Pre-Bach: Shaping the Tradition
It seems fitting that on the eve of the commemoration of J.S. Bach’s death that I have just finished reading “Music in Early Lutheranism: Shaping the Tradition (1524-1672)” by Carl Schalk. (As a side note: CPH is having a phenomenal sale on books. I picked up Schalk’s book for only $15.00 (normally $32.00) and both volumes of Sasse’s Lonely Way for only $10.00 each (normally $21.00)).
Schalk’s premise is that while Bach is often considered the culmination of Lutheran church music in the 18th century, there was a period of 150 years before Bach that paved the way for the climate that he encountered. In other words, Bach did not just arrive on the scene and say “I have arrived.”
Schalk reviews the life and musical works of seven influential Lutheran musicians in the 150 years after the Reformation.
- Johann Walter: First Cantor of the Lutheran Church
- Georg Rhau: Printer of Early Reformation Music
- Hans Leo Hassler: Herald of the Transition to the “New Style”
- Michael Praetorius: Conservator of the Chorale
- Johann Hermann Schein” Cantor of St. Thomas, Leipzig
- Samuel Scheidt: Musician of Halle
- Heinrich Schuetz: Tone Poet of Saxony
While I knew a little bit about Walter, Rhau, and Schuetz, it was enlightening to understand their background and the roots of Lutheran music and see the kinds of music they composed. For example, during the Thirty Years War Schuetz’s compositions became simpler — just a couple vocal parts, several instruments, and basso continuo to account for more limited musical resources and financial support.
From a practical standpoint, Schalk suggests that examining these Lutheran composers and their theological ideas “may well be the first step to approaching more realistically and faithfully the problems and questions which continue to vex the musical and liturgical life of today’s church” (12). His conclusions show that they still have something to teach us — even if their music has been forgotten by many in the church.
- All were musicians highly trained in their art and craft.
- All were musicians involved, in varying degrees, in the secular musical life of their day.
- All–with the exception of Johann Walter and Georg Rhau–were musicians who wrestled in various ways with the challenges and implications of a “new” musical style for the church.
- All were musicians who found the liturgy and the worship of God’s people to be the most natural and appropriate context for the greater part of their music.
- All of these musicians were influential teachers. (181-183)
What was immediately striking to me in this volume was Schalk’s dedication to Walter Buszin and Paul Bunjes. In Buszin’s biography published by the Good Shepherd Institute, it is noted that Buszin had hoped to publish a collection of eleven essays on the significant composers of the “Golden Age” of Lutheranism from 1524 to 1750 — a collection that bears a resemblance of sorts to Schalk’s book (they would have five composers in common). While CPH had initially agreed with the idea, they abandoned it fearing insufficient sales. CPH — there’s still time to finish the project.
Even though CPH never published the book, it is still possible, by using the Buszin bibliography, to nearly recreate the collection that Buszin envisioned (10 of the 11 articles). With the help of my local library’s interlibrary loan department and some article archives on the Good Shepherd Institute’s website, I was able to acquire all the articles EXCEPT for the one on Heinrich Schuetz, which is unpublished. If anyone happens to have a copy of it, I’d love to add it to my collection.
To sum it all up: It’s a worthwhile experience to study the early Lutheran musicians and their understanding of church music. This could certainly be an opportunity for reflection in our own day.
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