New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-11

In these rrsporsoa he always sang along with his sons
aud in odltu dguraii he sang the alto.
With one exception the hymns ana responses
enumerated in this paragraph are contained in the
Luther Codox Tho alto which Luther sang must
not be COMPOUNDED with the alto part of to-day.
Here It means the caufrs firms, the melody around
which the old composers woye their contrapuntal
ornamcntation.
Luther was the creator of German congrcgat iOnal
singing. Among his early works aftor the Refor-
nation was an accomplished fact was the estab-
lishment Of the German Mass. To aid him in this
he sent for two Saxon chapel-masters, Conrad
Rupf, or Ruppich, and Johann Walther. The
latter undoubtedly was the first 10 harmonic the
melody 10 " Elm festo Burg" Long before this time,
however he had written number Of hymns. Ger
man religious songs were known before his
time however. The first were written by monk
named Notlcr in the famous monastery Of 81. Gail,
in Switzerland, in the ninth century. NOtkcr was
kept much omp!oyedi in writing Latin hymns. In the
festivals of the Church the last syllable of the Hal
leujah" was usually prolonged in a strain to which
the name of sequence" was given. These Sc
oucnces were difficult to remember this before
the names of staf-notation) aud Notker conceived
the idea Of writing words for them. He did 20, but
instead of Latin he used German. Ono of his Sc
qucnces is still retained in the English burial scr
vice: "In the midst Of life we are in DEATH
During the time Of the Minncsingcr religious folk
songs became common, and the Flagollants who
during that strange nervous epidemic which fol-
lowed the Black Death, went singing and dancing
from town to- town. Religious songs were also
written for the pilgrimages which then
were made. but none of these songs
were admitted to the church. They were
Of q singular maCarOnic character, something like
the song which in the old English Christmas feasts
used 20 accompany the bringing on of the boarS
head. Two lines 1.-THE German one translated will
give an idea OF the character Of these songs:
Pucr natua I'm Bethlehem,
Whcreat reoiccs Jerusalem.
Luther was passionatcly fond of music. He had
siuded the art in the schools of Mansfield, MAGGIE
burg aud Ei-enach, and had sung in tho streets to
aid in his support while studying.
lie played tho flute and the nte, was tond o., Of
singing as several anecdotes attest, and had the
greatest admiration for the best OF the Flemish
writer's the dominant school Ina composition OF his
time or " Fin foste Burg he wrote not only the
words bat the melody also. Yet he never thought
himself a poet He urged his friends to compose
hymns which night be sung 10 ti nm us UI to
tic love. Probably the reason why he wrote was
because his friends slow in acting on MS sng-
gestiOn, aud no was urgent that the new church
should have m artistiG service. Ueine does not
aprre with Luihcr's modest estimate OF his poetic
gifts. His hymns, said Heinc, are even more rs-
markable than his prose works;
Ofcntlmcs they resemble flower blooming n rock;
oftentincs they are like mOonbcam shmmcring across
tossing sea This respect also he merits the of
the swan OF Eiscben. lie was, however, any
songs In which be rouscs the courage Of his
followers and inspires himself with hercest
oulOr for the contest true song was that defiant
law with which he and his companions entered Worms.
The old Cathedral trenbed at such unw0uted strains,
and the ravens were terrified In their obscure nests up In
Tue church towers This song-thc Marscilase Hymn Of
the Reformation preserves yet its power ofinspir
INC men, aud perhaps we may erclOng have need III
similar cOmbats OF the old malcad words
more discriminating judgment was that of
Carlyle. In 1891 he printed a translation in FraS9's
Mdga.ine. Between the ruggcdness of his moral
and intellectual nature and the divine brutality
of Brother Martin there was warm sympathy
and he was hearty in his appreciation Of the traits
in the poem that arc peculiarly German and
Lutheran. In his translation lie caught up much of
the spirit Of LutuCrs line, and gave it out with the
original freshness aud vigOr.
In his written poems, wrote Carlyle, we find
little that strength Of one whOSe Words has been
said half battles = little Of that sun harmony and
blending sO!tncs8 union which H. The last perfection of
strength; less Of IL than his conduct often mani
Tested. With words he had learned 10 make pure
music 1t was b. deeds OF love, heroic vaOr that he
spoke freely IN tones only through his flute, amid tears,
could the sigh that strong soul find uterance Never
thees though in imperfect articulation, the same voice,
listen WELL Is 10 be heard also in his writings, In his
The following, for example, Jars upon our ears,
yet Il there something In IL Ike the sound OF Alpine
avaanche the first mur1nur Of earthquakes, In tho
very OF which dissonance higher unison IL
ygalod ~ US.
A safe strOn ghOld onr God Is stin,
A trusy shield and weapons
He'll help us clear from al the III
That has O'ertaken.
The ancient Prince OF Hell