For Joy and Encouragement - Church Music from the Reformation

Church Music from the Reformation - Musica Ficta: Sunday 25 October 2026, 16:00–17:20, Sankt Johannes Kirke, Copenhagen. Tickets cost 100 kr.

Martin Luther held a clear conviction about what music could do for people: bring joy to the sorrowful, encourage the despairing, dampen hatred, and even keep the Devil at bay. For him, music was not mere decoration but a force that gripped body, mind, and soul. He played the lute, sang, and wrote hymns, regarding music as one of humanity's greatest gifts.

After the Reformation, music gained a special place in the Lutheran church. New hymns were sung, old melodies found new life, and a rich church music tradition flourished in Danish churches.

On the occasion of Haderslev's celebration of 500 years since the Reformation's introduction in Sønderjylland, the focus falls on music from this period: works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, the Danish Renaissance composer Mogens Pedersøn, and Martin Luther himself. This is music from an era when no one doubted that tones could lift the voice, gather the congregation, and offer comfort and joy - while also giving voice and sound to the great questions of life, faith, and death.

Performers: Musica Ficta. Conductor: Bo Holten.