Georg Friedrich Kauffmann

Georg ( e) Friedrich Kauffmann ( born February 14, 1679 Ostramondra, † February 27, 1735 in Merseburg ) was a German organist and composer of the Baroque.

Life

Training and vocational work

Kauffmann received his first organ lessons with Johann Heinrich Buttstedt in Erfurt and then continued his studies at Johann Friedrich Alberti in Merseburg on, in which he also received lessons in composition.

As Alberti in 1698 suffered a stroke, as a result, his right hand was paralyzed, Kauffmann took over as his substitute the organ service and was ordered after Alberti's death in 1710 for the princely Saxon- merseburgischen court and cathedral organist and eventually appointed director of the entire church music and court music.

Application for the post of cantor of St. Thomas

In the autumn of 1722 Kauffmann was, together with Christoph Graupner and Johann Sebastian Bach to the seven candidates for the succession of Johann Kuhnau as cantor in Leipzig.

According to a report of Hollsteinischen correspondent from Hamburg on December 8, 1722 Kauffmann conducted on 29 November 1722 the first Sunday of Advent, his cantata sample. Because of its competitors Graupner and Bach Cantata two performances had been granted, allowed the Leipzig City Council also requests him to be out another rehearsal.

Finally Kauffmann but renounced in favor Graupner on his application and because Graupner had to turn down at the behest of his employer, the Landgrave Ernst Ludwig of Hesse -Darmstadt, the vocation to the cantor, Bach was finally in 1723 to the new choirmaster.

"Harmonic Seelenlust "

From 1733 Kauffmann the harmonic Seelenlust issued on a subscription basis, the first printed collection of chorale preludes for organ since Samuel Scheidt Tabulatura Nova ( 1624). This collection should receive all Choralbearbeitungen Kauffmann, but died this before the issue was fully published, to tuberculosis and his widow continued the publication until 1736. This seems to be the reason that you will find in the later editions also some pieces by Johann Gottfried Walther and Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow.

There are a total of 66 harmonics Seelenlust basso chorales and 98 chorale preludes.

Since Kauffmann, had many of the pieces with registers Information provided on the basis of the disposition of the Merseburg Cathedral organ, which had been converted during his tenure, an insight into the registration practice of that time is possible. Also, there are tempo markings and decoration suggestions of Kauffmann's hand.

Works (selection)

• The Ascension of Christ ( Oratorio )
• The love of God is shed abroad ( Cantata for the Feast of Pentecost )
• Not to us, O Lord, but unto thy name give glory ( Cantata )
• Undaunted, beklemmtes Heart ( solo cantata for the 11th Sunday after Trinity )
• Introduzione alla Musica antica & moderna ( 1725, print-ready, not published and later -lost manuscript of a theoretical work )