Johann Kuhnau

Johann Kuhnau

Anonymous interpretation of 1830+ of unknown original

Source: Bach Cantatas

Born on 6 April 1660 in Geising, Bohemia, in present-day Saxony, Lutheran composer, Johann Kuhnau, presages high baroque in Germany. Kuhnau is noted for his clavier sonatas, also writing cantatas and such as an author of sacred music. Along the way he also translated texts from Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Italian and French to German and wrote humorous novels. Of the huge corpus of works to which he applied himself numerous are lost including all of nearly fifty secular works. The earliest and principle source of knowledge about Kuhnau is from Johann Mattheson's 1740 'Grundlage einer Ehrenpforte'. [This is available to read at refs below with links for other publications herein mentioned.]

Kuhnau sang at the School of the Cross and the Church of the Holy Cross in Dresden as a child from about age ten, there commencing his study of foreign languages along with music. He fled the plague in Dresden at age twenty (1680), returning to Geising briefly, then leaving to study in Zittau before enrolling at Leipzig University (est. 1499) in 1682 to study law.

In 1684 Kuhnau succeeded August Kühnel as organist at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig leading to a double career as both an advocate and composer. Here is the home of high baroque.

St. Thomas Lutheran Church

Source: Wikimedia Commons

In 1688 Kuhnau published his dissertation, 'Jura circa musicos ecclesiasticos', addressing ecclesiastical music. Come Book 1 of his clavier exercises, 'Neuir Clavier-Ubing', in 1689 followed by Book 2 in 1692. In between arrived his comical novels of 1691, 'Musicus curiosus, oder Battalus' ('The Inquiring Musician') and 'Musicus magnanimus, oder Pancalus' ('The Magnanimous Musician').

'Frische Clavier Fruchte' ('Fresh Clavier Fruit'), a volume of seven sonatas, arrived in 1696. This was Kuhnau's most popular collection for clavier, reprinted five times to as late as 1724. Per the title at its word, Kuhnau intended this work for a stringed keyboard (clavier) like harpsichord, but to hear it on organ would have been expected.

'Frische Clavier Früchte'   7 sonatas for solo keyboard by Johann Kuhnau   1696

Clavier: Fernando De Luca

'Ciacona in B'   No.1 of Sonata 6 of 'Frische Clavier Früchte'   1696

For solo keyboard by Johann Kuhnau

Organ: Gabriel Isenberg

Kuhnau's satirical novel, 'Der Musickalische Quacksalber' ('The Musical Charlatan') saw publishing in 1700. His six Biblical sonatas, 'Musicalische Vorstellung einiger biblischer Historien', appeared in 1700 as well, a fourth collection for solo clavier. Kuhnau had also been appointed musical director at Leipzig University in 1700.

'Musicalische Vorstellung einiger biblischer Historien'   Aka 'Biblical sonatas'   1700

For solo keyboard by Johann Kuhnau

Harpsichord: Aniko Horvath

From 1701 to 1722 Kuhnau was Cantor at St. Thomas Church. He was meanwhile musical director at the Paulinerkirche (built 1231) of Leipzig University from 1701 to 1722 as well. Kuhnau's Miserere, 'Gott sei mir gnädig' ('God have mercy on me') arrived in 1705. The Miserere is a setting to Psalm 50 or 51 depending on version of the Bible. Kuhnau's sacred motet, 'Tristis est anima mea' ('Sad is my soul') appeared about 1705 as well.

'Gott sei mir gnädig'   Miserere in C minor by Johann Kuhnau  1705

'God have mercy on me' ('Miserere mei, Deus')

For 9 voices w orchestra of 2 violins / 2 violas / violoncello / basso continuo

Text: Psalm 50/51: 3-10

Bach Collegium San Diego / Ruben Valenzuela   27 Sep 2014

'Tristis est anima mea'   Sacred motet in F minor by Johann Kuhnau  c 1705

'Sad is my soul' for 5 voices

Text from Chapter 26 of 'Matthew' (Gospel)

Dresden Kreuzchor / Rudolf Mauersberger

His 'Uns ist ein Kind geboren' containing eight movements including a sinfonia and three arias may have been finished in 1720, not published until 1884. This is often identified as Bach BWV 142, though Bach's authorship has long been doubted in favor of Kuhnau. Another of his later works was 'Lobe den Herrn, Meine Seele' published about 1722, a cantata for Psalm 103 for alto, bass, oboe d'amore, violin & continuo. It isn't known when he completed his 'Magnificat' in C major for Maundy Thursday with text from Matthew 26:38. This is his largest existing work for voice written for solo SATB and chorus SSATB with orchestra including carols by Johann Schelle who had preceded Kuhnau as Cantor at St. Thomas.

'Uns ist ein Kind geboren'   Christmas cantata by Johann Kuhnau  1720

'A child is born to us'   Libretto: Erdmann Neumeister

For 4 voices w orchestra of 2 recorders / 2 oboes / 2 violins / viola / continuo

Indianola Presbyterian Church Festival Choir & Chamber Orchestra

Conducting: Christopher Dent   Organ: Orlay Alonso   6 Dec 2015

'Magnificat' in C major by Johann Kuhnau   Date unknown

For 4 voices w chorus of SSATB w orchestra   Text: Matthew 26:38

Amsterdam Baroque Choir & Orchestra

Conducting / organ: Ton Koopmann   Soprano: Deborah York   Leipzig Bachfest 2003

It was upon Kuhnau's death on 5 June 1722 that Johann Sebastian Bach, namely high baroque, succeeded him at St. Thomas. Among other accomplishments including those lost were 'Disputatio de Triade', 'Introductio ad Compositionem', 'Tractatus de Tetrachordo' and an opera titled 'Orpheus'.