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Martin Luther (Hymn-Writer, Composer) |
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Born: 1483 - Eisleben, Saxony, Germany
Died: February 1546 - Eisleben, Saxony, Germany |
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Martin Luther was the son of a mining family of rural origin. He attended the Latin School in Mansfeld from 1488 onwards, continuing his schooling in Magdeburg and later in Eisenach. In 1501 Luther began his studies in Erfurt and intended to become a lawyer.
In 1505, however, he made a decision that changed the course of his life radically: he decided to enter the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt. This decision shaped the rest of his life, and his search for a merciful God and His Will culminated in the development of the Reformation of the Church. Luther's negative personal experiences with the ecclesiastical means of grace resulted in not only increasing criticism of the deplorable state of affairs within the church but above all to a fundamental reconsideration of medieval theology.
His public criticism of the misuse of letters of indulgence in 1517 did not result in the desired discussion but led to the start of a court of inquisition culminating in Luther's excommunication after the Imperial Diet of Worms in 1521. Friedrich the Wise organized a "kidnapping" to protect Martin Luther's life. Luther spent almost a year as Knight George on the Wartburg, where he translated the new testament into German.
Luther's most obvious break with his monk's vows ensued when he married the former nun Katharina von Bora in June 1525. The basic unit of the protestant parish house had been born. After the Peasants' War in 1525, which Luther had disapproved of, the Reformer promoted the development of the protestant territorial church through visitations and church policies.
He died in Eisleben, the town of his birth. By order of the Elector Luther was buried in the Castle Church in Wittenberg.
With his translation of the Bible into German Martin Luther attained permanent fame as far as a unification of the German language was concerned. Today some 70 million believers on all five continents are members of the Lutheran Church. |
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Source: Lutherstadt Wittenberg Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (May 2003) |
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Martin Luther : Short Biography | Martin Luther and Bach |
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Texts of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works |
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BWV 2, BWV 4, BWV 6, BWV 7, BWV 14, BWV 16, BWV 36, BWV 38, BWV 42, BWV 59, BWV 61, BWV 62, BWV 64, BWV 69, BWV 76, BWV 80, BWV 80a, BWV 80b, BWV 83, BWV 91, BWV 95, BWV 106, BWV 119, BWV 120, BWV 120b, BWV 121, BWV 125, BWV 126, BWV 158, BWV 169, BWV 190, BWV 190a, BWV 197, BWV 226, BWV 248/1, BWV 248/3, BWV Anh 163, BWV Anh 199 |
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Chorale Texts used in Bach’s Vocal Works |
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Title |
Year |
EKG |
Zahn |
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Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein |
1523-1524 |
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Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr (adaptation of Nikolaus Decius' original text) |
1525 |
131 |
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Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (Psalm 130) |
1524 |
195 |
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Christ ist erstanden |
1533 |
75 |
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Christ lag in Todesbanden |
1524 |
76 |
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Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam |
1524-1541 |
146 |
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Christum wir sollen loben schon |
1524 |
- |
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Die Litanei |
1528 |
138 |
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Es woll uns Gott genädig sein |
1524 |
182 |
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Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ |
1524 |
15 |
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Herr Gott, dich loben wir [The German Tedeum] |
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137 |
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Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der den Tod überwand |
1529 |
77 |
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Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott (verses 2-3) |
1524 |
98 |
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Mit Fried und Freud |
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310 |
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Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland |
1524 |
1 |
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Vater unser im Himmelreich |
1539 |
241 |
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Wär Gott nicht mit uns diese Zeit |
1524 |
192 |
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Chorale Melodies used in Bach’s Vocal Works |
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Title |
Year |
EKG |
Zahn |
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Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir (I) |
1524 |
185 |
4437 |
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Christ ist erstanden (with the help of Johann Walter) |
1533 |
75 |
8584 |
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Christ lag in Todesbanden |
1524 |
76 |
7012a |
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Die Litanei |
1528 |
138 |
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Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ |
1524 |
15 |
1947 |
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Herr Gott, dich loben wir [The German Tedeum] |
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137 |
8652 |
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Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, der den Tod überwand |
1529 |
77 |
1978 |
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Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin |
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310 |
3986 |
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Vater unser im Himmelreich |
1539 |
241 |
2561 |
