Foto: epd-bild/Jens SchulzeFurtwängler organ in the protestant church of Kirche Beber / Bad Münder"Music is a gift of God, it dispels the devil and makes the people joyful." This is how Martin Luther describes the significance of music for faith and for the soul. The "nightingale of Wittenberg", as Luther was called because of the numerous song texts he wrote, had a high esteem for congregational song as the "singing proclamation" of the Gospel and the new teachings.

This is why singing soon became a characteristic trait of the people of Lutheran faith – and one of the sharpest weapons of the Reformation. The first German hymns of the Reformers were belted out as protest songs. And since that time, singing was part of Protestant church services – for the whole congregation. These impulses and innovations laid the foundation for a rich tradition of songwriting and church music in Protestantism. During the theme year 2012 of the Luther Decade, it will be unfolded and appreciated under the headline "Reformation and music".