Philipp Nicolai

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Philipp Nicolai (August 10, 1556 – October 26, 1608) was a German Lutheran pastor, poet, and composer, author of two famous hymns: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme and Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern. These two chorales have inspired many composers, including Johann Sebastian Bach, whose cantata BWV 36 is based on Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern and whose BWV 140 is based on Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme. The organ transcription of the latter, as published in the Schübler Chorales, has become world famous. Nicolai is supposed to be the last example of the Meistersinger tradition, in which words and music, text and melody stem from one and the same person.

He is commemorated as a hymnwriter in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church on October 26 with Johann Heermann and Paul Gerhardt.