A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Gallus, Jacob

by Franz Gehring

GALLUS, Jacob, whose real name was ^[1]Handl, born about 1550, a native of Krain (or Carniola); Capellmeister first to Stanislas Pawlowski, