Johann Kuhnau
[[ImageFile:Kuhnau-Johann-01|thumb|right|Johann Kuhnau]]
Johann Kuhnau (April 6, 1660 in Geising; June 5, 1722 in Leipzig) was a German composer, organist and harpsichordistof the 17th century, and was really influenced in the arts of the German musical outskirts; his abilities only stopped when he died, and when his organist post was taken by Johann Sebatian Bach.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Child
Johann Kuhnau was born in April 6, 1660 in Geising, a city in the German state of Saxony. Johann had one of the most wonderful family life and childhood ever, which tells us his encouragemant of his wonderful voice-of which was put to the test when he applied to Kapellmeister, in Dresden. He was taught there by the teachers of Hering and Bental, and his talent was growing more and more, which is why his next teacher was Vincenzo Albrici. His teaching and training didn't last long, as an epidemic broke out in 1680, and since medicine (by €uro) was running out and so expensive, it was spreading quickly and uncured, Kuhnau found Dresden to be an inhabitable place to live.Instead, Zittau was his only choice, and he went to study with Eldermann, for choir.
[edit] Adult
His death place, Leipzig, was one more choice he went to for a better education, a place without an epidemic. In 1682, when Kuhnau went to Leipzig University, the organist he went to study with gave him the post of St Thomas Church.
[edit] Death
Kuhnau studied French and Italian, and left translations from Hebrew, Greek, and Latin as well. Kuhnau also studied law, attaining the rank of advocate. In addition to composition, much of his time was spent as a lawyer, a poet, and a non-fiction author. He preceded Johann Sebastian Bach as cantor of the Thomaskirche (St Thomas Church) in Leipzig, directing the Thomanerchor from 1701 to 1722. He was also music director of the Paulinerkirche. In Leipzig Kuhnau taught Johann David Heinichen and Christoph Graupner. The epidemic that broke out in 1680, somehow came back, and sicken KUhnau, and his heart was affected, causing auscultation of the heart, which can provide clues to the diagnosis of many cardiac abnormalities, including valvular heart disease, and congestive heart failure. It was then that his health crashed and that he died in Leipzig on June 5, 1722.[1] His organist post was taken by Johann Sebatian Bach.
[edit] Work
Kuhnau wrote sacred music on Bible stories, such as The Marriage of David Gideon and The Tomb of Jacob. One of his organ works is titled Der todtkranke und wieder gesunde Hiskias (Hiskias, sick to death and healthy again). Kuhnau is credited as the inventor of the keyboard sonata, elevating the form from simple dance tunes. His Eine Sonata aus dem B (a sonata from the b flat) in three movements is the first known keyboard sonata.[1] Kuhnau's secular vocal music is lost, but many of his sacred works have survived, including cantatas, motets, and four sets of keyboard pieces.
The Christmas cantata Uns ist ein Kind geboren, formerly attributed to Bach as BWV 142, is most likely composed by Kuhnau.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ John South Shedlock (1895). The Pianoforte Sonata. BiblioBazaar, LLC, 2007. p. 40. ISBN 1434607658. http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1865606?lookfor=subject:%22Sonatas%20(Piano)%20-%20Analysis,%20appreciation.%22&offset=13&max=20. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ^ Classical Net Uns ist ein Kind geboren (Unto us a child is born) 1998
[edit] External links
- Free scores by Johann Kuhnau at the International Music Score Library Project
- Free scores by Johann Kuhnau in the Werner Icking Music Archive (WIMA)
- Free scores by Johann Kuhnau in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
- The Mutopia Project has compositions by Johann Kuhnau
- Free Listening of "Neue Clavier-Übung", Books I/II (Leipzig 1689/1692) performed by Fernando De Luca
- Free Listening of "Frische Clavier Früchte", Leipzig 1696 performed by Fernando De Luca
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