Luther's heirs remember the power of music

Photo: epd-bild/Stefan ArendWith Martin Luther, the song movement of the Reformation began.On Reformation Day, the Luther memorial year "Reformation and Music" begins. With a series of concerts, the Evangelical Church will offer experiences for the senses during 2012. This might become a cultural "impulse of power"; the organiser says.

On Reformation Day, the Luther memorial year "Reformation and Music" begins. With a series of concerts, the Evangelical Church will offer experiences for the senses during 2012. This might become a cultural "impulse of power", the organiser says.

"Reformation and Music" is the annual topic of the Luther Decade

For Martin Luther, the world was full of sounds. The church rebel, who loved to sing and play the lute, also had a vital influence on the music of the church. With his Reformation, the impressive history of Protestant church music began. In view of the Reformation anniversary in 2017, the Evangelical Church in Germany has proclaimed a memorial year "Reformation and Music". On Reformation Day, October 31st, it will be opened in Eisenach (Thuringia).

It is a location steeped in history: Luther, in his disguise as Knight George, spent almost a year of the Wartburg near Eisenach, translating the New Testament into German. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), who translated Luther's theology into music, was born in Eisenach.

Church resounds 2012: Music connects and opens the hearts

In the church of St. George, which was built around 1180, and where Luther sang as a child and Bach was baptised, the memorial year will now begin. A festive service and a concert with music ensembles from Thuringia has been planned, as well as the opening event afterwards with the President of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany, Praeses Nikolaus Schnwieder, and Federal Minister of Culture Bernd Neumann (Christian Democratic Union).

Numerous events – church services, concerts and conferences – shall be held all over the country, moving along "like a ribbon". Under the motto "366plus1 – Church resounds", the Protestant church wants to bring the "artistic treasure of the Reformation to resound, on every day beginning with January 1st,, as well as additionally during the Easter Vigil: with motets, songs, organ and concert music, smaller and larger ensembles, jazz bands and gospel choirs.

In 2012, the ribbon of concerts will run through the whole of Germany

Every day, the music will play elsewhere. The concert ribbon runs from the south to the north and back to central Germany and the Erzgebirge. Under "www.ekd-366plus1.de" all dates can be found in the internet from November 1st onwards. Klaus-Martin Brestgott of the culture office of the Evangelical Church in Germany anticipates that the concerts will stimulate a "new public appreciation" of music. The listener will make a sensual experience. And for the ca. 1900 full-time Protestant church musicians - who are currently very much under the pressure of saving schemes initiated by the church -, opportunities for exchange, motivation and networking will be facilitated..

This is done by means of holding conferences all over Germany, the first of them being the symposium "Protestantism and Music" in Wittenberg (January 20th – 22nd), where the role of music in faith and the effects of  Protestant music culture is going to be debated. Conferences about Bach as a Lutheran, the chorale, images of God in popular music, and music making in the congregation will follow.

The church music year shall radiate an "impulse of power" into the society

Contemporary music will not be neglected either in 2012. The commencement of the Northern Church – the fusion of the regional churches of Mecklemburg, Pomerania and the North Elbian area, which is planned to happen at Pentecost – will be accompanied by a music project. For the choir festival "Dreiklang" ("Triad") in August in Greifswald, the saxophonist Uwe Steinmetz has been commissioned by the church to write a technically ambitious composition. Like carol singers, who come from different directions, three choirs and three different compositions will melt into one choir and one piece of music.

Bresgott said that the church music year could radiate an "impulse of power" into society. He especially emphasised singing – a trait of the Reformation. It was a new thing, initiated by Luther, that an ordinary Christian was able to raise his or her voice in church. Before, the congregation was only allowed to sing an "Hallelujah" at the utmost. Luther, however, was convinced that music could meet theology at eye level. And that songs shape the people.

Anniversary celebration: Choir of St. Thomas celebrates its 800th birthday

On this basis, protestant church music has developed for over 500 years. It is not only facilitated by choirmasters, but by numerous volunteers, including 7000 brass bands and a quarter million of singers in almost 10,000 choirs. The most famous of them, the choir of St. Thomas in Leipzig (Saxony), celebrates its very own anniversary in 2012. It was founded 800 years ago. And for many years, Bach has been one of its Cantors.

The internationally renowned choir of St. Thomas is an example for the fact that church music also reaches people who have become alienated from the institution itself. And the cultural year "The church resounds" is also open for those who are distant from the church. Many of the musicians do not come out of church circles. Bresgott uses an image: "The door of the church is a membrane", he says. A membrane transmits sound. This is what shall happen in the music year of 2012.