“The chorales of the Lutheran Reformation have had an astounding influence in Western music. Simple melodies with vernacular texts were undoubtedly appealing to those who were previously given a primary diet of highly melismatic Latin sacred music. This is evidenced by the incredible volume of such chorale printing. Indeed, Christopher Brown concludes that ‘even if only surviving editions are considered . . . there were more than two million hymnals, songsheets, and other hymn-related materials circulating in sixteenth century Germany’ (Brown 5). This wide-spread influence was not limited to this era. It is, of course, well known that Bach wrote many pieces using these early chorales as melodic material. So also did Cesar Frank and Johannes Brahms in their chorale preludes for organ and even Alban Berg who quotes The chorale ‘Es ist genug’ in the final movement of his violin concerto. This history now spans some five centuries. . .
Luther’s view of music ‘as a vehicle for the proclamation of God’s Word’ (Schalk 16) cuts to the heart of the theological reasons that drove the reformers to spread chorale usage throughout Germany. The Lutheran reformers saw the chorale as a means by which God’s Word could be conveyed. The particular importance of this to the reformers lies in their belief that God’s Word was not simply a means to instruct so that the individual might improve his or her knowledge of God, but rather an objective means through which the Holy Spirit could work faith in the heart of the listener.”
(Holst, Jon, The Impact of the Lutheran Reformation on German Sacred Music in the Renaissance and Early Baroque, unpublished thesis, 2006)
2009 Catechism Convocation
More information coming late winter/early spring
2008 Catechism Convocation
All convocation attendees are welcome to participate in the choir for the Divine Service at the convocation. The choir will rehearse during the break before the Divine Service and will sing the Propers of the day in four-part Anglican chant.
—Jon Holst, Kantor
The four-part Introit, Gradual, and Alleluia are available to listen to in .mp3 format. And the complete propers are available in .pdf format to view and print (please note, Adobe Acrobat Reader or above is required to view these files. It is available here.) One may either left click to play/open directly or right click the link and then left click "Save Target As..."* to download the file to one's computer (recommended for dial-up)