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{{short description|Hymn by Martin Luther}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox musical composition {{Infobox musical composition
| name = "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" | name = {{lang|de|Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott|italic=no}}
| type = ] | type = ]
| image = Luther's Ein Feste Burg.jpg | image = Walter Ein feste manuscript folio 154v.jpg
| alt = | alt =
| caption = "Ein feste Burg" with Luther's signature | caption = Walter's manuscript copy of "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott"
| key = ]/]
| catalogue = ] 7377
| native_name_lang = de | native_name_lang = de
| composer = | composer =
| text = by ] | text = by ]
| language = German | language = German
| written = {{circa|{{Start date|df=yes|1529}}}} | written = {{circa|{{Start date|df=yes|1529}}}}
| based_on = ] | based_on = ]
| melody = "Ein feste Burg" {{nowrap|by Martin Luther}} | meter = 8.7.8.7.6.6.6.6.7
| melody = by Martin Luther
| published = {{circa|{{Start date|df=yes|1531}}}} (extant) | published = {{circa|{{Start date|df=yes|1531}}}} (extant)
| misc = {{Audio|Ein feste Burg 1529 (EG 362).mid|Audio}} | misc = {{Audio|Ein feste Burg 1529 (EG 362).mid|Audio}}
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| text = by ] (translator) | text = by ] (translator)
| written = {{Start date|1853}} | written = {{Start date|1853}}
| misc =
]
]
]
}} }}

"'''A Mighty Fortress Is Our God'''" (German: "'''Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott'''") is one of the best known ]s by the ] ], a prolific ]. Luther wrote the words and composed the ] sometime between 1527 and 1529.<ref name=Julian>], ed., <cite>''A Dictionary of Hymnology: Setting forth the Origin and History of Christian Hymns of all Ages and Nations''</cite>, Second revised edition, 2 vols., n.p., 1907, reprint, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1957, 1:322–25</ref> It has been translated into English at least seventy times and also into many other languages.<ref name=Julian/><ref>W. G. Polack, <cite>''The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal''</cite>, Third and Revised Edition (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1958), 193, No. 262.</ref> The words are a paraphrase of ].<ref name=Stulken>Marilyn Kay Stulken, <cite>''Hymnal Companion to the Lutheran Book of Worship''</cite> (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1981), 307–08, nos. 228–229.</ref>
"'''A Mighty Fortress Is Our God'''" (originally written in German with the title "'''{{lang|de|Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott|italic=no}}'''") is one of the best known ]s by the ] ], a prolific ]. Luther wrote the words and composed the ] between 1527 and 1529.<ref name=Julian>], ed., ''A Dictionary of Hymnology: Setting forth the Origin and History of Christian Hymns of All Ages and Nations'', Second revised edition, 2 vols., n.p., 1907, reprint, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1957, 1:322–25</ref> It has been translated into English at least seventy times and also into many other languages.<ref name=Julian/><ref>W. G. Polack, ''The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal'', Third and Revised Edition (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1958), 193, No. 262.</ref> The words are mostly original, although the first line paraphrases that of ].<ref name=Stulken>Marilyn Kay Stulken, ''Hymnal Companion to the Lutheran Book of Worship'' (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1981), 307–08, nos. 228–229.</ref>


== History == == History ==
"A Mighty Fortress" is one of the best known hymns of the ] tradition, and among ] more generally. It has been called the "Battle Hymn of the ]" for the effect it had in increasing the support for the Reformers' cause. ] records four theories of its origin:<ref name=Julian />
]
"A Mighty Fortress" is one of the best loved hymns of the ] tradition and among ] more generally. It has been called the "Battle Hymn of the ]" for the effect it had in increasing the support for the Reformers' cause. ] records four theories of its origin:<ref name=Julian />


* ]: "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" was sung by Luther and his companions as they entered ] on 16 April 1521 for the ]; * ]: "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" was sung by Luther and his companions as they entered ] on 16 April 1521 for the ];
* K. F. T. Schneider: it was a tribute to Luther's friend Leonhard Kaiser, who was executed on 16 August 1527; * K. F. T. Schneider: it was a tribute to Luther's friend ], who was executed on 16 August 1527;
* ]: it was sung by the German Lutheran princes as they entered Augsburg for the Diet in 1530 at which the ] was presented; and * ]: it was sung by the German Lutheran princes as they entered Augsburg for the ], at which the ] was presented; and
* the view that it was composed in connection with the ] at which the German Lutheran princes lodged their protest to ] ], who wanted to enforce his 1521 ]. * Some scholars believe that Luther composed it in connection with the ], at which the German Lutheran princes lodged their protest to ] ], who wanted to enforce his 1521 ].


Alternatively, ] writes that the hymn "began as a martial song to inspire soldiers against the ] forces" during the ].<ref>{{cite book |title= A History of Modern Europe: From the Renaissance to the Age of Napoleon |last= Merriman |first= John |authorlink= John M. Merriman |year= 2010 |volume= 1| edition= 3 |publisher= W. W. Norton & Company |location= New York |isbn= 978-0-393-93384-0 |page= 101}}</ref> Alternatively, ] writes that the hymn "began as a martial song to inspire soldiers against the ] forces" during the ].<ref>{{cite book |title= A History of Modern Europe: From the Renaissance to the Age of Napoleon |last= Merriman |first= John |author-link= John M. Merriman |year= 2010 |volume= 1 |edition= 3 |publisher= W. W. Norton & Company |location= New York |isbn= 978-0-393-93384-0 |page= |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/historyofmoderne00john/page/101 }}</ref>


