The question is often asked: Why must we go back three or four hundred years in order to find appropriate music for our churches today? One might answer: As human beings we live not only in the present, but also in the past and for the future, and inasmuch as history always serves life, we can only benefit from an intense study of the history of church music. The purpose of such study is to bring to life compositions of past years in order that the present may learn from the past.

Our approach is not antiquarian, but critical. We go back to our musical heritage not because it is old, but rather because it bears the stamp of genius. In the center of this music stands not the individual—not even the most pious man—but God alone and His glorification by man. It is a vast heritage, entrusted to the care of the Lutheran Church, but for the most part forgotten or not appreciated by the members of that Church.

During the nineteenth century a number of German scholars (Winterfeld, Tucher, Kade, Schoeberlein, et al.) tried to introduce into practice this musical heritage of the Church. They met with little success, for the nineteenth century was not ready, neither spiritually nor musically, for a renaissance in church music. This renaissance, however, began to flower in Europe, notably in Germany, some twenty-five years ago. Much credit for the revival must be given to the music scholars of Europe, who most diligently continued the work of their predecessors. These men found publishers for the great material of their research, but they also found an appreciative younger generation of organists, choir leaders, and singers who were most eager to acquaint themselves with this storehouse of the Church’s musical treasure.

Unfortunately Europe’s spiritual and cultural life has become demoralized as a result of the war, and a great movement for better church music has been retarded. Much of the published material on church music had, however, already found its way to America, and a number of prominent scholars came to this country, where they have continued their research in this field.

The music in our Lutheran Church of America today continues to present a picture of great confusion, and there is lack of knowledge concerning its true essence. We find all types of music represented, different styles and forms in which manifold spiritual ideas are expressed, many of which do not have the basis of our faith and life. Some men are groping uncertainly for ideas old and new, while others are satisfied with a self-righteous expression, based solely on subjective opinion or experience. With many the idea is uppermost that one should accept everything and anything so long as it pleases, so long as it meets the immediate requirements of a particular congregation or of this or that group within the congregation. Here the readiness of the congregation to accept certain types of music often dictates the policy of the church musician.

There has been a striving for timeliness in our church music. It was felt that the Church should arrange its musical service to fit certain tendencies of our time. A number of our churches have followed this principle. They have broken with the culture of the past and with the treasure of song and prayer that has been handed down to us. They have promoted the idea that our religious cult should coincide with the language and the music of our day.

Realizing the need for a change in our approach to the problems of Lutheran Church music here in America, Valparaiso University sponsored its first Lutheran Church Music Conference during the summer of 1944. The results of this conference were published in a special pamphlet, entitled The Musical Heritage of the Lutheran Church.

The essays presented herewith were read at our second conference, which met at Valparaiso University in August of last year. These essays gave opportunity for much earnest discussion from the floor. The Editor does not necessarily subscribe to all opinions expressed, but he is glad to present them to the public as an example of the work in church music being done at Valparaiso University. The conference adopted the following resolution:

"Amid the political and religious crises of our modern world, in which many feel that the Church’s worship and music should break with the culture and spirit of the past and should be made to conform to the modern spirit, we, the members of this Church Music Conference, solemnly reaffirm Our devotion to the great musical heritage of the Lutheran Church.

"In these days we have become especially deeply conscious of the great trust which our God has placed upon us, the Church of the Reformation, by bestowing upon us the rich and unmerited blessings of the pure Word and its expression in truly religious worship and music, and we humbly recognize the solemn responsibility such a trust imposes upon us toward the entire world, namely, that we declare before all men the glories of this God-given treasure.

"We deplore the fact that so much of this glorious heritage has fallen into disuse among us through our neglect of this precious gift and through the intrusion of styles and forms of music which do not have as their basis our faith and spiritual life, but we thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, Christ, that He has not let this treasure become extinct among us, and we solemnly pledge ourselves, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to ever greater participation in our common and in our individual efforts to regain of our musical heritage what we have lost, to hold fast that which we have, and to make known among our fellow Christians our common treasure of Lutheran church music.

"To that end we as religious leaders of the Church dedicate our most earnest efforts toward instilling particularly in the youth of our Church a knowledge and a genuine appreciation of the Lutheran chorale and Lutheran church music.

"We recognize with deep gratitude the co-operation which Concordia Publishing House and Mr. O. A. Dorn have shown in the past year in helping to make our musical heritage available.

"We again recommend that systematic courses be introduced in our colleges and seminaries for the proper liturgical and musical training of our future pastors and teachers."

Theo. Hoelty-Nickel
Valparaiso University, June 1, 1946

From The Musical Heritage of the Church, Volume II (Valparaiso, Ind.: Valparaiso University, 1946). Reprinted by permission of Valparaiso University.

For personal use only.