LUTHER, THE NOBLE ART OF MUSIC

Composer(s): Various

Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

 21,50

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In a letter of 4 October 1530 to the chapel-master of the Bavarian court Ludwig Senfl (c. 1488/89–1543), Martin Luther famously proclaimed that, "I plainly judge and do not hesitate to affirm that except for theology, there is no art that could be put on the same level with music". The position stands in stark contrast to some of his reformer contemporaries, who, disturbed by music’s power to affect the soul, all but banned it from the Church. Luther, on the other hand, sought precisely to capitalize on the qualities that music possessed in order to advance his reforms. For him, music was a powerful tool for private meditation and diversion, for strengthening communal ties, for spreading his message, and for public representation.

Luther’s high evaluation of music was based in personal experience. As a schoolboy in Eisenach, he sang regularly, and at university he received training in speculative music theory as one of the seven liberal arts. He played the lute, and could compose. As a well-educated musician, he continually stressed the importance of music not only as a part of worship, but also as an essential part of general education. He once famously remarked that every schoolmaster must be able to sing, and he emphasized the importance of music education in his 1524 guidelines for the founding of schools (An die Ratsherren aller Städte deutschen Landes, daß sie christliche Schulen aufrichten und halten sollen). Accordingly, music played a central role in the school curriculum, and witnessed an enormous growth in Lutheran areas during the reformation. Luther himself planned a treatise on music, but this was never completed.

The most emblematic musical manifestation of Luther’s reforms is undoubtedly the repertory of songs in the vernacular whose creation Luther initiated: the chorale, or hymn, repertory. With their German, poetic, and strophic texts, set to simple and memorable melodies, these chorales allowed the faithful to sing communally together as well as to express and share religious and spiritual ideas. They were employed privately, publicly, and for educational purposes.

Utopia
Griet De Geyter soprano
Bart Uvyn countertenor
Adriaan De Koster tenor
Lieven Termont baritone
Bart Vandewege bass

InAlto
Lambert Colson cornetto
Guy Hanssen trombones
Adam Woolf trombones
Charlotte Van Passen trombones
Bart Vroomen trombones
Alice Foccroulle soprano (nrs. 8 & 23)

Bart Rodyns organ (nrs. 5 ,21 & 23) Kistorgel, Jos Moors 2012, 3 registers (8,8,4)

1. Douleur me bat
Composer: Josquin des Prez
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

2. De Profundis Clamavi
Composer: Josquin des Prez
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

3. Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (verse 1, pt. 1)
Composer: Mattheus le Maistre
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

4. Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (verse 1, pt. 2)
Composer: Mattheus le Maistre
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

5. Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (verse 2)
Composer: Johann Crüger
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

6. Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir
Composer: Arnold von Bruck
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

7. Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (verse 3), W. 105
Composer: Lupus Hellinck
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

8. Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (verse 5)
Composer: Michael Praetorius
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

9. De Profundis Clamavi
Composer: Ludwig Senfl
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

10. Plaine de deuil
Composer: Josquin des Prez
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

11. Unser Vater in den Himmeln
Composer: Balduin Hoyoul
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

12. Pater Noster
Composer: Josquin des Prez
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

13. Vater Unser in Himmelreich (verse 1)
Composer: Anonymous
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

14. Vater Unser in Himmelreich (verse 5)
Composer: Johann Walter
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

15. Vater Unser in Himmelreich (verse 6)
Composer: Caspar Othmayr
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

16. Vater Unser in Himmelreich (verse 9)
Composer: Johannes Eccard
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

17. Verleih uns Frieden
Composer: Anonymous
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

18. Victimae Pascali Laudes
Composer: Josquin des Prez
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

19. Christ lag in Todesbanden (verse 1)
Composer: Balduin Hoyoul
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

20. Christ lag in Todesbanden (verse 2)
Composer: Caspar Othmayr
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

21. Christ lag in Todesbanden (verse 5)
Composer: Johann Walter
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

22. Christ lag in Todesbanden
Composer: Johann Walter
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

23. Victimae Pascali Laudes
Composer: Orlandus Lassus
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

24. Victimae Pascali Laudes
Composer: Michael Praetorius
Artist(s): Utopia Ensemble, InAlto

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LUTHER, THE NOBLE ART OF MUSIC
 21,50
Listen on your favorite streaming serviceSpotify IconSpotify
Listen on your favorite streaming serviceSpotify IconSpotify

In a letter of 4 October 1530 to the chapel-master of the Bavarian court Ludwig Senfl (c. 1488/89–1543), Martin Luther famously proclaimed that, "I plainly judge and do not hesitate to affirm that except for theology, there is no art that could be put on the same level with music". The position stands in stark contrast to some of his reformer contemporaries, who, disturbed by music’s power to affect the soul, all but banned it from the Church. Luther, on the other hand, sought precisely to capitalize on the qualities that music possessed in order to advance his reforms. For him, music was a powerful tool for private meditation and diversion, for strengthening communal ties, for spreading his message, and for public representation.

Luther’s high evaluation of music was based in personal experience. As a schoolboy in Eisenach, he sang regularly, and at university he received training in speculative music theory as one of the seven liberal arts. He played the lute, and could compose. As a well-educated musician, he continually stressed the importance of music not only as a part of worship, but also as an essential part of general education. He once famously remarked that every schoolmaster must be able to sing, and he emphasized the importance of music education in his 1524 guidelines for the founding of schools (An die Ratsherren aller Städte deutschen Landes, daß sie christliche Schulen aufrichten und halten sollen). Accordingly, music played a central role in the school curriculum, and witnessed an enormous growth in Lutheran areas during the reformation. Luther himself planned a treatise on music, but this was never completed.

The most emblematic musical manifestation of Luther’s reforms is undoubtedly the repertory of songs in the vernacular whose creation Luther initiated: the chorale, or hymn, repertory. With their German, poetic, and strophic texts, set to simple and memorable melodies, these chorales allowed the faithful to sing communally together as well as to express and share religious and spiritual ideas. They were employed privately, publicly, and for educational purposes.

Utopia
Griet De Geyter soprano
Bart Uvyn countertenor
Adriaan De Koster tenor
Lieven Termont baritone
Bart Vandewege bass

InAlto
Lambert Colson cornetto
Guy Hanssen trombones
Adam Woolf trombones
Charlotte Van Passen trombones
Bart Vroomen trombones
Alice Foccroulle soprano (nrs. 8 & 23)

Bart Rodyns organ (nrs. 5 ,21 & 23) Kistorgel, Jos Moors 2012, 3 registers (8,8,4)