Johann Walter – Composer and Poet

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.”

That such unmerited free grace
(Which God from love for all our race
Had promised in His Word) might be
Kept fresh in human memory
And move the heart to high delight
In praising God both day and night—

This is the weightiest reason why
God music did at once supply.
Then too, since sin acquired at birth
Would bring to Adam’s seed on earth
Much woe and—earth itself now spoiled—
Small joy in all for which they toiled,
As antidote against that blight,
To keep man’s life from wilting quite,
And also to rejoice the heart,
God soon supplied sweet music’s art.
——
I have just named two reasons why
God gave us music from on high.
These reasons teach us we must use
The gift from heaven as God would choose:
By it let God be glorified;
Then let it be our help and guide.

Related posts:

1. Johann Walter – First Lutheran Kantor
2. The Kantor "Attitude"