Thinking of what to buy your friends and loved ones for Christmas? May I make a couple of recommendation? Click on the product links and you can hear samples from all the tracks in the recordings.

“Heirs of the Reformation: Treasures of the Singing Church” (4 CD set) (Concordia Publishing House)

A few years ago, I shared with you “Martin Luther: Hymns, Ballads, Chants and Truth” a four-CD set with pamphlet from CPH. It featured the music authored by or attributed to the great Reformation theologian. Now this new boxed set follows-up with more of the wonderful contributions of Lutheran composer and authors from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Luther taught that the chief function of music in worship was the proclamation of the Word of God, making these musicians into teachers as well. This is part of our heritage as Christians, not matter what our denomination. They are the treasures of the Church, singing faith into our lives and hearts. “The music of salvation is God’s music, for His harmonies of peace replace the discord of our sin. That peace was conceived in God’s heart, not ours, and was premiered on the cross of crucifixion and at the tome of resurrection.”

This varied collection of 4 CDs with accompanying booklet features 45 Lutheran treasures of the 17th century and contributions by more modern composers from Bach to the current day. For example:

Out of the gloom and sadness of his life, Pastor Paul Gerhardt wrote such hymns as “Awake my heart with gladness”, “If God Himself be for me”, “O Lord how shall I meet You”, “Now rest beneath night’s shadow”, the Christmas carol “All my heart this night rejoices”, “Why should cross and trial grieve me”,” Evening and Morning”, “Jesus Thy boundless love to me”,“ Lamb goes uncomplaining forth”, and “O Sacred Head now wounded”. You can hear Christmas hymns from theologian Valentin Thilo , composers Christian Keimann, Andreas Hammerschmidt, and Michael Praetorius. And there are other hymns for Easter and other seasons of the Christian year.

Beautifully performed and faithfully sung, these 45 selections ( almost four hours worth) represent over two centuries of Lutheran musical theology, and the 64 page booklet gives important information and lyrics. You don’t have to be a Lutheran to appreciate the contribution of these magnificent hymns of the Christian faith. Martin Luther was responsible for reintroducing congregational singing, replacing the professional choirs of the 16th century Catholic Church with joyful amateurs.

and…

“Heirs of the Reformation is nothing if not ambitious. Over forty chorales (dating from the time of Luther to German high Orthodoxy) are set by an encyclopedic list of cantors spanning the centuries, from Praetorius and Scheidt to Robert Buckley Farlee and Kevin Hildebrand. The dedicated vocal performances are backed by a kaleidoscopic variety of instrumentation, ranging from organ, brass and woodwinds to the period ensemble Musik Ekklesia. Kudos go to recording consultants Henry Gerike, Peter Reske, and Philip Spray; they and all the performers involved have produced not only a fine reference work, but a richly devotional listening experience.”
—GraceNotes (June/July 2009)