The 1617 centenary of the Reformation marked a new kind of commemorative event in early modern Europe due to its transregionality and its multimedia approach: the first Protestant jubilee was observed with sermons, lectures, plays, broadsheets, medals, and music. Not all media took the same approach in establishing a shared Lutheran identity. Most conveyed identity through Othering, showing that Lutherans were not the anti-Christ, the Pope, the Catholic or Reformed Churches. Polyphonic and cantional-style music held a different position. Through its ritual, liturgical, and devotional significance, music emphasized the positive identity of Protestantism, connecting the audience with the past and implying continuity of the faith.
Event—Public Programming
Commemorating the Reformation—Music’s Role in Celebrating 1617 in Dresden
