After abortive careers in law and philosophy, Martin Luther (1483-1546) had a near-death experience in a lightning strike and became a monk and then a priest. Becoming disenchanted with the Catholic Church, he began the Protestant Reformation by nailing his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg in 1517. His translation of the Bible into vernacular German represented another break with the church.

Luther is of interest to musicians. Besides being known as a talented singer, he wrote extensively about the proper role of music in Christian worship. He also penned numerous hymns, the most famous being “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”