The earliest extant hymnal in which it appears is that of Andrew Rauscher (1531), but it is supposed to have been in Joseph Klug's Wittenberg hymnal of 1529, of which no copy exists. Its title was ''Der xxxxvi. Psalm. Deus noster refugium et virtus''.<ref name=Julian/> Before that it is supposed to have appeared in the Hans Weiss Wittenberg hymnal of 1528, also lost.<ref>Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut Lehmann, eds., ''Luther's Works'', 55 vols. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House; Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1957–1986), 53:283.</ref> This evidence would support its being written in 1527–1529, since Luther's hymns were printed shortly after they were written. The earliest extant hymnal in which it appears is that of Andrew Rauscher (1531). It is believed to have been included in Joseph Klug's Wittenberg hymnal of 1529, of which no copy remains. Its title was {{lang|la|Der xxxxvi. Psalm. Deus noster refugium et virtus}}.<ref name=Julian/> Before that it is believed to have appeared in Hans Weiss Wittenberg's hymnal of 1528, also lost.<ref>Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut Lehmann, eds., ''Luther's Works'', 55 vols. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House; Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1957–1986), 53:283.</ref> This evidence supports Luther having written it between 1527 and 1529, because Luther's hymns were printed shortly after he wrote them.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

==Tune==
]
]
Luther composed the melody, named {{lang|de|Ein feste Burg}} from the text's first line, in ] 87.87.55.56.7 (]&nbsp;7377a). This is sometimes denoted "rhythmic tune" to distinguish it from the later isometric variant, in 87.87.66.66.7-meter (Zahn No.&nbsp;7377d), which is more widely known and used in Christendom.<ref>Cf. The Commission on Worship of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, ''Lutheran Worship'', (St. Louis: CPH, 1982), 992, 997.</ref><ref>{{cite book
| last1 = Zahn
| first1 = Johannes
| author-link1= Johannes Zahn
| date = 1891
| title = ]
| volume = IV
| location = Gütersloh
| publisher = ]
| language = de
| pages = –
}}</ref> In 1906 Edouard Rœhrich wrote, "The authentic form of this melody differs very much from that which one sings in most Protestant churches and figures in (]'s) '']''. ... The original melody is {{em|extremely rhythmic}}, by the way it bends to all the nuances of the text ..."<ref>E. Rœhrich, ''Les Origines du Choral Luthérien''. (Paris: Librairie Fischbacher, 1906), 23 (italics original): "La forme authentique de cette mélodie diffère beaucoup de celle qu'on chante dans la plupart des Églises protestantes et qui figure dans les ''Huguenots''". ... La mélodie originelle est {{em|puissamment rythmée}}, de manière à se plier à toutes les nuances du texte ..."</ref>

While 19th-century ]s disputed Luther's authorship of the music to the hymn, that opinion has been modified by more recent research; it is now the consensus view of musical scholars that Luther did indeed compose the famous tune to go with the words.{{Citation needed|date=August 2013}}


== Lyrics ==
The song was used like an anthem by ] during the ].
These are the original German lyrics by Martin Luther.
==Lyrics==
{{Poemquote|text=Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott,
]
ein gute Wehr und Waffen;
German lyrics with ] translation:<ref>Charles Seymour Robinson (editor). A.&nbsp;S. Barnes, 1876, </ref>
er hilft uns frei aus aller Not,
{{Verse translation |lang=de|
Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott,
ein gute Wehr und Waffen.
Er hilft uns frei aus aller Not,
die uns jetzt hat betroffen. die uns jetzt hat betroffen.
Der alt böse Feind Der alt böse Feind,
mit Ernst er's jetzt meint, mit Ernst er's jetzt meint,
groß Macht und viel List groß Macht und viel List
sein grausam Rüstung ist, sein grausam Rüstung ist,
auf Erd ist nicht seins gleichen. auf Erd ist nicht seins gleichen.

&nbsp;&nbsp;
Mit unsrer Macht ist nichts getan, Mit unsrer Macht ist nichts getan,
wir sind gar bald verloren; wir sind gar bald verloren;
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und ist kein andrer Gott, und ist kein andrer Gott,
das Feld muss er behalten. das Feld muss er behalten.

&nbsp;&nbsp;
Und wenn die Welt voll Teufel wär Und wenn die Welt voll Teufel wär
und wollt uns gar verschlingen, und wollt uns gar verschlingen,
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das macht, er ist gericht': das macht, er ist gericht':
ein Wörtlein kann ihn fällen. ein Wörtlein kann ihn fällen.

&nbsp;&nbsp;
Das Wort sie sollen lassen stahn Das Wort sie sollen lassen stahn
und kein' Dank dazu haben; und kein' Dank dazu haben;
Line 79: Line 102:
lass fahren dahin, lass fahren dahin,
sie haben's kein' Gewinn, sie haben's kein' Gewinn,
das Reich muss uns doch bleiben. das Reich muss uns doch bleiben.}}
|
A mighty fortress is our God,
&nbsp;&nbsp;A bulwark never failing:
Our helper He, amid the flood
&nbsp;&nbsp;Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work his woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
&nbsp;&nbsp;On earth is not his equal.
&nbsp;&nbsp;
Did we in our own strength confide,
&nbsp;&nbsp;Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
&nbsp;&nbsp;The Man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth is his name,
From age to age the same,
&nbsp;&nbsp;And He must win the battle.
&nbsp;&nbsp;
And though this world, with devils filled,
&nbsp;&nbsp;Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
&nbsp;&nbsp;His truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,—
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For lo! His doom is sure,—
&nbsp;&nbsp;One little word shall fell him.
&nbsp;&nbsp;
That word above all earthly powers—
&nbsp;&nbsp;No thanks to them—abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
&nbsp;&nbsp;Through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also:
The body they may kill:
God's truth abideth still,
&nbsp;&nbsp;His kingdom is for ever.
}}


=== English translation ===
==Tune==
These are the lyrics to a common English translation of the hymn.<ref>{{Cite book |title=] |publisher=] |year= |publication-date=1 September 2006 |pages=656 |language=en}}</ref>
]
]
Luther composed the melody, named "Ein feste Burg" from the text's first line, in ] 87.87.55.56.7. This is sometimes denoted "rhythmic tune" to distinguish it from the later isometric variant, in 87.87.66.66.7-meter, which is more widely known and used in Christendom.<ref>Cf. The Commission on Worship of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, ''Lutheran Worship'', (St. Louis: CPH, 1982), 992, 997.</ref> In 1906 Edouard Rœhrich wrote, "The authentic form of this melody differs very much from that which one sings in most Protestant churches and figures in (]'s) '']''. ... The original melody is {{em|extremely rhythmic}}, by the way it bends to all the nuances of the text ..."<ref>E. Rœhrich, ''Les Origines du Choral Luthérien''. (Paris: Librairie Fischbacher, 1906), 23 (italics original): "La forme authentique de cette mélodie diffère beaucoup de celle qu'on chante dans la plupart des Églises protestantes et qui figure dans les ''Huguenots''". ... La mélodie originelle est {{em|puissamment rythmée}}, de manière à se plier à toutes les nuances du texte ..."</ref>


