On April 24 the church commemorates Johann Walter, the first Lutheran kantor (brief bio). This year I’m sharing a selection of his poem “In Praise of the Noble Art of Music” that Carl Schalk included in Music in Early Lutheranism. Schalk notes that Walter’s musical “work was clearly related to the theology of the church and his understanding—which he derived from Luther—that the role of music in the church was to proclaim the Word rather than to interpret it.”
Monthly Archives: April 2010
Manz Harmonizations for Lent & Easter
Seeing Christ in Word and Sacraments
Seeing is believing. Those were the words Thomas essentially said when the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” Thomas had not seen, so the skeptic in him did not believe. As I reread the Gospel lesson for this past Sunday (John 20:19-31) I am reminded that we do see Christ in Word and Sacraments and there receive all the benefits of His death and resurrection — forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. We hear the Word read and preached. We put on the baptismal waters that made us His. We touch the bread of life that was wounded for us. We taste the blood of Christ poured out for us. Like Thomas, our faith is strengthened by the word of the Lord and we respond with a joyous “My Lord and my God!”
Easter Joy!
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! A blessed Easter to you all.
“Joy to the Heart” by K. Lee Scott is one of my all time favorite Easter anthems. (The piece starts 39 seconds into the video). After that, you’ll find an Issues Etc show with Pastor Will Weedon discussing the piece and an organ setting of Christ Has Arisen, Alleulia (LSB 466).