Hey! I Never Thought About It That Way…

…but when you DO think about it, it’s quite a thought!

I just had a “duh” moment.

I was reading my son’s history lesson (he’s learning about the Renaissance and the Reformation); and the question posed was:

What is Martin Luther’s most famous hymn? How did his teaching influence the world of music?

And I suddenly realized all the magnificent composers that came from Germany!! Think of it– Luther’s hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” is one of my most favorite hymns (I want one of the lines from the song to be engraved on my tombstone– weird to be saying that, but I do). And he was quite a songwriter, I have heard.

But who else is there?

Johann Sebastian Bach- from Germany
Ludwig van Beethoven- from Germany
George Frederick Handel- from Germany
Johann Pachebel- from Germany
Richard Wagner- from Germany
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart- from Austria (near Germany)
Franz Schubert- from Austria
Joseph Hayden- from Austria
Richard Georg Strauss- from Germany
Heinrich Schütz- from Germany
Johannes Brahms- Germany

I think that is mighty cool! This is why I like to homeschool. I like learnng things, still, after all thee years. And just for the record, this is the part of “A Mighty Fortress” that I want on my tombstone:

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

You can read more about Luther’s song, read the lyrics, and hear the song at this website. Be forewarned– the music plays automatically. But it’s nice.

And by the way, the movie “Luther” with Joseph Fiennes is a marvelous movie. We have watched it a dozen times already!