{{Poemquote|text=A mighty fortress is our God,
While 19th-century ]s disputed Luther's authorship of the music to the hymn, that opinion has been modified by more recent research; it is now the consensus view of musical scholars that Luther did indeed compose the famous tune to go with the words.{{Citation needed|date=August 2013}}
A mighty shield and weapon;
He helps us free from ev'ry need
That hath us now o'ertaken.
The old evil foe
Now means deadly woe;
Deep guile and great might
Are his dread arms in fight;
On earth is not his equal.

With might of ours can naught be done,
Soon our loss effected;
But for us fights the valiant One,
Whom God Himself elected.
Ask ye, Who is this?
Jesus Christ it is,
Of Sabaoth Lord,
And there's none other God;
He holds the field forever.

Though devils all the world should fill,
All eager to devour us,
We tremble not, we fear no ill;
They shall not overpow'r us.
This world's prince may still
Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none.
He's judged; the deed is done;
One little word can fell him.

The Word they still shall let remain
Nor any thanks have for it;
He's by our side upon the plain
With His good gifts and Spirit.
And take they our life,
Goods, fame, child, and wife,
Though these all be gone,
our vict'ry has been won;
The Kingdom ours remaineth.|source=}}

=== Lutheran Book of Worship translation ===
These are the lyrics of the hymn from the 1978 translation from the ].<ref>{{Cite book |title=] |publisher=] |publication-date=1 September 2006 |pages=657 |language=en}}</ref>

{{Poemquote|text=A mighty fortress is our God,
A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks the cruel oppressor's rod
And wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe
Has sworn to work us woe.
With craft and dreadful might
He arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.

No strength of ours can match his might
We would be lost, rejected.
But now a champion comes to fight,
Whom God Himself elected.
You ask who this may be?
The Lord of hosts is He,
Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,
God's only Son, adored.
He holds the field victorious.

Though hordes of devils fill the land
All threat'ning to devour us,
We tremble not, unmoved we stand;
They cannot overpow'r us.
Let this world's tyrant rage;
In battle we'll engage.
His might is doomed to fail;
God's judgement must prevail!
One little word subdues him.

God's Word forever shall abide,
No thanks to foes, who fear it;
For God Himself fights by our side
With weapons of the Spirit.
Were they to take our house,
Goods, honor, child, or spouse,
Though life be wrenched away,
They cannot win the day.
The Kingdom's ours forever!}}


== Reception == == Reception ==
] wrote in his 1834 essay {{lang|de|]}}, a history of emancipation in Germany beginning with the ], that {{lang|de|Ein feste Burg}} was the ] of the Reformation.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia
Tradition states that the sixth Lutheran ], ], had it played as his forces went to battle in the ]. The hymn had been translated into Swedish already in 1536, presumably by ], with the ], "Vår Gud är oss en väldig borg".<ref>''Psalmer och sånger'' (Örebro: Libris; Stockholm: Verbum, 1987), Item 237, which uses ]'s 1816 revision of the translation attributed to Petri. The first line is "Vår Gud är oss en väldig borg."</ref> In the late 19th century the song also became an anthem of the early ].
| last = Goetschel
| first = Willi
| url = http://german.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/15_HEINE_HISTORY.PDF
| title = Zur Geschichte der Religion und Philosophie in Deutschland
| encyclopedia = The Literary Encyclopedia
| publisher = ]
| date = 28 January 2007
}}</ref> This "imagery of battle" is also present in some translations, such as that of Thomas Carlyle (which begins "A safe stronghold our God is still").<ref>{{cite book |last1=Watson |first1=J. R. |title=An Annotated Anthology of Hymns |date=2002 |publisher=OUP Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-826973-1 |page=67 |language=en}}</ref> In Germany, "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" was historically also used as a patriotic paean, which is why it was regularly sung at nationalistic events such as the ] in 1817.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.luther2017.de/145-lutherchoral-ein-feste-burg-anklaenge-von-religion-nation-und-krieg |title=Lutherchoral 'Ein feste Burg' – Religion, Nation, Krieg |language=de |publisher=Luther2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226094951/http://www.luther2017.de/145-lutherchoral-ein-feste-burg-anklaenge-von-religion-nation-und-krieg |archive-date=26 December 2013 }}</ref> This patriotic undertone of the hymn emanates from its importance for the Reformation in general, which was regarded by the ] not only as a religious but as a national movement delivering Germany from ] oppression.<ref>James R. Payton Jr., ''Getting the Reformation Wrong. Correcting Some Misunderstandings'', page 82.</ref> Furthermore, the last line of the fourth stanza of the German text, "Das Reich muss uns doch bleiben," which is generally translated into English as "The Kingdom's ours forever," referring to the Kingdom of God, may also be interpreted as meaning the ] must remain with the Germans.


The song is reported to have been used as a battle anthem during the ] by forces under ], Lutheran ]. This idea was exploited by some 19th-century poets, such as ], although there exists no primary source which supports this.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Loewe |first1=Andreas |last2=Firth |first2=Katherine |title=Martin Luther's "Mighty Fortress" |journal=] |date=8 June 2018 |volume=32 |issue=2 |pages=125–145 |doi=10.1353/lut.2018.0029 |s2cid=195008166 |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/696466 |language=en |issn=2470-5616}}</ref> The hymn had been translated into Swedish already in 1536, presumably by ], with the ], "Vår Gud är oss en väldig borg".<ref>''Psalmer och sånger'' (Örebro: Libris; Stockholm: Verbum, 1987), Item 237, which uses ]'s 1816 revision of the translation attributed to Petri. The first line is "Vår Gud är oss en väldig borg."</ref> In the late 19th century the song also became an anthem of the early ].
The hymn's enduring popularity in ] has breached boundaries set in the Reformation as it is now a suggested hymn for ]es.<ref></ref> It currently appears in the second edition of the ''Catholic Book of Worship'', published by the ], though its adoption is not without controversy.{{Citation needed|date=June 2013}}


