Luther wrote this preface to the Waltherschen Chorgesangbüchlein, which was a joint work of Luther and the cantor at the court of Frederick the Wise, Johann Walther, and was published in Wittenberg in 1524. The title of the only known original copy, which contains only the tenor and bass parts, reads: "Geystliche gesangk Buchleyn. Tenor. Wittemberg. M.D.xxiiij. Five parts, according to the five voices, tenor, discantus, altus, bassus and vagans (second tenor). Bassus. Wittemberg. M.D.xxiiij." (Wackernagel "Martin Luthers geistliche Lieder" in the first appendix, p. 83 f.)
Our preface is found in the Wittenberg edition (1569), vol. IX, p. 553; in the Jena edition (1562), vol. VIII, p. 356; in the Eisleben edition, vol. I, p. 186; in the Altenburg edition, vol. II, p. 751; in the Leipzig edition, vol. XXII, appendix, p. 82; in the old Walch edition twice, namely here and vol. X, 1722 and in the Erlanger, vol. 56, p. 296. Since this preface is already included in the tenth volume of the St. Louis edition, Col. 1422, we omit it here. In the heading there (as correctly in the preface to vol. X, Col. 115, § 44), the year 1524 should be set instead of 1525.