Blame it on the Germans . . .

Continuing our (distinctly non-legal) discussion on Catholics and singing, a reader takes issue with the opinion of the reviewer I cited below:

I think he is mistaken regarding the purposes of Catholic liturgical music. Apart from the Kyrie, Catholic liturgical music is oriented toward praise (Gloria, sanctus, benedictus), not some sort of works-oriented atonement theology. 

Further, much of the difference in liturgical/sacred/religious music is cultural and linguistic. The Reformation, as you know, was largely a cultural break as well as a theological one, as the boundary of the Reformation fits nicely with the boundary of the old Roman empire. . . . And sacred music was shaped by the language it was set to. As Latin is orderly, monotonous, and consistent, its music is much the same. However, German is more of an emotionally-charged language with more forceful sounds. Thus, the classic German hymns are a natural outgrowth of the language.

This raises yet another thorny question: Do I love Protestant hymns because I love German drinking songs, or do I love German drinking songs because I love Protestant hymns?

Rob