Johannes Eccard
John Eccard (* 1553 in Mühlhausen / Thuringia; † autumn 1611 in Berlin) was a German composer and conductor.
Life
John Eccard was a choirboy member of the court orchestra in Weimar. As a student of Ludwig Helmbold and Joachim a Burck, he worked briefly as a singer under Orlando di Lasso in Munich and from there made a study trip to Venice. There he attended, among others, Andrea Gabrieli, Claudio Merulo and Gioseffo Zarlino. After a short stay in his home town of Mühlhausen ( 1573/74 ), he was appointed organist of Jakob Fugger in Augsburg.
1579 he moved to Königsberg in the service of the Margrave Georg Friedrich of Ansbach, who engaged him for his court orchestra. Here he became an assistant to Teodoro Riccio, 1580 Vice-Kapellmeister. Six years later was transferred to the successor Eccard Riccio, until 1604 however, he was officially appointed as the band. In 1608 he accepted an appointment as Kapellmeister of the elector and choirmaster to the court of Berlin.
He created about 250 religious and secular polyphonic songs, but he often set to music texts by Ludwig Helmbold. His collection Prussian hard songs in 1642 and 1644 published in two parts by Johann Stobaeus in Elbing. Other works, including several masses are preserved in manuscript.
Works
For an overview see list published in the German -speaking countries in the 16th century (VD 16) and directory published in the German -speaking countries in the 17th century ( VD 17)
- Now you schürz, Gretlein schürz, you
- Over the mountains Maria goes
- Maria Braving the sanctuary
- Jesus Christ is risen
- I was in deep night of death
- 1591: It boasts the Scriptures
- 1597: Grant us peace mercifully
- 1600: After the Sun decided
In the Protestant hymnal: Melody for baptismal hymn Oh dear Lord Jesus Christ ( EC 203); Text of the evening song My most beautiful ornamental and gem (EC 473 ).