Eccard, Johannes

Eccard, Johannes, eminent German composer; b. Muhlhausen, 1553; d. Berlin, 1611. He studied at the Miihlhausen Lateinschule. He was a chorister at the Weimar court Kapelle (1567–71) and the Bavarian Hofkapelle in Munich (1571–73), where he studied with Lassus. He was in the service of Jakob Frugger in Augsburg (1577–78), then became a member of the Hofkapelle of Margrave Georg Friedrich of Brandenburg-Ansbach in Königsberg, where he later was made Vice-Kapellmeister (1579) and Kapellmeister (1604); subsequently was Kapellmeister to the Elector of Berlin (from 1608). Eccard was one of the most significant Protestant composers of chorale motets of his day.

Works

(all publ. in Muhlhausen unless otherwise given): 20 neue christliche Gesang Ludovici Helmboldi…artlich und lieblich zu singen, und auff allerley Instrumenten der Musik zu spielen for 4 Voices (1574); Neue deutsche Lieder for 4 to 5 Voices, gantz lieblich zu singen, und auff allerley musicalischen Instrumenten zu gebrauchen (1578); Neue Lieder for 4 to 5 Voices, gantz lieblich zu singen und auff allerley Instrumenten zu gebrauchen (Königsberg, 1589); 20 odae sacrae Ludovici Helmboldi I. Harmonicis numeris pro scansione versuum, ornatae et compositae for 4 Voices (1596); Der erste Teil geistlicher Lieder auff den Choral oder gemeine Kirchenmelodey durchauss gerichtet for 5 Voices (Königsberg, 1597); Der ander Teil geistlicher Lieder aufden Choral oder gemeine Kirchenmelodey durchauss gerichtet for 5 Voices (Königsberg, 1597); also publications with Joachim a Burck.

Bibliography

G. Reichmann, /. E.s weltliche Werke (diss., Univ. of Heidelberg, 1923); A. Grauer, The Vocal Style of Sixt Dietrich and Johann E. and Their Contributions to Lutheran Church Music (diss., Univ. of Rochester, I960).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire