The Reflection Of Martin Luther's Theory Of Music

No other composer or musical artist has made as big of an impact on music as Ludwig Van Beethoven. He influenced many other composers, and made some of the most beautiful pieces that are still played today. It is truly amazing that he was able to master his craft and become questionably the greatest composer that has ever lived, despite having a condition that would seem to make composing music impossible.

The earliest most famous Protestant reformer, Martin Luther went to the school of Erfurt to study law in 1501, but he quickly became more interested in theology. Luther was exposed to recent humanist writings and read extensively in classical Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. In 1505, he enrolled in an Augustinian monastery. He spent a decade educating and preaching and visited Rome. The Reformation was a religious uprising in Europe in the 16th century, prompted by dissatisfaction with the set Roman Catholic Church, which directed to the formulation of the Protestant branch of Christianity.

Martin Luther grew up in a home with very strict parents. As a result, Luther’s childhood was plagued with anxiety at home and at school. Because his father planned for him to become a lawyer, shortly after receiving a Master of Arts degree from Erfurt University he returned to the university to study law. Consequently, after a life threatening experience in a storm, Luther left the university and joined a monastery. In 1505, Luther became an Augustinian monk and subsequently became a priest in 1507. According to John Dillenberger, “Luther was extremely sensitive to the problem of how to become worthy to receive the grace of God rather than the damning consequences of His righteousness”.

Music is an everyday occurrence for most people. In some way, shape and form, people listen to music. For Christians, specially those at bible college, this can be in chapel day to day. For others it may be in a car or even in the workplace, which can be the case for Christians also. Music for me is an everyday occurrence, not only in chapel but also in other places such as my dorm room and when I get ready for sports.

(pg 31) Luther was one of three professors who were sent to Wittenberg when the elector there asked the Augustinian and Franciscan orders to send them. Luckily for Luther for at this time his inner conflict was so great he, ‘would have sunk into hell,’ had it not been for Dr. Johann von Staupitz Vicar of the Augustinian Order. (pg 34) It was to Dr. Staupitz Luther continually went to in order to find guidance and solace. Dr. Staupitz tried all manners of reasoning and consolation in order to help Luther. Until finally he seemed to say, according to the author, “Physician, cure thyself by curing others…” and Luther was to be commissioned as a ‘teacher, preacher, and counselor to sick souls.’ (pg 42) It is at this point Luther started studying and expounding the Scriptures which lead him, eventually, to a confrontation with the Catholic Church. (pgs 43,44) His study of Scriptures built a foundation of knowledge in Luther which he was soon to find did not line up with the practice of the Church. His work was time consuming to the point where he wrote in 1516, “I could use two secretaries. I do almost nothing during the day but write letters. I am a conventual preacher, reader at meals, parochial preacher, director of studies, overseer of eleven monasteries, superintendent of the fish pond at Litzkau, referee of the squabble at Torgau, lecturer on Paul, collector

Martin Luther's contribution to the Church could easily be dismissed because he is well known as anti-Semitic. In truth, he was, as most people are, more complicated than this. Luther is a wonderful example of the Grace of God using imperfect people. Luther is history's best proponent of justification by grace, yet some of his views did not always reflect God's love. God has not changed, He still chooses the average person to advance His kingdom. And why shouldn't He, we are all He's got!

Hey Matthew, I also think that Luther would be a very influential person of power at this time. Though religion seems to be fading and a large amount of people do not attend church or even pray in todays society, I believe that if someone was able to express the importance and open their eyes to the freedom of religion they would change their minds. With Luther's musical influence religion seems to turn into a more group effort and it brings togetherness instead of individuality and units people in a very intimate way. I really enjoyed how you emphasized on how music “opens up our ears and hearts” because it believe the same thing and find music to be very important. The life lesson you expressed is very wonderful! I love that you expressed

1. Discuss the use of music in Catholic and Protestant worship practice, from the development of polyphony, through the music of J.S. Bach. In so doing, discuss the shift in responsibility for musical development from the Catholic Church to the Lutheran Church.

And Luther “understood the tremendous benefit resulting from hearing the Word of God and then uniting as a congregation to offer thanksgiving in song.” Luther was focused on writing hymns and began to compose them around 1523 with his first congregational hymnbook, Geystliche Gesangbuchlein, being published in 1524. His hymns were simple and heartfelt, as he believed that this was the way to open your heart to receive the Holy Spirit and connect with the Lord. And there was something uniquely different about hearing a congregation lift their voices to the Lord as one. He writes, “Music and notes, which are wonderful gifts and creations of God, do help gain a better understanding of the text, especially when sung by a congregation and when sung earnestly.”

This premise is predicated on the hypothesis that music plays an independent and important role within scripture itself; that is to be an elevated carrier for liturgy and prayer, the use of which is mandated by God for corporate worship. Both corporate worship and individual faith would suffer if music were removed. As an act of worshipping obedience, and a way of more readily understanding and relating to God, we will examine

A German Augustinian friar, Martin Luther launched the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century. Luther grew up the son of a miner, but he did not maintain that lifestyle for himself. He lived in a period that had a widespread desire for reformation of the Christian church and a yearning for salvation.

For instance, John Salisbury stated that too many notes were difficult to understand and that the ornate character was unappealing to the average person. His concern was with the obscuring of the words. Even reaction to the new motet were developed that came in the form of a Papal Bull by Pope John XX 11 in 1323, offering up some very specific complaints. He criticized that this form “depraved with descants and sometimes pad out the music with upper parts made out of profane songs.” He forbids these methods because the aim of worship was lost. However, Guillame de Machaut was able to set the first of the ordinary of the mass into four voices from his own original material. Meanwhile, John Wycliff had issues and challenged the Catholic Church. He believed that everyone had the right to hear and interpret the bible in their own understanding. In result he held the doctrine of Papal authority as doubtable. Wycliff criticized the music of the church and therefore challenged its meaning. The complexity of the polyphony brought different changes in music. Like Josquin des Prez the master of double imitation and Martin Luther. Luther took popular meaning of things during that period and put words into it. After the Greek two hundred years later Luther felt that music had the power for good and for ill. He emphasized on congregational

Martin Luther strongly believed in the concept of “faith comes by hearing.” Whether it s from hearing the Word or from hearing the praises that are sung to Him in houses, churches, street corners, wherever you heard the worshiping of God your faith can grow. He wanted to redefine Christians and the way they think about hearing music of the church. Music was viewed as different things in the beginning as a danger to your own righteousness, a tool of divine power or just as it is seen as, music. Besides the different views of music for the beginning it was the same, in order to listen to music you needed to either produce it yourself, by singing, playing or paying someone else.

The first hymn that I am going to talk about is called “We All Believe in One True God”, when Luther wrote this hymn, he wanted it to be based on the words of the apostles and or Nicene Creed. Luther wanted a hymn that explained every little part of the catechism. This particular hymn wasn’t only created once by Luther, but it was created twice, both with different sounds. Luther said that “if he had done nothing going on in life, the world could never bless him enough for his catechism.” When thinking of these things it made him think of a lot of things that go on in life, but the main thing he said was that young people can benefit a lot more when

The time between 1485 and 1660 marked a period of new beginnings for the people living in England; this time is known as the Renaissance. In England, the people were challenging their past beliefs; where before the Renaissance, England thrived basing their lives, government, and music off of God and his principles alone. During these one-hundred and seventy-five years, the English people started questioning their original principles about religion and established a yearning for information and proof based off of science instead of God. This desire caused many changes to form in England. The Renaissance period quickly became known as the rebirth of knowledge named by the change from God’s knowledge to the knowledge of man. The Renaissance