Martin and Marty | Music Mondays

Music Monday: Which Marty Is It?

Today we meet and hear music from two important musical Marty’s in the Lutheran church; Martin Luther and Marty Haugen. Luther is most known for posting the 95 Theses in 1517, teaching the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and translating the Bible into the German vernacular, but we also largely attribute hymn-singing as we know it today to him, too! He encouraged a new style of congregational participation: the chorale—unison singing in which all the stanzas are sung to the same music and in a language (German) everyone would know.

Marty Haugen, a living composer, has provided the church with many memorable texts and tunes—over 400! Good Shepherd is probably most familiar with Marty’s “Holden Evening Prayer” liturgy and some hymns like “Shepherd Me, O God.” Enjoy learning and listening to music of two important Lutheran Marty’s.