Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Germany

Birth

:

November 10, 1483 in Eisleben, Germany

Death

:

February 18, 1546 in Eisleben, Germany

Period

:

Renaissance

 

 

Baroque

Genre

:

Choral

 

Martin Luther was a German composer, theologian, and religious reformer who lived from 1483 to 1546. He is best known for his role in the Protestant Reformation, but he was also a prolific composer of sacred music. Luther was born in Eisleben, Germany, on November 10, 1483. His father, Hans Luther, was a successful copper miner and his mother, Margarethe Luther, was a homemaker. Luther was the second of their seven children. Luther's parents were devout Catholics, and they sent him to school to become a lawyer. However, Luther had a religious experience in 1505 when he was caught in a thunderstorm and vowed to become a monk if he survived. He kept his promise and joined the Augustinian order, where he studied theology and became a priest. Luther's musical talent was evident from an early age. He learned to play the lute and sang in the choir at his local church. While he was a monk, he continued to study music and became proficient in playing the organ. Luther's musical career began in earnest when he became a professor of theology at the University of Wittenberg in 1512. He began to write hymns and set them to music, using simple melodies that could be sung by the congregation. His goal was to make worship more accessible to the common people, who were often illiterate and unable to read the Latin texts of the Catholic Mass. Luther's most famous hymn is "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," which he wrote in 1529. The hymn is based on Psalm 46 and is a celebration of God's power and protection. It has been translated into many languages and is still sung in churches around the world today. In addition to his hymns, Luther also wrote many choral works, including motets and cantatas. His music was influenced by the polyphonic style of the Renaissance, but he also incorporated elements of folk music and popular songs of the day. One of Luther's most famous choral works is the "Deutsche Messe," or German Mass, which he wrote in 1526. The mass was intended to be sung in German rather than Latin, making it more accessible to the common people. It includes hymns, psalms, and other texts set to music, and was a significant departure from the traditional Catholic Mass. Luther's music was not without controversy, however. Some members of the Catholic Church criticized his use of vernacular language in worship, and some Protestant leaders felt that his music was too simple and lacked the complexity of the polyphonic style. Despite these criticisms, Luther's music had a profound impact on the Protestant Reformation and on the development of sacred music in general. His use of simple melodies and vernacular language paved the way for the development of hymnody, and his choral works influenced many composers who came after him. Luther died on February 18, 1546, in Eisleben, Germany. His legacy as a composer and religious reformer continues to be celebrated today, and his music remains an important part of the Protestant worship tradition.

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