Figure 1.--Martin Luther had been a choir boy as a youth and greatly appreciated music. He and his family of six children are often depicted singing at home. They would have sung mostly church music like hymns. Other Protestant reformers like Calvin has much more restricted views as regards music as part of church services. We do not know who the artist was or when the scene was painted.

Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the church door and without really intending to do so launched the Reformation (1517). The result was fundamental changes not only in relgious like, but in European society writ large. Among the many fundamental changes were a range of minor developments and one of those were boy choirs and choristers. Some of the effects were ngative, e but, over all as aresuly of the Reformation European music culture became richer amidst the resulting social tumult. The Reformation did not just divide Europe among Catholics and Protestants. Protestnts encouraged people to read the Bible. They did and all kinds of new ideas and denominations appeared. Roughly speaking there were three principal Protestnt branches. Of these, the Reformed Church founded by John Calvin in Switzerland had much the most destructive effect on music in general, and church music in particular. Martin Luther in Germany had a much more open mind toward music. The diection of the Englisg Chirch has particularly important consequences. Music like the other arts before the Reformation was still largely the province of the Church. This changed with the Reformation. Boy sopranos were among the major actors in the developing music culture as Europe entered the modern age.

Reformation

The Protestant Reformation was the religious struggle during the 16th and 17th century which began as an effort to reform the Catholic Church and ended with the splintering of the Western Christendom into the Catholic and Protestant churches. Combined with the Renaissance which preceeded it, the reformatuin marked the end of the Medieval world and the beginning of a modern world view. The French Revolution which followed the Reformation in the 18th century marked the beginning of our modern age. Conditions developing in Medieval Europe laid the groundwork for the Reformation. The Reformation began when a German monk, Martin Luthur nailed his 95 Thesis on the church door in Wittenberg (1517). Luthur was offended by the papal sale of indulgences by which the Renaissance popes were fiancing the splendid new church of St. Peters in Rome. Luthur's concern with indulgences were soon mixed with a complex mix of doctrinal, political, economic, and cultural issues that would take Ruropean Church and temporal leaders nearly two centuries to partially resolve and several devestating wars, especially the 30 Years War in Germany. Western Christendom would be left permanently split and even the Cathloic Church profoundly changed. Changes in man's view of himself and the Church were to also affect his view relative to the state and many in Europe began to question royal absolutism and divine right monarchy, a process keading to the French Revolution.

Protestant Denominations

Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the church door and without really intending to do so launched the Reformation (1517). The result was fundamental changes not only in relgious life, but in European society writ large. Among the many fundamental changes were a range of minor developments and one of those were boy choirs and choristers. Some of the effects were negative, but, over all as a result of the Reformation European music culture became richer amidst the resulting social tumult. The Reformation did not just divide Europe among Catholics and Protestants. Protestants encouraged people to read the Bible. They did and all kinds of new ideas and denominations appeared. Roughly speaking there were three principal Protestnt branches. Of these, the Reformed Church founded by John Calvin in Switzerland had the most destructive effect on music in general, and church music in particular. Martin Luther in Germany had a much more open mind toward music. The diection of the English Anglican Church has particularly important consequences. The Anglicn Church has gone through both Catholic and Protestant phases and thus is not now always seen as a Protestant church. During the Reformation era there were major differences between Protestant anf Catholic choral singing. This has since declined because the Catholic choirs have accepted some Protestant reforms and the the Anglicn Church has since become more Catholic in its liturgy. There are, however, still major differences between mant Protestant and Catholic churches.

Catholic Europe

The Roman Catholic response to the Reformation was the Counter Refomation. This was not only an effort to destroy Protestantism, but also a reform movement within the Church. This in large part was a reafirmation of Church tradition, but there were many important reforms addressing key Protestant criticism of the Church. Here Church leaders set out to revitalize spirituality. And music throughout the history of Christinity has played an important role. Important cimposers emerged, including Palestrina, Victoria, and William Byrd. They sought to expression the quest for spirituality in their music. Church leaders attempted to correcting practices that had brought on the Reformation. Catholic reformers in Rome began to question polyphonic music for the same reasons that the Calvinosts had taken issue with it, the complexity and beauty obscure and over powered the texts. Some reports suggest that Cardinal Borromeo threatened to ban all polyphonic music from Catholic worship unless a polyphonic mass could be composed in which all the words were clear. This is now believed to be a myth. Even so, in represents an incrwasing line of thouight in Rome concrning music. Palestrina composed the Missa Papae Marcelli which met the desires of the reformers. The Council of Trent iaddressed this issue and called for clarity of text in church music (1562). Several composers attempt to follow these instructions. Palestrina emerged as the leading Catholic composer of the era. In hissoaring 'Missa Papae Marcelli,' every word of the Latin text can be heard in absolute clarity. The Catholic Church was an international institution with churches and missionaries throughout the world. One place where Catholic choral music achieve great heights was in remote South America. Jesuit missionaries set up reductions to Christianize and govern the Guaraní in what is now Paraguay. They also sought to protect the Guarani from the depredations of Bandeirante slave raiders (17th-18th centurues). The Guarani Reductions were unique because while thee natives had to convert, they were allowed to retain their culture and not adopt European culture. The Jesuits were highly educated and appreciated art and music. They organized choirs in the reduction chuches and taught the boys choral music just as intricate as the music being sung in Europe. Their singing is said to astonished Spanish visitors. The subsequent expulsion of the Jesuits and supression if the Reductions meant that this cultural treasure was lost to what became independendent Paraguay.

Impact on Western Music

Music like the other arts before the Reformation was still largely the province of the Church. This changed with the Reformation. Boy sopranos were among the major actors in the developing music culture as Europe entered the modern age.

Created: 10:23 PM 11/21/2012
Last updated: 6:54 PM 12/9/2012