Martin Luther Compare And Contrast Essay

A reformer who sought to change the ways of the Catholic Church was Martin Luther (1483-1546). Instead, he created a new branch of Christianity called Protestantism. He created this branch and also created new music to go along with it. One of his best known chorales is Ein feste Burg est unser Gott (A Mighty Fortress is Our God). This chorale set the framework for his branch of Christianity. The chorale he composed was so well-known that future composers used it in their pieces as well. This includes, but is not limited to: Dietrich Buxtehude, Johann Pachelbel, and Johann Sebastian Bach. Even though the way these composers utilize the chorale is different, they all use it in unique ways to express their artistic abilities and differences. The Reformation was the movement connected to Luther. In 1517, he placed the Ninety-Five Theses on the door of the Wittenberg Castle church. The document consisted of statements that Luther did not
His arrangement of Ein feste Burg est unser Gott shows stylistic similarities to both of these composers. Buxtehude’s arrangement had a lot of ornamentation, similar to Bach’s. Even though Bach had no intention to write ornamentation that had a vocal quality, the ornamentation influence is still apparent. Bach’s ornamentation is far more instrumental with the amount of scalar passages used as well as leaps. Pachelbel’s influence is shown by Bach’s use of the bass voice towards the middle of his work (at measure twenty-one). Half way through Pachelbel’s arrangement, he uses the melody of the chorale as a cantus-firmus. Bach uses this idea, even if it is only for a small portion of his arrangement. However, Bach’s arrangement still holds true to his style. He uses ornamentation to capture the listener to create a grand sound. His blending of Pachelbel and Buxtehude’s influence creates a unique listening experience, but still holds true to his own