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Michael Praetorius's Theology of Music in Syntagma Musicum I (1615): A Politically and Confessionally Motivated Defense of Instruments in The Lutheran Liturgy

Alley, Zachary W
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1402316351

Abstract Details

2014, Master of Music (MM), Bowling Green State University, Music History.
The use of instruments in the liturgy was a controversial issue in the early church and remained at the center of debate during the Reformation. Michael Praetorius (1571-1621), a Lutheran composer under the employment of Duke Heinrich Julius of Braunschweig-Luneburg, made the most significant contribution to this perpetual debate in publishing Syntagma musicum I&minusmore substantial than any Protestant theologian including Martin Luther. Praetorius's theological discussion is based on scripture, the discourse of early church fathers, and Lutheran theology in defending the liturgy, especially the use of instruments in Syntagma musicum I. In light of the political and religious instability throughout Europe it is clear that Syntagma musicum I was also a response−or even a potential solution−to political circumstances, both locally and in the Holy Roman Empire. In the context of the strengthening counter-reformed Catholic Church in the late sixteenth century, Lutheran territories sought support from Reformed church territories (i.e., Calvinists). This led some Lutheran princes to gradually grow more sympathetic to Calvinism or, in some cases, officially shift confessional systems. In Syntagma musicum I Praetorius called on Lutheran leaders−prince-bishops named in the dedication by territory−specifically several North German territories including Brandenburg and the home of his employer in Braunschweig-Wolfenbuttel, to maintain Luther's reforms and defend the church they were entrusted to protect, reminding them that their salvation was at stake.
Arne Spohr (Advisor)
Mary Natvig (Committee Member)
85 p.
Music
Praetorius; Michael Praetorius; Lutheran music; liturgical music; musical instruments; instruments in church; church music; music and theology; music and the Reformation; Reformation music; music and politics; instrumental music in church; Wachet auf

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Alley, Z. W. (2014). Michael Praetorius's Theology of Music in Syntagma Musicum I (1615): A Politically and Confessionally Motivated Defense of Instruments in The Lutheran Liturgy [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1402316351

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Alley, Zachary. Michael Praetorius's Theology of Music in Syntagma Musicum I (1615): A Politically and Confessionally Motivated Defense of Instruments in The Lutheran Liturgy. 2014. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1402316351.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Alley, Zachary. "Michael Praetorius's Theology of Music in Syntagma Musicum I (1615): A Politically and Confessionally Motivated Defense of Instruments in The Lutheran Liturgy." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1402316351

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1402316351
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© 2014, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License Michael Praetorius's Theology of Music in Syntagma Musicum I (1615): A Politically and Confessionally Motivated Defense of Instruments in The Lutheran Liturgy by Zachary W Alley is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.