Strauss, Christoph

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Strauss, Christoph

Strauss, Christoph, eminent Austrian organist and composer; b. probably in Vienna, c. 1577; d. there, June 1631. He was born into a musical family long associated with the Hapsburg court. In 1594 he entered its service, becoming organist of the court church of St. Michael in 1601. After serving as administrator of the imperial estate of Kattenburg (1614–17), he was director of the court music from 1617 until he was removed in 1619 by the new Emperor, Ferdinand II. In 1626 he finally obtained the post of director of music at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where he remained until his death. He was one of the foremost Austrian composers of his time. He publ. Nova ac diversimoda sacrarum cantionum compositio seu [36] motettae for 5 to 10 Voices and Instruments (Vienna, 1613) and Missae for 8 to 20 Voices, Instruments, and Basso Continuo (organ) (Vienna, 1631).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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