In addition to being consistently popular throughout ] in Protestant hymnbooks, it is now a suggested hymn for ]es in the U.S.,<ref></ref> and appears in the ''Catholic Book of Worship'' published by the Canadian Catholic Conference in 1972.<ref> hymnary.org</ref> The eventful history and reception of ''A Mighty Fortress Is Our God'' has been presented interactively in ] revamped permanent exhibition since 2022.<ref>, ], May 10, 2022 (retrieved May 23, 2022).</ref>
In Germany, "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" was historically also used as a patriotic paean, which is why it was regularly sung at nationalistic events such as the ] in 1817.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.luther2017.de/145-lutherchoral-ein-feste-burg-anklaenge-von-religion-nation-und-krieg |title=Lutherchoral 'Ein feste Burg' – Religion, Nation, Krieg |language=de |publisher=Luther2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226094951/http://www.luther2017.de/145-lutherchoral-ein-feste-burg-anklaenge-von-religion-nation-und-krieg |archivedate=26 December 2013 }}</ref> This patriotic undertone of the hymn emanates from its importance for the Reformation in general, which was regarded by the ] not only as a religious but as a national movement delivering Germany from ] oppression.<ref>James R. Payton Jr., ''Getting the Reformation Wrong. Correcting Some Misunderstandings'', page 82.</ref> Furthermore, the last line of the fourth stanza of the German text reads: "Das Reich muss uns doch bleiben", which is generally translated into English as "The Kingdom must remain ours" whilst it may also be interpreted as meaning: the ] must remain with the Germans.


=== English translations === === English translations ===
The first English translation is by ] in 1539 with the title, "Oure God is a defence and towre". The first English translation in "common usage" was "God is our Refuge in Distress, Our strong Defence" in J.C. Jacobi's <cite>''Psal. Ger.''</cite>, 1722, p.&nbsp;83.<ref name=Julian/> The first English translation was by ] in 1539 with the title, "Oure God is a defence and towre". The first English translation in "common usage" was "God is our Refuge in Distress, Our strong Defence" in J.C. Jacobi's ''Psal. Ger.'', 1722, p.&nbsp;83.<ref name=Julian/>


An English version less literal in translation but more popular among Protestant denominations outside Lutheranism is "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing", translated by Frederick H. Hedge in 1853; this version is the one included in the ]. Another popular English translation is by ] and begins "A safe stronghold our God is still". An English version less literal in translation but more popular among Protestant denominations outside Lutheranism is "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing", translated by Frederick H. Hedge in 1853. Another popular English translation is by ] and begins "A safe stronghold our God is still".


Most North American ] churches have not historically used either the Hedge or Carlyle translations. Traditionally, the most commonly used translation in Lutheran congregations is a composite translation from the 1868 ''Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book'' ("A mighty fortress is our God, a trusty shield and weapon"). In more recent years a new translation completed for the 1978 '']'' ("A mighty fortress is our God, a sword and shield victorious") has also gained significant popularity. Most North American ] churches have not historically used either the Hedge or Carlyle translations. Traditionally, the most commonly used translation in Lutheran congregations is a composite translation from the 1868 ''Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book'' ("A mighty fortress is our God, a trusty shield and weapon"). In more recent years a new translation completed for the 1978 '']'' ("A mighty fortress is our God, a sword and shield victorious") has also gained significant popularity.
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| filename=A mighty fortress (Bass vocals).ogg | filename=A mighty fortress (Bass vocals).ogg
| title="A Mighty Fortress" sung in English | title="A Mighty Fortress" sung in English
| description="A Mighty Fortress is Our God" – F.H. Hedge (English) translation | description="A Mighty Fortress is Our God" – F. H. Hedge (English) translation
| filename2=Ein' Feste Burg.ogg | filename2=Ein' Feste Burg.ogg
| title2="Ein feste Burg" sung in German | title2="Ein feste Burg" sung in German
| description2=The German text of "Ein feste Burg" sung to the isometric, more widely known arrangement of its traditional melody. | description2=The German text of "Ein feste Burg" sung to the isometric, more widely known arrangement of its traditional melody.
}} }}
The hymn has been used by numerous composers, including ]. There is a version for organ, BWV 720, written early in his career, possibly for the organ at ], ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ein Feste Burg |url=https://www.bachvereniging.nl/en/bwv/bwv-720/ |access-date=18 December 2022 |website=All of Bach}}</ref>
The hymn has been used by numerous composers, including ] as the source for his ] ]. Bach set the tune twice in his ''Choralgesänge'' (''Choral Hymns''), BWV 302 and BWV 303 (for four voices). He used strains of the tune in his '']''. There is a version for organ, Chorale Prelude BWV 720, written by Bach for the organ at ]. Two orchestrations of Bach's settings were made by conductors ] and ]. ] also wrote an organ chorale setting (BuxWV 184), as did ]. ] used the melody in his '']'', which is probably wrong attribution.<ref>Not in Handels ''Solomon'' (1749): ], in his liner notes to his 1984 recording of the oratorio, stated the usage of the melody in No. 56, the double chorus "Praise the Lord". It is however another melody by Martin Luther: a passage from the Sanctus of the German Mass (Deutsche Messe) "Holy is God, the Lord Zebaoth" ("Heilig ist Gott, der Herre Zabaoth") See also http://www.credenda.org/archive/issues/15-2musica.php{{dead link|date=October 2017}}</ref> And ] also made a choral arrangement of this hymn.
He used the hymn as the basis of his ] ] written for a celebration of ]. Bach also set the tune twice in his ''Choralgesänge'' (''Choral Hymns''), BWV 302 and BWV 303 (for four voices). Two orchestrations of Bach's settings were made by conductors ] and ]. ] also wrote an organ chorale setting (BuxWV 184), as did ]. ] used fragments of the melody in his oratorio '']''.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}<!-- the original statement given as reference for this was: ], in his liner notes to his 1984 recording of the oratorio, mentions the usage of the melody in No. 56, the double chorus "Praise the Lord". This should be verified by someone who has either A) the liner notes for said recording B) another qualified source on the matter--> ] also made a choral arrangement of this hymn and prominently used an extract of the verses beginning ''Mit unsrer Macht ist nichts getan'' in his famous ''Donnerode''.


] used it as the theme for the fourth and final movement of his ], Op. 107 (1830), which he named ''Reformation'' in honor of the Reformation started by Luther. ] wrote an Overture (for orchestra), ''Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott'', Op. 127. ] ] it in his five-act grand opera '']'' (1836),{{cn|date=November 2017}} and ] used it as a "motive" in his "Kaisermarsch" ("Emperor's March"), which was composed to commemorate the return of ] from the ] in 1871.<ref name=Julian /><ref name=Stulken /> Two organ settings were written by ]; his chorale fantasia ], and a much shorter chorale prelude as No. 6 of his ], in 1902. ] quoted the theme in his suite for piano duet, ''En blanc et noir''.{{cn|date=November 2017}} ] quoted the melody in his ''Finnish Fantasy'', Op. 88, along with several Finnish folk tunes.{{cn|date=November 2017}} ] used it as the theme for the fourth and final movement of his ], Op. 107 (1830), which he named ''Reformation'' in honor of the Reformation started by Luther; ] wrote an Overture (for orchestra), ''Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott'', Op. 127; ] quoted the hymn in his "Zur Reformationsfeier" Overture Op. 191; ] ] it in his five-act grand opera '']'' (1836); ] wrote an impromptu on this theme for pedal piano (in E♭ major Op. 69, 1866);
and ] used it as a "motive" in his "Kaisermarsch" ("Emperor's March"), which was composed to commemorate the return of ] from the ] in 1871.<ref name=Julian /><ref name=Stulken /> Two organ settings were written by ]: his chorale fantasia ], and a much shorter chorale prelude as No. 6 of his ], in 1902. ] quoted the theme in his suite for piano duet, '']''.<ref name="Laki">{{cite web
| last = Laki
| first = Peter
| url = https://www.kennedy-center.org/artist/composition/5401
| title = En Blanc et Noir / About the Work
| website = ]
| access-date = 7 November 2019
}}</ref> ] quoted the melody in his ''Finnish Fantasy'', Op. 88.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tracing Martin Luther's great hymn through musical history|publisher= Gramophone|date=November 29, 2017|language=en|url= https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/playlist-influential-ein-feste-burg}}</ref>


] used the tune in his score for the film '']'', used most obviously when the German U-boat surfaces in Hudson Bay shortly after the beginning of the film.{{cn|date=November 2017}} ] wrote an organ chorale setting "Ein feste Burg" as part of his Ten Chorale Preludes, Op. 69, published in 1949. More recently it has been used by band composers to great effect in pieces such as ''Psalm 46'' by ] and ''The Holy War'' by ].{{cn|date=November 2017}} The hymn also features in ''Luther'', an opera by Kari Tikka that premiered in 2000.<ref></ref><ref>Volker Tarnow. "Luther lebt: Deutsche Momente" in '']'', 5 October 2004</ref> ] used the tune in his score for the film '']'', most obviously when the German U-boat surfaces in Hudson Bay shortly after the beginning of the film.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} ] wrote an organ chorale setting "Ein feste Burg" as part of his Ten Chorale Preludes, Op. 69, published in 1949. More recently it has been used by band composers to great effect in pieces such as ''Psalm 46'' by ] and ''The Holy War'' by ].{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} The hymn also features in ''Luther'', an opera by Kari Tikka that premiered in 2000.<ref></ref><ref>Volker Tarnow. "Luther lebt: Deutsche Momente" in '']'', 5 October 2004</ref> It has also been used by African-American composer ] in his 1979 work ''Gay Guerrilla'', composed for an undefined number of instruments and familiar in its recorded version for 4 pianos. Eastman's use of the hymn can arguably be seen as simultaneously a claim for inclusion in the tradition of "classical" composition, as well as a subversion of that very same tradition.<ref>Ryan Dohoney, "A Flexible Musical Identity: Julius Eastman in New York City, 1976-90," in ''Gay Guerrilla'', ed. Renée Levine Packer and Mary Jane Leach (Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press, 2015), 123.</ref>

] quoted the hymn, paraphrased as "Ein feste Burg ist unser Bach", in his oratorio '']'', which tells ] life and was composed for the tricentenary of Bach's birth in 1985. ] composed a concertato on the hymn using organ, assembly, trumpet, and tambourine, the only such composition by a female composer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nancy M Raabe, Choral Octavos and Vocal Solos |url=http://nancyraabe.com/choralandvocal.html |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=nancyraabe.com}}</ref>


== See also == == See also ==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
* ] * ]
* ]


==References== ==References==
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==Bibliography== ==Bibliography==


* Commission on Worship of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. <cite>''Lutheran Worship''</cite>. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1982. ISBN * Commission on Worship of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. ''Lutheran Worship''. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1982. ISBN
* ], ed. <cite>''A Dictionary of Hymnology: Setting forth the Origin and History of Christian Hymns of all Ages and Nations''</cite>. Second revised edition. 2 vols. n.p., 1907. Reprint, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1957. * ], ed. ''A Dictionary of Hymnology: Setting forth the Origin and History of Christian Hymns of all Ages and Nations''. Second revised edition. 2 vols. n.p., 1907. Reprint, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1957.
* Pelikan, Jaroslav and Lehmann, Helmut, eds. <cite>''Luther's Works''</cite>. Vol. 53, <cite>''Liturgy and Hymns''</cite>. St. Louis, Concordia Publishing House, 1965. {{ISBN|0-8006-0353-2}}. * Pelikan, Jaroslav and Lehmann, Helmut, eds. ''Luther's Works''. Vol. 53, ''Liturgy and Hymns''. St. Louis, Concordia Publishing House, 1965. {{ISBN|0-8006-0353-2}}.
* Polack, W. G. <cite>''The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal''</cite>. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942. * Polack, W. G. ''The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal''. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942.
* Rœhrich, E. <cite>''Les Origines du Choral Luthérien''</cite>. Paris: Librairie Fischbacher, 1906. * Rœhrich, E. ''Les Origines du Choral Luthérien''. Paris: Librairie Fischbacher, 1906.
* Stulken, Marilyn Kay. <cite>''Hymnal Companion to the Lutheran Book of Worship''</cite>. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1981. * Stulken, Marilyn Kay. ''Hymnal Companion to the Lutheran Book of Worship''. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1981.


