarked, “For my part, if I had children and could manage

it, I would have them study not only languages and history, but also singing and music.”20

17
Westermeyer, Te Deum: The Church and Music, 147.
18
Ibid., 149.
19
Reynolds and Prince, A Survey of Christian Hymnody, 26.
20
Carl F. Schalk, Luther on Music: Paradigms of Praise (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1988),
28.
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He concerned about the need to educate the younger generations into Christian way. He

believed that young people may change their way in moral, ethical and manner with the good,

useful Christian texts and words.21

Contributions & Influence

Luther gave big contribution in the congregational singing. He also often rewrote a

plainsong tune in a style which he reckoned ordinary people could easily sing, and more than

once he recast a medieval text to transform it into material suitable for a congregation to use as a

song of its faith.22 In other word is Luther used simple melodies familiar to ordinary people.23

He did the translation from Latin sources to Germany, he published hymnal, and he also

modified Roman Catholic tunes and texts to fit his new theology. As a result, people started to

recognize familiar hymns and chants and felt at home in the new church.

He writing original hymn texts as well as revising older texts to conform to the new

understandings of the Reformation.24 He also wrote hymn melodies. At least three hymn tunes

are from Luther’s own pen: Wir glauben all an einen Gott, Ein feste Burt, and the Sanctus hymn

from the German Mass, Isaiah dem Propheten das geschah. 25 He wrote song for children. 26 :

for Luther, music was an indispensable part of a good education not only for its own sake but

21
Dickson, The Story of Christian Music, 63.
22
Routley, A Panorama of Christian Hymnody, 1.

23
Dickson, The Story of Christian Music, 63.

24
Schalk, Luther on Music: Paradigms of Praise, 26.
25
Ibid.
26
Ibid., 28.
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also for the role it could play in the lives of the young as they participated in the common

worship.

Because of Luther’s great concern for music in both church and school, he did musical

training of pastors and teachers. He said those who were to lead in the public worship of the

church, needed to be well trained in music to meet those important responsibilities.27

He also made a ‘Gradual hymn’ (a Hymn of the day), functioning as a musical and poetic

commentary of all of the Scripture lessons and the important thing is the meaning of theme to be

communicated by the service.

His Famous Works

“A Mighty Fortress is Our God”, from Ein’ feste Burg (‘A safe stronghold.’). The

original rhythmic makes it more subtle and lively than the version usually we sung today.28 We

can see below on the figure 1, which use the original rhythmic pattern. This song describe

Luther’s struggle with Satan, but ending with the triumph of our Christ and God’s kingdom over

the forces of evil.

“Savior of the Nations, Come” (Ambrose’s text adapted by Luther). This song usually

used for advent, because the meaning of the text tells us about the coming and birth of our Lord

Jesus Christ (1st stanza) , praising of Jesus’s birth (3rd stanza), and the important thing also

include about the purpose of Jesus’s birth was to redeemed and died but also triumph

victoriously (4th stanza), and the last stanza the text proclaim ‘doxology’ praising God the Father,

Son and Holy Spirit in eternity (7th stanza).

27
Ibid., 30.
28
Dickson, The Story of Christian Music, 63.
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Figure 1. Example of a page layout of Luther’s Famous work “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”
Reprinted, by permission of the publisher, from Open Hymnal Project, 2006 Revision.
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Figure 2. Example of a page layout of Luther’s Famous work “Savior of the Nations, Come.”
Reprinted, by permission of the publisher, from Open Hymnal Project, 2006 Revision.

Lessons for the 21st century Southeast Asian churches

From the learning of Martin Luther’s contribution to the congregational singing. We are

as a part of the churches in Southeast Asian in this 21st century, we also can continue what

Luther has done, that the music in our church should communicate and understood by the

congregation, we can help by translating the songs or hymns into our own language which all

people can understand. And also we can compose our own ‘heart music’ with our culture’s

context with the right doctrines and theology.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dickson, Andrew Wilson. The Story of Christian Music: From Gregorian Chant to Black
Gospel an Authoritative Illustrated Guide to All The Major Traditions of Music for
Worship. Oxford: Lion Publishing, 1992.

Eskew, Harry, and Hugh T. McElrath. Sing with Understanding: an Introduction to Christian
Hymnology. Nashville, TN: Church Street Press, 1995.

Reynolds, William J., and Milburn Price. A Survey of Christian Hymnody. Illinois: Hope
Publishing, 2009.

Routley, Erik. A Panorama of Christian Hymnody. Edited by Paul A. Richardson. Chicago: GIA
Publications, 1979.

Schalk, Carl F. Luther on Music: Paradigms of Praise. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing
House, 1988.

Vos, Howard F. Exploring Church History. Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1994.

Westermeyer, Paul. Te Deum: The Church and Music. Minneapolis: The Fortress Press, 1998.