Three Offerings of 
Luther Music

By the Rev. David A. Kind

Along with being perhaps the greatest theologian of the past millennium, Martin Luther was also an accomplished musician and hymn writer. You will find many of his hymns in your hymnal; but, until recently, you would be hard pressed to find them in a record store. But now, thanks to the recent increased interest in and sales of "ancient music," several recordings of Luther's music and of other Reformation era composers are now available. For the Luther enthusiast these recordings will simply be "must have" items. For those who are not already acquainted with Luther the composer, they will open a window to this other, important side of the reformer and his influence on the hymnody and liturgy of our Lutheran Church.

Musik der Reformation: Ein Feste Burg Ist unser Gott is a 2 disc set containing music mainly by Luther; Johann Walter, a composer and friend of Luther; and Thomas Müntzer, an opponent of Luther and leader of the radical anabaptists. This set of music consists of both hymns and liturgical pieces and paints a beautiful portrait of the music scene in Reformation-era Germany. Texts and translations are included in the accompanying booklet, along with a brief essay on the music in English. It is recorded on the Berlin Classics label and is available at a price of around $20.

Gelobet Seist du Jesus Christ: Die Schönsten Choräle von Martin Luther is another two-disc set containing nothing but Luther chorales. The first disc contains nine of Luther's most famous chorales in settings composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, including: "Ein Feste Burg ist unser Gott" (A Mighty Fortress), "Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort" (Lord, Keep us Steadfast in Thy Word), "Christ Lag in Todesbanden" (Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands), and others. The second disc contains a selection of Luther chorales with settings by great Lutheran composers like Crüger, Scheidt, Telemann, Praetorius, Walter, Buxtehude, and others. Texts are included in the small booklet, but without translation. It is recorded on the Hanssler Classic label and is available for around $14.

Martin Luther: German Mass Lieder is a single-disc recording of Luther's famous Deutsche Messe and several of his more popular chorales. It is also my personal favorite of the three because it presents Luther's hymns in light of their liturgical importance and use in the Church. A compilation, some of the recordings are over 30 years old and recorded in mono. All are, nevertheless, beautifully performed and recorded with clarity and taste. Texts and translations, as well as an essay in English, are included in the accompanying booklet. This CD is recorded on the Cantate label and is available for around $14.

All three of these CDs are available from Borders.com through the www.lifeoftheworld.com shopping link.

The Rev. David A. Kind is an Admission Counselor at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana.