PasRebecca Lloyd states that Martin Luther was the “source and ultimate authority for the theological ideas expressed in Bach’s music”. Did Bach only compose for the Lutheran Church out of convenience?
To explore this statement I will discuss the key aspects of Lutheranism represented in Bach’s music. Firstly I explore the concepts of “fall of man” using the cantata Christ lag in Todes Banden that as humans we are born as sinners due to the immoral actions of Adam and Eve which Butt states as the doctrine of original sin and the contrast of the Law and the Gospel represented in this cantata. I then discuss the concept of unity which Martin Luther emphasises through the use of congregation and chorales which are also used in this cantata Christ lag in Todes Banden particularly in the final chorus with the use of homophony reflecting the unity of man and the joyfulness that Christ has nourished them possibly through sacrifice and therefore had their sins repented. I will also discuss the Lutheran concept of suffering and pain in a positive light which is particularly prominent in the 6th movement of this cantata and the idea of rhetoric and affect which emphasises the fact that Bach’s sacred music manipulated the emotions felt by the audience. I discuss the ways in which Bach composed Lutheran music to impress rather than reflect the beliefs of Lutherans. However before I explore these areas, I will be discussing the cultural and religious background of the Lutheran Church throughout Germany and of the Protestant Reformation.
The Protestant Reformation was a phenomenon which occurred in the 16th century because of beliefs that the Roman Catholic Church were corrupt and there were revolts against the Catholic orthodoxy and Martin Luther was a key figure in this aversion to Catholic belief and he published the 95 Theses to rebel against the Catholic authority but only for . His 95 Theses summarised the key beliefs of Lutheranism and was the starting point of the Protestant Reformation . This new system was characterised by the absolute adherence to the Scriptures known as the Sola Scriptura which was the idea that the Christian scriptures were the only true source of faith and practise. The beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church were of stark contrast. The Roman Catholic Church had the idea of buying your way into heaven rather than suffering in pain and anguish which is what Lutheranism represented. It is important to know that the Protestant Reformation affected not just Germany but also in other European countries like Switzerland in which Calvinism emerged. However Martin Luther was in favour of polyphonic church music in schools unlike the Calvinists which could suggest the initial influence on Bach’s music as polyphony is a prominent feature in Christ lag in Todes Banden particularly in bars 40-45 of the second movement and is a staple feature of Bach’s music in general. Therefore Martin Luther emphasised a more musical slant on religion which could then have had a major influence on Bach.
The cantata Christ Lag in Todes Banden was written in 1707 which is very early on in Bach’s church career. It uses a church chorale composed by Martin Luther himself and this could reflect the idea of Bach’s sense of tradition and therefore there is evidence that Martin Luther was the main source of theological ideas in this particular cantata. Martin Luther’s emphasis on Music being the second most important feature of evangelical worship was also very important because it possibly allowed Bach the freedom to compose music which would reflect the emotions and beliefs of the Lutheran Church, which is apparent in the sacred music of J.S. Bach, not least in the cantata Christ Lag in Todes Banden.
Of his opinion towards the role of music in religion, he stated:
“Next to the word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world”
Christ Lag in Todes Banden reflects several Lutheran beliefs which will be discussed in the next part of this essay.
In the cantata Christ lag in Todes Banden it is clear that in the text of Duett, Versus II reflects the doctrine of original sin- “This is because of our sin” and “none was without our transgression” which is the idea that we are condemned under the Law. The motor rhythms at the very beginning of the extract highlight the sense of agitation and restlessness of humanity that Jesus is the one suffering for them. This is further reflected in the use of suspensions in bar 19 where the dissonance in the C sharp in the Soprano and the B natural in the Alto adds the tension and uncertainty whether we will be forgiven for our sins and ascend to heaven. There is also an emphasis on the word “Tod” which emphasises the sense of inevitability that death will happen and God will come to judge whether we have sinned which reflects the Lutheran belief of our natural position as sinners. This is a very important aspect of how Bach, a staunch Lutheran, approached his music and how it adhered to the theological traditions of Martin Luther. It also relates to the idea of the Rhetoric and Affect which Matheson states that small intervals reflect sadness which is reflected in the musical example given (The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, 2003). This is a Baroque concept that music is composed to make us feel a certain way and Bach in this case composes this music to reflect the pain of Jesus’ sacrifice but later on in the movement we can see that Rejoice is also depicted due to the sudden transition to E major in bar 26 which closely adheres to the uplifting text “and brought all men salvation”. This idea of salvation is a key feature of the optimism of the Gospel (Butt, page 38) which represents the idea that pain is there to repent our sins and bring us together.
The concept of unity also plays a very significant role in Bach’s music as well. The use of chorales and congregational singing was also a very important feature in the Lutheran Church particularly in the cantata Christ lag in Todes Banden. In the final chorus of the cantata, the texture is predominantly homophonic with the exception in bar 9 on the third beat and on the first and second beats of bar 10 in the Alto part. As these chorales were originally sung by the congregation of the church as well as the choir, the simplicity and richness of the textural style was probably very important as it allowed everyone to participate but the uniqueness of each separate part of the chorale could imply that we are all individual but combine together as one to express our collective feelings which was a Lutheran Church service tradition. This concept is also further enhanced in the text in which it emphasises the first person plural- “ Now we are nourished bounteously with paschal bread of gladness” and “he only shall feed our soul”. This implies the pleasure/pain aspect of Lutheranism that the death of Jesus has nourished the souls of humanity so that their sins have been absolved and that they are celebrating together, eating food which contrasts with the darkness of Duett Versus II. Therefore this sudden contrast of death and sin and celebration could imply the Lutheran concept that suffering brings us out of the other side and the sense of nourishment and satisfaction could be represented as an allegory for the cleansing of wrongdoing.
Another way in which
On the other hand it is also important to note that even though Bach may have been a staunch Lutheran, we could argue that he composed to impress. For example scholars like Friedrich Blume brought Bach’s religious commitments to scrutiny and other scholars started to follow suit and argued that Bach’s status as the “Supreme Lutheran Cantor” and “The Fifth Evangelist” was an exaggeration, which could be true.
It is debatable whether Bach was merely employed by the Lutheran Church to write material for the Sunday services which relates to the idea of convenience. Bukiofzer (sp) (1948, page 293) argues that Christ Lag in Todes Banden was highly virtuosic in its counterpoint, which could imply that Bach was not only influenced by Lutheran music but also virtuoso performers like Dietrich Buxtehude whom Bach admired. On the other hand the religious terminology used in these quotes highlights how Bach was elevated to a certain worship and was respected by the Lutheran Church. Bach may have only adhered to these theological traditions because it could have enhanced his creativity but if Bach was not a staunch Lutheran why would he still be adhering to the theological laws of Lutheranism in such a committed way?
These arguments mentioned previously suggest how there were other factors which had an influence on the music of J.S. Bach. However it is very clear that the commitment and productivity of Bach’s music could suggest how the influence of the Lutheran Church made him committed. His duties as a Lutheran cantor were of great importance to the Lutheran Church community. He wrote one cantata every week for the Sunday Church services when he was in St Thomas’s and St Nicholas and gave organ performances as well as promoted musical events. This suggests how Bach was not a servant to the Lutheran Church but instead expanded the Lutheran faith even further through promotion. Ultimately this evidence further proves how Bach was elevated to the grand positions of the “Supreme Lutheran Cantor” and contradicts the argument that Bach only composed out of convenience
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