==External links== ==External links==
{{Wikisourcelang|de|Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott}} {{Wikisourcelang|de|Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott}}
{{Wikisource|A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Hedge)|F. H. Hedge translation}} {{Wikisource|A Mighty Fortress Is Our God}}
{{Wikisource|A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Lutheran Church Book)|1868 Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book}}
{{commons category|Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott}} {{commons category|Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott}}
* {{DNB portal|4327122-4|TYP=Literature about|NAME=Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott}}
*{{IMSLP|work=Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (Luther, Martin)|cname="Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" (Martin Luther)}} *{{IMSLP|work=Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (Luther, Martin)|cname="Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" (Martin Luther)}}
* sung by the ] (in German)
*
* sung by the ]
*
* sung in the original rhythm (Evangelische Landeskirche in Württemberg) (in German)
*
*
* sung by Austria's Daniela Stieb (in German)
* {{librivox book | title=A Mighty Fortress is Our God | author=Martin Luther}}

=== Other versions ===
*
*


{{Lutheran hymns with English texts}}
{{Hymns and songs based on Psalms}}
{{Martin Luther}} {{Martin Luther}}
{{Lutheran hymns}} {{German Lutheran hymns}}
{{Hymn tunes by Zahn number}}
{{Portal bar|Christian music|Lutheranism}}

{{Authority control}} {{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Mighty Fortress Is Our God, A}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Mighty Fortress Is Our God, A}}
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Latest revision as of 15:15, 20 October 2024

Hymn by Martin Luther

Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
Hymn by Martin Luther
Walter's manuscript copy of "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott"
KeyC major/D major
CatalogueZahn 7377
Writtenc. 1529 (1529)
Textby Martin Luther
LanguageGerman
Based onPsalm 46
Meter8.7.8.7.6.6.6.6.7
Melodyby Martin Luther
Publishedc. 1531 (1531) (extant)
Audio
"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"
Written1853 (1853)
Textby Frederick H. Hedge (translator)
Melody version of the first printing
Later form

"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (originally written in German with the title "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott") is one of the best known hymns by the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther, a prolific hymnwriter. Luther wrote the words and composed the hymn tune between 1527 and 1529. It has been translated into English at least seventy times and also into many other languages. The words are mostly original, although the first line paraphrases that of Psalm 46.

History

"A Mighty Fortress" is one of the best known hymns of the Lutheran tradition, and among Protestants more generally. It has been called the "Battle Hymn of the Reformation" for the effect it had in increasing the support for the Reformers' cause. John Julian records four theories of its origin:

Alternatively, John M. Merriman writes that the hymn "began as a martial song to inspire soldiers against the Ottoman forces" during the Ottoman wars in Europe.

The earliest extant hymnal in which it appears is that of Andrew Rauscher (1531). It is believed to have been included in Joseph Klug's Wittenberg hymnal of 1529, of which no copy remains. Its title was Der xxxxvi. Psalm. Deus noster refugium et virtus. Before that it is believed to have appeared in Hans Weiss Wittenberg's hymnal of 1528, also lost. This evidence supports Luther having written it between 1527 and 1529, because Luther's hymns were printed shortly after he wrote them.

Tune

"A Mighty Fortress", isometric tune
Organ setting of the isometric tune

Luther composed the melody, named Ein feste Burg from the text's first line, in meter 87.87.55.56.7 (Zahn No. 7377a). This is sometimes denoted "rhythmic tune" to distinguish it from the later isometric variant, in 87.87.66.66.7-meter (Zahn No. 7377d), which is more widely known and used in Christendom. In 1906 Edouard Rœhrich wrote, "The authentic form of this melody differs very much from that which one sings in most Protestant churches and figures in (Giacomo Meyerbeer's) The Huguenots. ... The original melody is extremely rhythmic, by the way it bends to all the nuances of the text ..."

While 19th-century musicologists disputed Luther's authorship of the music to the hymn, that opinion has been modified by more recent research; it is now the consensus view of musical scholars that Luther did indeed compose the famous tune to go with the words.

Lyrics

These are the original German lyrics by Martin Luther.

Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott,
ein gute Wehr und Waffen;
er hilft uns frei aus aller Not,
die uns jetzt hat betroffen.
Der alt böse Feind,
mit Ernst er's jetzt meint,
groß Macht und viel List
sein grausam Rüstung ist,
auf Erd ist nicht seins gleichen.

Mit unsrer Macht ist nichts getan,
wir sind gar bald verloren;
es streit' für uns der rechte Mann,
den Gott hat selbst erkoren.
Fragst du, wer der ist?
Er heißt Jesus Christ,
der Herr Zebaoth,
und ist kein andrer Gott,
das Feld muss er behalten.

Und wenn die Welt voll Teufel wär
und wollt uns gar verschlingen,
so fürchten wir uns nicht so sehr,
es soll uns doch gelingen.
Der Fürst dieser Welt,
wie sau'r er sich stellt,
tut er uns doch nicht;
das macht, er ist gericht':
ein Wörtlein kann ihn fällen.

Das Wort sie sollen lassen stahn
und kein' Dank dazu haben;
er ist bei uns wohl auf dem Plan
mit seinem Geist und Gaben.
Nehmen sie den Leib,
Gut, Ehr, Kind und Weib:
lass fahren dahin,
sie haben's kein' Gewinn,
das Reich muss uns doch bleiben.

English translation

These are the lyrics to a common English translation of the hymn.

A mighty fortress is our God,
A mighty shield and weapon;
He helps us free from ev'ry need
That hath us now o'ertaken.
The old evil foe
Now means deadly woe;
Deep guile and great might
Are his dread arms in fight;
On earth is not his equal.

