ML3168.H47

Includes bibliographical references (p. 281-338) and index Luther and the liturgy in Wittenberg -- Catholic liturgy-- Lutheran liturgy -- The church orders: an introduction -- Choral and congregational singing in the church orders -- Ecclesiastical visitations -- Congregational hymnals -- Choral music versus congregational singing -- The organ and hymn singing -- Performance practice

Chapter 1, ?Luther and the liturgy in Wittenberg,? describes the liturgy in use in Luther?s own parish and relates it to his theology. It takes issue with the popular idea that the Wittenberg liturgy was congregational in its performance and suggests instead that it was sung mostly by the choir. Chapter 2, ?Catholic liturgy?Lutheran liturgy,? compares the pre-Reformation liturgy in Germany with that of the early Lutherans, demonstrating that many of the practices commonly associated with Luther were actually in use before his time. Chapter 3, ?The church orders?an introduction,? gives an overview of the early Lutheran liturgy as presented in contemporary liturgical orders. Chapter 4, ?Choral and congregational singing in the church orders,? compares the provisions for choral and congregational singing in early Lutheran liturgies. Chapter 5, ?Ecclesiastical visitations,? presents reports of congregational singing contained in minutes of official parish visits by the church hierarchy. Chapter 6, ?Congregational hymnals,? addresses the question of the extent to which 16th-century congregations sang from hymnals. Chapter 7, ?Choral music versus congregational singing,? traces the ?worship wars? from Luther?s time to the end of the eighteenth century. Chapter 8, ?The organ and hymn singing,? treats the role of the organ in accompanying the singing of the people. Chapter 9, ?Performance practice,? describes how hymns were sung prior to and during the eighteenth century. The concluding chapter relates this book to other scholarship in music and Reformation history and discusses why earlier scholars failed to reach similar conclusions.

Worship Wars in Early Lutheranism traces the path of music and congregational song in the Lutheran church from the Reformation to 1800, to show how it acquired its reputation as the "singing church."