Martin Luther (jan 1, 1483 – jan 1, 1546)

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Seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation and the namesake for Lutheranism.

On Josquin: "[he is] the master of the notes: They must do as he wills; as for other composers, they have to do as the notes will."

Even more unlike the Swiss reformers, Luther urged the cultivation of polyphonic music for the glorification of God in churches, schools, and homes. The polyphonic church music he favored, however, was of a different order from anything we have seen up to now. It was not totally divorced from the ars perfecta, because Luther wanted music modeled after that of Josquin des Prez, whose compositions he treasured. Still he opposed professionalization and hierarchy, seeing his church as a universal priesthood of all believers. The music he wanted was not for a professional choir but for a congregational community singing together. Describing his musical ideals in the preface to a schoolbook issued in 1538 called Symphoniae jucundae, he observed that all men are naturally musical, which meant that the Creator wished them to make music.

Singing TogetherL The Lutheran Chorale

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