With might of ours can naught be done,
Soon our loss effected;
But for us fights the valiant One,
Whom God Himself elected.
Ask ye, Who is this?
Jesus Christ it is,
Of Sabaoth Lord,
And there's none other God;
He holds the field forever.

Though devils all the world should fill,
All eager to devour us,
We tremble not, we fear no ill;
They shall not overpow'r us.
This world's prince may still
Scowl fierce as he will,
He can harm us none.
He's judged; the deed is done;
One little word can fell him.

The Word they still shall let remain
Nor any thanks have for it;
He's by our side upon the plain
With His good gifts and Spirit.
And take they our life,
Goods, fame, child, and wife,
Though these all be gone,
our vict'ry has been won;
The Kingdom ours remaineth.

Lutheran Book of Worship translation

These are the lyrics of the hymn from the 1978 translation from the Lutheran Book of Worship.

A mighty fortress is our God,
A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks the cruel oppressor's rod
And wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe
Has sworn to work us woe.
With craft and dreadful might
He arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.

No strength of ours can match his might
We would be lost, rejected.
But now a champion comes to fight,
Whom God Himself elected.
You ask who this may be?
The Lord of hosts is He,
Christ Jesus, mighty Lord,
God's only Son, adored.
He holds the field victorious.

Though hordes of devils fill the land
All threat'ning to devour us,
We tremble not, unmoved we stand;
They cannot overpow'r us.
Let this world's tyrant rage;
In battle we'll engage.
His might is doomed to fail;
God's judgement must prevail!
One little word subdues him.

God's Word forever shall abide,
No thanks to foes, who fear it;
For God Himself fights by our side
With weapons of the Spirit.
Were they to take our house,
Goods, honor, child, or spouse,
Though life be wrenched away,
They cannot win the day.
The Kingdom's ours forever!

Reception

Heinrich Heine wrote in his 1834 essay Zur Geschichte der Religion und Philosophie in Deutschland, a history of emancipation in Germany beginning with the Reformation, that Ein feste Burg was the Marseillaise of the Reformation. This "imagery of battle" is also present in some translations, such as that of Thomas Carlyle (which begins "A safe stronghold our God is still"). In Germany, "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" was historically also used as a patriotic paean, which is why it was regularly sung at nationalistic events such as the Wartburg Festival in 1817. This patriotic undertone of the hymn emanates from its importance for the Reformation in general, which was regarded by the Protestants not only as a religious but as a national movement delivering Germany from Roman oppression. Furthermore, the last line of the fourth stanza of the German text, "Das Reich muss uns doch bleiben," which is generally translated into English as "The Kingdom's ours forever," referring to the Kingdom of God, may also be interpreted as meaning the Holy Roman Empire must remain with the Germans.

The song is reported to have been used as a battle anthem during the Thirty Years War by forces under King Gustavus Adolphus, Lutheran king of Sweden. This idea was exploited by some 19th-century poets, such as Karl Curths, although there exists no primary source which supports this. The hymn had been translated into Swedish already in 1536, presumably by Olaus Petri, with the incipit, "Vår Gud är oss en väldig borg". In the late 19th century the song also became an anthem of the early Swedish socialist movement.

In addition to being consistently popular throughout Western Christendom in Protestant hymnbooks, it is now a suggested hymn for Catholic Masses in the U.S., and appears in the Catholic Book of Worship published by the Canadian Catholic Conference in 1972. The eventful history and reception of A Mighty Fortress Is Our God has been presented interactively in Lutherhaus Eisenach’s revamped permanent exhibition since 2022.

English translations

The first English translation was by Myles Coverdale in 1539 with the title, "Oure God is a defence and towre". The first English translation in "common usage" was "God is our Refuge in Distress, Our strong Defence" in J.C. Jacobi's Psal. Ger., 1722, p. 83.

An English version less literal in translation but more popular among Protestant denominations outside Lutheranism is "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing", translated by Frederick H. Hedge in 1853. Another popular English translation is by Thomas Carlyle and begins "A safe stronghold our God is still".

Most North American Lutheran churches have not historically used either the Hedge or Carlyle translations. Traditionally, the most commonly used translation in Lutheran congregations is a composite translation from the 1868 Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book ("A mighty fortress is our God, a trusty shield and weapon"). In more recent years a new translation completed for the 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship ("A mighty fortress is our God, a sword and shield victorious") has also gained significant popularity.

Compositions based on the hymn

"A Mighty Fortress" sung in English "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" – F. H. Hedge (English) translation
"Ein feste Burg" sung in German The German text of "Ein feste Burg" sung to the isometric, more widely known arrangement of its traditional melody.
Problems playing these files? See media help.

The hymn has been used by numerous composers, including Johann Sebastian Bach. There is a version for organ, BWV 720, written early in his career, possibly for the organ at Divi Blasii, Mühlhausen. He used the hymn as the basis of his chorale cantata Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 80 written for a celebration of Reformation Day. Bach also set the tune twice in his Choralgesänge (Choral Hymns), BWV 302 and BWV 303 (for four voices). Two orchestrations of Bach's settings were made by conductors Leopold Stokowski and Walter Damrosch. Dieterich Buxtehude also wrote an organ chorale setting (BuxWV 184), as did Johann Pachelbel. George Frideric Handel used fragments of the melody in his oratorio Solomon. Georg Philipp Telemann also made a choral arrangement of this hymn and prominently used an extract of the verses beginning Mit unsrer Macht ist nichts getan in his famous Donnerode.

Felix Mendelssohn used it as the theme for the fourth and final movement of his Symphony No. 5, Op. 107 (1830), which he named Reformation in honor of the Reformation started by Luther; Joachim Raff wrote an Overture (for orchestra), Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, Op. 127; Carl Reinecke quoted the hymn in his "Zur Reformationsfeier" Overture Op. 191; Giacomo Meyerbeer quoted it in his five-act grand opera Les Huguenots (1836); Charles-Valentin Alkan wrote an impromptu on this theme for pedal piano (in E♭ major Op. 69, 1866); and Richard Wagner used it as a "motive" in his "Kaisermarsch" ("Emperor's March"), which was composed to commemorate the return of Kaiser Wilhelm I from the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. Two organ settings were written by Max Reger: his chorale fantasia Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott, Op. 27, and a much shorter chorale prelude as No. 6 of his 52 Chorale Preludes, Op. 67, in 1902. Claude Debussy quoted the theme in his suite for piano duet, En blanc et noir. Alexander Glazunov quoted the melody in his Finnish Fantasy, Op. 88.

