Johann Kirnberger
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Johann Philipp Kirnberger (1721– July 27, 1783) was a musician, composer (primarily of fugues), and music theorist. A pupil of Johann Sebastian Bach, he became a violinist at the court of Frederick II of Prussia in 1751. He was the music director to the Prussian Princess Anna Amalia from 1758 until his death. Kirnberger greatly admired J. S. Bach, and sought to secure the publication of all of Bach's chorale settings, which finally appeared after Bach's death. Many of Bach's manuscripts have been preserved in Kirnberger's library (the 'Kirnberger collection').
He is known today primarily for his theoretical work "Die Kunst des reinen Satzes in der Musik" ("The Art of Strict Composition in Music", 1774, 1779). The well-tempered tuning systems known as 'Kirnberger II' and 'Kirnberger III' are associated with his name (see Johann Philipp Kirnberger temperament), as is a rational version of equal temperament (see schisma).
He died in Berlin.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
More information, including full text, of Kirnberger's Grundsätze des Generalbasses (178?) in the University of North Texas Music Library Virtual Rare Book Room
- Free scores by Johann Philipp Kirnberger in the Werner Icking Music Archive
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