Christ lag in Todesbanden

Christ lag in Todesbanden. Martin Luther* (1483-1546). First published in Eyn Enchiridion oder Handbuchlein (Erfurt, 1524), and probably written in that year. It was entitled ‘Der Lobesang Christ ist erstanden, Gebessert’, and had seven 7-line stanzas. All seven are found in EG (EG 101), with the addition of ‘Alleluja’, as in some of the early texts (see Wackernagel, Das Deutsche Kirchenlied, III. 12; Jenny, Luthers geistliche Lieder, no 12, pp. 195-6). The reference to ‘Christ ist erstanden’* in the title is to the early German Leise*, found in various versions (see DDK, II. 43-44) dating from the 12th century. This was a Leise that Luther greatly loved. However, his hymn is actually less...