An Index to the Works of Martin Luther

Hymnbooks Prepared Under Luther's Supervision

The Geistliche Gesangbüchlein (Wittenberg, late summer 1524)

A collection of polyphonic motets edited by Luther's friend and musical adviser Johann Walter. Of the thirty-eight German chorales in Walter's collection, twenty-four are by Luther. In other words, more than two-thirds of Luther's hymns were written between the late fall of 1523 and the summer of 1524.

The Lufft enchiridion (Wittenberg, 1526)

Offered the hymns from Walter's collection for the congregation.

The Hans Weiss hymnal (Wittenberg, 1528)

Lost, but its contents were the same as the Michael Blum hymnal below.

The Michael Blum hymnal (Leipzig, 1529)

The Joseph Klug hymnal (Wittenberg, 1529)

Also based on the Hans Weiss hymnal and also lost, but its contents can be reconstructed from the reprint by Rauscher (Erfurt, 1531) and from the second edition of 1533, long lost but recently found again.

The Valentin Schumann hymnal (Leipzig, 1539)

The Valentin Babst hymnal (Leipzig, 1545)

The finest hymnal of the Reformation period and the last to appear under Luther's own auspices.

This information is from Luther's Works, vol. 53, "Liturgy and Hymns," pp. 191-194; J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald, & H. T. Lehmann, Eds. Philadelphia: Fortress Press.