BP21O1 A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD Dan Forrest SATB

Beckenhorst Press, Inc. 960 Old Henderson Road Colombus, Ohio 43220

Program Notes

From the arranger:

For the 500th anniversary of Luther’s publication of his 95 Theses at Wittenburg (1517),this arrangement offers an aural glimpse of Luther’s hymn through history: from theopening blows of Luther’s hammer, to the Renaissance rhythms of Luther’s original version(sung by a solo voice, representing Luther standing alone), to harmony and counterpointbased on J.S. Bach’s harmonization for the Lutheran church 200 years later, to modem daymaterial that is, nevertheless, based on Luther’s original rhythms and melodic intervals.

Two English translations of Luther’s text are offered: the Hedge translation (common inbroad Protestant use), and, in italics, the texts (rhythmic and isorhythrnic) from the LutheranService Book (1978). Either text may be used.

Coverphoto:

Detail from the oldest existing copy ofEine Feste Burg, a second edition published in 1533(four years after the original 1529 publication), on display at the Lutherhaus in Wittenberg,Germany. (Photo credit: Paul T. McClain. Used by permission.)

Full Product listing

o Piano accompaniment (BP2 101 D) is available for purchase.

o Full score and parts for 2 trumpets, horn, 2 trombones, tuba and 1-2 percussion players(BP21O1A) are available for purchase.

o A full performance/accompaniment compact disc (BP2 101 C) is available for purchase.

o Full score and parts for orchestral accompaniment (BP2 101 B) are available for purchase.

o A reproducible congregational sheet (BP2 10 1E) is available for purchase.

o Also available for SSAA (BP2102) and TTBB (BP2 103) voices.

BP21OI-2

Commissioned by the Concordia Choir and Sinfonietta ofConcordia University Irvine(Dr. Michael Busch and Dr~ JeffHeld, conductors), to the gloiy ofGod, and

in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Slowly, boldly ~ = ca. 80

Moderato, with great confidence ~ = ca. 96-100

~ I~ Baritone SOLO (or TB unis; Tenor I may omit)(Renaissance dance feel)- .

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9 iol* See page two for full product listing.** Alternate text is in italics.

© Copyright 2016 by Beckenhorst Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Martin Luther, C. 1527Tr. Frederick Hedge, 1852Alt. tr~ from Lutheran Service Book, 1978

For SATB Choir, Organ, optional Brass Sextet and Percussion, or optional Orchestral Accompaniment*

EIN’ FESTE BURGArranged by DAN FORREST

(ASCAP)

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A might - y For - tress is our God, a bul - wark nev - er fail -

**A might - y For - tress is______ our God, a trust - y Shield and Wea

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- ing. Our help - er He, a - mid_ the- pon. He helps us free from ev - ‘ry

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BP21013 Neither CCLI nor OneLicense.net Licenses grant permission to photocopy this music.

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flood of mor - tal ills pre-vail - ing.

need That hath us now o’er-ta - ken.

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For still__ our_ an - cient foe Now seeks to work us

The old__ e - vi? foe Now means dead - ly

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woe; His wrath and pow’r are great And armed with cm - elwoe; Deep guile and great might Are his dread arms_ in

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~hate, On earth is not his e - qual.fight; On earth is not his e — qual.

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Slower, molto maestoso ~ = ca. 80Massive, brilliant registration

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BP21O1-5

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we in our_ own strength con - fide, our striv - ing would bestrength of ours — can match His — might! We would be lost, re -

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Vlos - ing. Were not the nght_ Man

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Fon our_ side— the Man of God’s own choos -

comes_ to_ fight, whom God Him - self e - lect -

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BP2IO1 -6

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BP21OI-7

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ing. Dost ask who that_ may be?___________ Christed. You ask who this_ may be?__________ The~ mf

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Lord of hosts.., is He!____________ Christ .Je - sus, might -

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name, from age to age the same, andLord, God’s on - ly Son, a - dored. He

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holds the field vic - tor - ious.

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world, with dev - us filled, should threat - en to un - do

all_ the world should fill, All ea - ger to de - vour

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9Is. cresc. poco a poco

us, We will notus, We trem - ble

A. cresc. poco apoco

~~~_______

us, We will notus, We trem - ble

cresc. poco a poco

~ F F~us, is our God. Will notus, is our God. Trem - ble

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F F F F F F F Fus, A might - y for tress is our God. Will notus, A might - y for - tress is our God. Trem - ble

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~~66 67 68

~ F cresc. Ffear, — for God_ hath willed His truth to tn - umph through..._....not, — un - moved_ we stand; They can - not o - ver - pow ‘r_____

~ F cresc. Ffear, — for God_ hath willed His truth to tn - umph throughnot, — un - moved_ we stand; They can - not o - ver - pow ‘r_____

cresc.

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trem - ble not for him;bat - tie we ‘ii en - gage.

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dure, for lo, his doom is sure. One lit - tIefail; God’s judg-ment must pre - vail!_______ One lit-tie

cresc. poco a poco

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rage we can en - dire, his doom is sure, One lit - tiemight is doomed to fail, God must pre - vail! One lit - tie

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w~rd shall fell him.word sub - dues him.

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That Word a - bove — all earth - lyGod’s Word for - ev - er shall_ a

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pow’rs, no thanks to them, a - bidbide, No thanks to foes, who fear

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BP21O1-12

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(Cue-sized notes arefor alternate text)

and the gifts are ours through Him who

self_ fights by our side with wea - pons

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with us sid - eth.

of the Spir - it.

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BP21O1-13

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Hgo, this mor - tal life al

house, Goods, hon - or~ child, or

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f~kill; God’s truth a - bid - ethway, They can - not win the

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BP2IO1-15

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