This July, the Lutheran Ladies are celebrating Hymnapalooza in the Lounge with a blowout #hymnnerd giveaway and four fun hymn-related episodes.

In her opening salvo, Sarah kicks things off with a quick dive into the life of one of her “newest favorite composers”: Louis Bourgeois.

While not a Lutheran, the French Calvinist composer Bourgeois made an ongoing contribution to post-Reformation hymnody with his landmark 1551 edition of the Genevan Psalter, from which come five of the most familiar and beloved hymn tunes in Lutheran Service Book: “Freu dich sehr,” “Wenn wir in höchten Nöten sien,” “Old 124th,” “Rendez à Dieu,” and “Old Hundredth.”

From pioneering four-part singing in the home, to advocating for the teaching of sol fege, to being officially censured and briefly jailed after changing Psalm tunes without a license, Bourgeois’s life was one of musical innovation and adventure, the fruits of which hymnerds everywhere continue to enjoy today.

Look for more Hymnapalooza content in future episodes, and watch for the launch of our fabulous #hymnnerd giveaway this week in the Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group!

Connect with the Lutheran Ladies on social media in The Lutheran Ladies’ Lounge Facebook discussion group (facebook.com/groups/LutheranLadiesLounge). Follow us on Instagram @lutheranladieslounge, and also follow Sarah (@hymnnerd), Rachel (@rachbomberger), Erin (@erinaltered), and Bri (@grrrzevske).