4 Women - 40 Instruments - The Recorder Quartet Flautando Köln

Luther: Heretic or Visionary

Living, preaching, proclaiming - that was one thing for Martin Luther. His texts and writings are numerous, in which he expresses his visions on all spiritual and secular topics of his time loudly and with clear opinions. His letters, which give us a glimpse into the private soul of the Reformer, are also numerous, as are the songs he composed. For Luther, singing was one of the sharpest weapons of the Reformation, the great revolutionary upheaval of the 16th century, alongside the spoken and written word. His spiritual songs filled people with strength, confidence and a new self-awareness. The people literally "sang" their way into the church service. The songs spread quickly and were first arranged by the composers in simple movements, later also in an artistic way. In this programme, music from one of the most eventful epochs in European history is interwoven with Luther's writings, letters and hymns to create an overall picture centred on the reformer's colourful character. Both the political and the private Luther have their say - recited by actor Martin Brambach.