Johann Walter facts for kids
Johann Walter (born in 1496, died March 25, 1570) was an important German composer and poet. He lived during the time of the Protestant Reformation, a big change in Christian history. He is known for his music that helped shape the new Lutheran church. His full name was Johann Blankenmüller, but he later became known as Johann Walter.
Life Story
Johann Walter was born in a town called Kahla in Germany in 1496. His original family name was Blanckenmüller. Because his family was poor, he was adopted by a citizen of Kahla. This new family gave him an education in Kahla and Rochlitz, and he took on the name Johann Walter.
He started his music career at age 21. He became a composer and a bass singer (called a cantor) in the chapel of Frederick the Wise. He worked there until Frederick died in 1525. By then, he was leading the chapel's music. He also became a strong supporter of Lutheranism through his music.
In 1524, Walter helped create the first Protestant hymnal (a book of hymns) for choirs. It was called Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn. Martin Luther, a key leader of the Reformation, even wrote the introduction for it. Walter also worked on music for the German-language church service, called the Deutsche Messe, in 1527.
After leaving Frederick's chapel, Walter became the cantor for the Torgau town choir in 1525. He stayed in this job until 1548. Then, he was named court composer for Moritz, Duke of Saxony in Dresden.
Walter did not stay in Dresden for very long. By 1554, he received a pension (money paid regularly) from the duke. He then returned to Torgau, where he lived for the rest of his life. He passed away on March 25, 1570.
The St Matthew Passion
While he was in Dresden, Walter wrote a special musical piece called a responsorial Passion in German. A Passion tells the story of Jesus's suffering and death.
In earlier musical versions of the Passion story, the whole story was sung by many voices at once (called polyphonic motets). But Walter did something different. He used a single singing voice (called monophonic) for the Evangelist (the narrator) and for the different characters. For the groups of people and disciples, he used simple chords (called falsobordone).
A Finnish music group called Kuninkaantien muusikot (Musicians of the King's Road) has performed Walter's Passion. They performed it in Turku Cathedral in 2017. This was the year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.
Walter's Musical Works
Walter wrote his motets (short choral pieces) and lieder (songs) in two main styles. His music was often very good quality.
In his first style, he used a way of writing music with many independent voices. This style came from the Franco-Flemish school of music. You can see the influence of composers like Josquin des Prez and Heinrich Isaac in his work. In these pieces, one voice, called the cantus firmus, would hold a long, steady tune. Or, it would sing a melody broken into short parts with pauses. Other voices would sing above and below this main tune. Sometimes they would copy the main tune, but often they would move on their own. All the voices would usually keep singing without pausing at the same time.
In his second style, Walter changed his approach. He wrote music where all the voices would pause at the same time. He often put the main tune in the highest voice. This became a very popular way to set chorales (hymn tunes) for the next two hundred years.
Some of his well-known chorale settings include:
- Allein auf Gottes Wort
- Christ ist erstanden
- Christ lag in Todes Banden
- Christum wir sollen loben schon
- Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott
- Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort
- Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ
- Joseph, lieber Joseph mein (Resonet in laudibus)
- Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist
- Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott
- Laus Matrimonii ex Horatio (Felices ter)
- Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist
- Vater unser im Himmelreich
- Verbum caro factum est
- Wir glauben all an einen Gott
- Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält
Miscellaneous Facts
An asteroid in space, 120481 Johannwalter, is named in his honor. He is also remembered in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod as a musician on April 24.
See also
In Spanish: Johann Walter para niños
