A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Eccard, Johannes

by Mary Catherine Hamilton

ECCARD, Johannes, born at Mühlhausen in Thuringia in 1553, was probably at first a scholar of Joachim Burgk, and afterwards of Orlando di Lasso at Munich, with whom he went to Paris in 1571. He was for some time in the employ of the Fuggers at Augsburg; in 1583 was made vice-capellmeister, and in 1599 full capellmeister, at Königsberg to the Margrave of Brandenburg. In 1608 he obtained the same post under the Kurfürst at Berlin, in which post he died in 1611. He composed 20 'Cantiones sacræ,' etc. (Mühlhausen, 1574); 'Crepundia sacra' (Mühlhausen, 1577 and 96; 2nd ed. Erfurt, 1680); 24 Deutsche Lieder (Mühlhausen, 1578); Newe Deutsche Lieder (Königsberg, 1589); 'Der erste Theil 5-Stimmiger geistlicher Lieder' (4 vols., Königsberg, 1597); and 'Preussische Festlieder, 5, 6, 7, 8 Stimmen' (Ibid. 1598). Eccard wrote both Hymns and Chorals, some of which are still in use (Döring's 'Choralkunde,' p. 47). There is a portrait of him, with a Latin inscription by G. Fröhlich. A short motet by Eccard, on the Chorale 'O Lamm Gottes,' for 5 voices, and an 'Freude' for 2 Choirs, are included in the Berlin Domchor Collection, 'Musica Sacra.' The whole of the 'Geistliche Lieder' and of the 'Preussische Festlieder' (with Stobäus' additions) have been recently republished by Breitkopf & Härtel.

[ M. C. C. ]