Ralph Vaughan Williams used the tune in his score for the film 49th Parallel, most obviously when the German U-boat surfaces in Hudson Bay shortly after the beginning of the film. Flor Peeters wrote an organ chorale setting "Ein feste Burg" as part of his Ten Chorale Preludes, Op. 69, published in 1949. More recently it has been used by band composers to great effect in pieces such as Psalm 46 by John Zdechlik and The Holy War by Ray Steadman-Allen. The hymn also features in Luther, an opera by Kari Tikka that premiered in 2000. It has also been used by African-American composer Julius Eastman in his 1979 work Gay Guerrilla, composed for an undefined number of instruments and familiar in its recorded version for 4 pianos. Eastman's use of the hymn can arguably be seen as simultaneously a claim for inclusion in the tradition of "classical" composition, as well as a subversion of that very same tradition.

Mauricio Kagel quoted the hymn, paraphrased as "Ein feste Burg ist unser Bach", in his oratorio Sankt-Bach-Passion, which tells Bach's life and was composed for the tricentenary of Bach's birth in 1985. Nancy Raabe composed a concertato on the hymn using organ, assembly, trumpet, and tambourine, the only such composition by a female composer.

See also

References

  1. ^ Julian, John, ed., A Dictionary of Hymnology: Setting forth the Origin and History of Christian Hymns of All Ages and Nations, Second revised edition, 2 vols., n.p., 1907, reprint, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1957, 1:322–25
  2. W. G. Polack, The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal, Third and Revised Edition (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1958), 193, No. 262.
  3. ^ Marilyn Kay Stulken, Hymnal Companion to the Lutheran Book of Worship (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1981), 307–08, nos. 228–229.
  4. Merriman, John (2010). A History of Modern Europe: From the Renaissance to the Age of Napoleon. Vol. 1 (3 ed.). New York: W. W. Norton & Company. p. 101. ISBN 978-0-393-93384-0.
  5. Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut Lehmann, eds., Luther's Works, 55 vols. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House; Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1957–1986), 53:283.
  6. Cf. The Commission on Worship of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Lutheran Worship, (St. Louis: CPH, 1982), 992, 997.
  7. Zahn, Johannes (1891). Die Melodien der deutschen evangelischen Kirchenlieder (in German). Vol. IV. Gütersloh: Bertelsmann. pp. 396–398.
  8. E. Rœhrich, Les Origines du Choral Luthérien. (Paris: Librairie Fischbacher, 1906), 23 (italics original): "La forme authentique de cette mélodie diffère beaucoup de celle qu'on chante dans la plupart des Églises protestantes et qui figure dans les Huguenots". ... La mélodie originelle est puissamment rythmée, de manière à se plier à toutes les nuances du texte ..."
  9. Lutheran Service Book. Concordia Publishing House. 1 September 2006. p. 656.
  10. Lutheran Service Book. Concordia Publishing House. 1 September 2006. p. 657.
  11. Goetschel, Willi (28 January 2007). "Zur Geschichte der Religion und Philosophie in Deutschland [On the History of Religion and Philosophy in Germany]" (PDF). The Literary Encyclopedia. University of Toronto.
  12. Watson, J. R. (2002). An Annotated Anthology of Hymns. OUP Oxford. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-19-826973-1.
  13. "Lutherchoral 'Ein feste Burg' – Religion, Nation, Krieg" (in German). Luther2017. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013.
  14. James R. Payton Jr., Getting the Reformation Wrong. Correcting Some Misunderstandings, page 82.
  15. Loewe, Andreas; Firth, Katherine (8 June 2018). "Martin Luther's "Mighty Fortress"". Lutheran Quarterly. 32 (2): 125–145. doi:10.1353/lut.2018.0029. ISSN 2470-5616. S2CID 195008166.
  16. Psalmer och sånger (Örebro: Libris; Stockholm: Verbum, 1987), Item 237, which uses Johan Olof Wallin's 1816 revision of the translation attributed to Petri. The first line is "Vår Gud är oss en väldig borg."
  17. Cantica Nova
  18. Catholic Book of Worship hymnary.org
  19. Ausstellung im Lutherhaus erweitert (in German), ZeitOnline, May 10, 2022 (retrieved May 23, 2022).
  20. "Ein Feste Burg". All of Bach. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  21. Laki, Peter. "En Blanc et Noir / About the Work". Kennedy Center. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  22. "Tracing Martin Luther's great hymn through musical history". Gramophone. 29 November 2017.
  23. Luther: An opera about a man between God and the Devil – Composed by Kari Tikka
  24. Volker Tarnow. "Luther lebt: Deutsche Momente" in Die Welt, 5 October 2004
  25. Ryan Dohoney, "A Flexible Musical Identity: Julius Eastman in New York City, 1976-90," in Gay Guerrilla, ed. Renée Levine Packer and Mary Jane Leach (Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press, 2015), 123.
  26. "Nancy M Raabe, Choral Octavos and Vocal Solos". nancyraabe.com. Retrieved 11 October 2022.

Bibliography

  • Commission on Worship of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Lutheran Worship. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1982. ISBN
  • Julian, John, ed. A Dictionary of Hymnology: Setting forth the Origin and History of Christian Hymns of all Ages and Nations. Second revised edition. 2 vols. n.p., 1907. Reprint, New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1957.
  • Pelikan, Jaroslav and Lehmann, Helmut, eds. Luther's Works. Vol. 53, Liturgy and Hymns. St. Louis, Concordia Publishing House, 1965. ISBN 0-8006-0353-2.
  • Polack, W. G. The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942.
  • Rœhrich, E. Les Origines du Choral Luthérien. Paris: Librairie Fischbacher, 1906.
  • Stulken, Marilyn Kay. Hymnal Companion to the Lutheran Book of Worship. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1981.

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