by Robin A. Leaver. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2017. 206 pp. $22.00.
Congregational singing in early Protestantism was not a primary concern of the Reformers. Or was it? Robin Leaver, professor emeritus at Westminster Choir College and a renowned scholar in Reformation studies, seeks to answer this question in The Whole Church Sings. By reexamining the origins of vernacular congregational hymnody in Wittenberg’s early Lutheran churches, Leaver challenges the widely held assertion that singing in public worship services was carried out primarily by the choir,1 and that congregational singing did not begin to take hold until the publication of Joseph Klug’s Geistliche Lieder in 1529. Conversely, Leaver argues that the existence of an earlier congregational hymnal, the Enchyridion (1526), and evidence of its earlier editions, establishes that “vernacular congregational song in Wittenberg was an active concern from 1523 onward” (162).
Through eight chapters, Leaver unfolds a historical timeline of congregational song, particularly in Wittenberg. He begins by orienting the reader with a brief survey of Reformation Day celebra- tions in the centuries that followed Martin Luther’s posting of the Ninety-five Theses.
While Leaver does not go into detail about this topic, his description of the liturgical and musical aspects of some of these celebrations demonstrates that congregational singing in the Lutheran tradition has consistently been considered a way to “express praise and prayer, faith and commitment,” as well as to “witness to history and confirm identity” (6). Building on this point, he asserts that vernacular hymnody was an important means by which the Reformation was “defined, expressed, promoted, and taken to heart,” further positing that “the Reformation may have begun in 1517, but it can be argued that only after 1523, when the hymns first began to appear, did it really begin to take hold” (7).
Having established the significant role that hymnody played during the Reformation, Leaver carefully describes the various genres of pre-Reformation vernacular song. This section is particularly relevant to the contemporary church. His discussions here on Meistergesang and Leisen provide convincing evidence that refutes the prevailing myths that the early Lutheran Reformers introduced “bar songs” into the canon of Christian hymnody, and that vernacular congregational singing did not exist before the Reformation. Furthermore, his discussion of Luther’s upbringing in this context show how knowledgeable Luther was about these preexisting musical genres, the impact they had on his thinking about music and poetry, and how deeply concerned about the state of congregational singing he was from the beginning of the Wittenberg reforms. For Luther, hymnody was a means by which the Word of God would be further instilled in people’s hearts, thereby furthering the spread of the gospel.
Leaver seeks to show that Luther was motivated by a deep pastoral sensitivity and respect for tradition. Luther’s skillful re- working of what was familiar to the laity was a starting point that encouraged their active participation in congregational song. Indeed, Luther’s early hymns were paraphrases of familiar Latin texts (79), and the tunes that accompanied them were often modifications of preexisting Latin tunes.2 Leaver points out that “Luther’s primary principle of reform [was] not the wholesale replacement of the old by the new but rather the re-formation of what was old and good, a conservation of what was valuable from the past rather than the wholesale rejection of the old in favor of the new” (80). Luther’s mastery of both music and poetry is evident in these accomplishments and stands distinct from the output of vernacular hymns by others such as Thomas Müntzer (84–88). Given Luther’s knowledge, desire, and commitment to vernacular hymnody, it seems odd that hymnology scholars would suggest anything less than Leaver’s thesis.3
Leaver’s detailed analysis of the extant broadsides and pamphlets containing hymns from the era is a treasure. In addition to its concise summary of the sources, it lends strong support to his argument by showing continuity in the development of hymnody. Providing a segue to his main argument, Leaver’s discussion turns to the 1524 publication of Johann Walter’s Chorgesangbuch. The ex- istence of this publication—a collection of choral part-books— before a general hymnal for congregational song, is the basis for the predominant view held by hymnology scholars today. Enter the En- chyridion . . . für die layen (Handbook of spiritual songs and psalms for the laity, with many others than before, improved), circa 1526. Using internal evidence from the Enchyridion, Leaver shows the similarities between it and the Chorgesangbuch, and builds a strong case for the existence of at least one, perhaps two, earlier editions of the Enchyridion. He concludes that “from the end of 1524, the Wittenberg congregations had their own hymnal and were therefore as much involved in hymn singing as was the choir . . . almost certain- ly [singing] in alternation stanza by stanza . . . the congregation from its Enchyridion, the choir from its part-books” (116).
Some may wonder why such a specific study of congregational song matters. After all, why should one care about something that happened hundreds of years ago? The contemporary Protestant church finds itself in an era in which congregational song is widely suppressed by a plethora of problematic practices. Leaver’s work provides a much-needed reorientation to Protestants, showing the Reformer’s immediate concern for the healthy and vibrant congregational singing of hymnody—hymnody that is composed of well- thought out and artistically crafted tunes that take into consideration the singing ability of the average layperson, and doctrinally rich text that is rooted in the gospel.
The Whole Church Sings is written with the scholar in mind. However, Leaver’s story-like prose makes the book accessible to the layman; although, he should expect to encounter some technical language. The extensive footnotes, five appendices, and comprehensive bibliography provide a wealth of information with which readers can do their own research and draw their own conclusions. This is sure to be a sought-after resource in the study of hymnology going forward.
- For more about this view, see Joseph Herl, Worship Wars in Early Lutheranism: Choir, Congregation, and Three Centuries of Conflicts (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008). Leaver likewise held this view earlier in his career, see Robin A. Leaver, “Hymnals,” The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation, ed. Hans J. Hillerbrand (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996), 2:286. ↩︎
- Compare the Latin Easter Sequence Victimae paschali laudes and the Leise Christ ist erstanden, with Luther’s Christ lag in Todesbanden (Christ Lay in Death’s Bonds). Also see Leaver’s discussion on folk hymns (67–72). ↩︎
- Having previously held this view, Leaver now admits that “the view that Wittenberg was somewhat slow in taking up hymnody has always puzzled me, and it seemed rather strange that the earliest extant witnesses to the early development of such singing did not emanate directly from Wittenberg” (162). ↩︎
