Kindermann, Johann Erasmus

Kindermann, Johann Erasmus, eminent German organist, pedagogue, and composer; b. Nuremberg, March 29, 1616; d. there, April 14, 1655. He began his training in Nuremberg with Johann Staden, and by the time he was 15 he was active as a bass singer and violinist in the concerts given by the Frauenkirche there. In 1634 he received assistance from the Nuremberg city council to pursue studies in Italy, where he studied in Venice and Rome. In 1636 he was recalled to Nuremberg as 2nd organist at the Frauenkirche. In 1640 he went to Schwäbisch-Hall as organist, only to return later that year to Nuremberg as organist of the Egidienkirche, which position he retained for the rest of his life. Among Kindermann’s notable students were Johann Agricola, Augustin Pfleger, Heinrich Schwemmer, and Georg Caspar Wecker. As a composer, he excelled in both vocal and instrumental music. His Canzoni, sonatae is one of the earliest collections to manifest scordatura in Germany. See F. Schreiber, ed., Ausgewählte Werke, Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Bayern, XXIV, Jg. XIII (1913) and XXXII, Jg., XXI-XXIV (1924).

Works

(all publ. in Nuremberg unless otherwise given): vocal:Cantiones [pathetikai], hoc est Ad memoriam passion-is…Jesu Christi for 3 and 4 Voices and Basso Continuo (motets; 1639); Friedens Clag for 3 Voices and Basso Continuo (3 motets; 1640); Concentus Salomonis, das ist Geistliche Concerten auss dem Hohen Lied dess hebräischen Königes Salominis for 2 Voices, 2 Violins, and Basso Continuo (1642); Dialogus, Mosis Plag, Sünders Klag, Christi Abtrag for I to 6 Voices and Basso Continuo (1642); (8) Musicalische Friedens Seufftzer for 3 and 4 Voices and Basso Continuo (1642); Opitianischer Orpheus, das ist[13] Musicalischer Ergetzligkeiten for 1 and 2 Voices, 2 Violins, Violone or Bassoon, and Basso Continuo (1642); Dess erlösers Christi, und sündligen Menschens heylsames Gesprach for 7 Voices and Basso Continuo (1643); Musica catechetica, das ist Musicalischer Catechis-mus for 5 Voices and Basso Continuo (12 motets; 1643); Lobgesang über den Frewdenreichen Geburtstag…Jesu Christi for 4 Voices and sampt 1 Sinfonia a 4 (1647); Eines Christgleubigen Bekenners Hertzens Seuffzere for 2 Violins, 3 Viols, and Basso Continuo (1648); Musicalische Friedens Freud for 1 and 2 Voices, 3 Viols, and Basso Continuo (14 strophic songs; 1650). instrumental:Deliciae studiosorum a 3 and 5 and Basso Continuo (4 parts, 1640-43); Harmonia organica, in tabulaturam germanicam (1645); (27) Canzoni,[9] sonatae for 1 to 3 Violins, Cello, and Basso Continuo (1653); 30 suite movements for Keyboard (ed. in Hortus Musicus, LXI, 1950).

Bibliography

F. Schreiber, Der Nürnberger Organist J.E. K. (1616–1655) (Leipzig, 1913).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire