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Early Lutheran congregational song was derived from several sources: Gregorian chant, Leisen, cantios, contrafacta, and newly composed songs. These songs, later known as chorales, were initially available through simple broadsides, later collected into small, and then larger, collections called Enchiridia. The encouragement of congregational singing gave rise to a generation of hymn text writers who flourished in the 16th Century, such as Luther himself, Paul Speratus, Nikolaus Decius, Lazarus Spengler, and Justus Jonas. The gradual association of a group of hymns with specific celebrations in the church year gave rise to a cycle of liturgical hymns that reflected the principal theme of a Sunday or celebration. This, "Hymn of the Day," remains a unique contribution of the Reformation to Lutheran worship. The chorale stands at the heart of Lutheran musical tradition. This body of congregational song (texts and melodies) developed in the early years of the Lutheran Reformation from many sources. It enabled congregations to participate directly in liturgy, in their own language and in a musical form suited to congregational singing. Luther set the example for congregational song by translating many classic church hymns into the vernacular, "correcting or improving" older texts he felt were corrupted, and writing new hymn texts (as well as a number of new melodies). Many followed Luther's example, as reflected in the work of such early hymn text writers as:
There were also early hymn tune writers such as:
Preceding the Reformation, the Roman Catholic tradition encouraged the development of high quality art music but had little interest in congregational song. The Reformed tradition encouraged congregational Psalm singing in metrical form. It had little use for the development of art music for corporate worship.
During the early Reformation years, chorales were sung by the people in unison and unaccompanied. The choir often sang alternate stanzas in parts from the many choral collections or Cantionals published for that purpose. Organ use to accompany congregational singing didn't begin until the early 1600s and wasn't established until a century later. Even during Bach's time in Leipzig, chorales were usually sung unaccompanied. The chorale wasn't simply a vehicle to involve the people in singing during the liturgy, but to involve them in singing the liturgy. Most of Luther's hymns enabled the people to do that. So did other metrical versions of parts of the Ordinary and Luther's metrical version of the Nicene Creed. Luther's hymns were written for the traditional church liturgy, where they found their most comfortable home. The chorale texts and melodies soon spread wherever Lutheranism took
root. They were the common musical language throughout Germany, Scandinavian
countries, and some Slavic countries. These texts were translated into
many languages, and the melodies soon became the song of Lutherans everywhere.
While their origin was German, texts and chorale melodies transcended
geographic and linguistic boundaries. They became transcultural expressions
of faith. The texts and melodies have found their way into the hymnals
of virtually every denomination since their origin.
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Lutheranism
encouraged both congregational song and use of the most sophisticated
art music of its time: Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony. The
link between these two elements was the chorale that provided texts and
melodies for that great body of choral and organ music produced in the
centuries following the Reformation.