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The Lutheran Reformation was born during the Renaissance period (1450-1600). It was a period of effervescence and transformation in all activities of life--in science and exploration, in the arts, and in matters of faith and religion. To understand Luther and the Reformation--and especially its worship and music--we need to place ourselves in the world of that time. We need to understand and appreciate music and church worship from Luther's perspective and not read the distortions of that history based on our modern viewpoint. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of Martin Luther and his impact on worship and musical life of early Lutheranism. Luther was no musical dilettante. He was an accomplished musician, a singer, a lute player, and one who knew much of the music and many of the musicians of his day. He wrote to support the adequate funding of church music.
Luther was no radical reformer when it came to worship and the liturgy. His chief liturgical writings, the Latin Mass of 1523 (Formula Missae et Communionis pro Ecclesia Vuittembergensi) and the German Mass of 1526 (Deutsche Messe und Ordnung des Gottesdiensts), largely continued the basic pattern of the medieval mass. There were two exceptions: deleting the Canon of the Mass and the Offertory. Simply stated, Luther's approach was to retain from the past whatever was not contrary to his understanding of the Gospel. The result was the continuation of the rich liturgical and musical heritage that Luther inherited. Certain new emphases did characterize Luther's reforms: the use of vernacular congregational song as an integral part of the liturgy, the importance of the sermon, and communion in both kinds. In all his liturgical and musical reforms, Luther always sought to demonstrate the continuity of his movement with the church catholic. The Lutheran Reformation was born when Renaissance polyphony was the prevailing musical style. This musical style was characteristic of much of the music of the 15th Century as exemplified in the music of Dufay and Binchois. It culminated in the music of composers of Luther's day such as Heinrich Isaac and Josquin Des Prez, probably the greatest composer of his time. This Renaissance polyphonic style was characterized by imitative polyphony usually based on the foundation of Gregorian melodies most often found in the tenor part. Luther describes this style in comment in his Table Talks. "Here it is most remarkable that one single voice continues to sing the tenor, while at the same time many other voices play around it, exulting and adorning it in exuberant strains and, as it were, leading it forth in a divine roundelay, so that those who are the least bit moved know nothing more amazing in this worlds." [LW 53:324] This musical style, with words associated with melodies, reflected Luther's
understanding that the Word of the Gospel was to be simply presented and
proclaimed musically in an objective fashion, and not to be "interpreted."
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He
strongly supported the musical education of children in the schools and
the musical education of pastors and teachers. His ability was such that
he wrote new hymns as well as "corrected and improved" hymns
from the heritage of the church. He was the composer of at least one short
polyphonic motet, Non mortar sed vivam.