Filipa Melanchtona myśl o muzyce i jej rola w kształtowaniu kultury muzycznej humanistycznego Wrocławia

The preserved writings of Philip Melanchthon addressed to the animators of religious life in Evangelical Wrocław (Breslau) and the superiors of schools operating in the city indicate the German reformer’s active involvement in shaping the musical culture of the metropolis on the Oder. The presence of music in the religious formation and school education was justified by the rhetorical qualities of the art of sound, which made it possible to influence the intellect and emotions of the faithful and students. Praeceptor Germaniae perceived the particular usefulness of music in its very nature, related and similar to the nature of the human soul. The humanistically oriented pragmatism of his argumentation marks its presence both in his letters and his theoretical writings as well as normative acts regulating the functioning of the ecclesiastical and didactic institutions of Wrocław. The doctrinal differences between Luther’s uncompromisingness and Melanchthon’s irenic approach somewhat limited the reception of the latter’s thought. However, in a culture shaped by the heirs of his tradition, primarily concentrated within the circles of the city’s pedagogical elite, it nevertheless enjoyed an unflagging reception for many decades after his death.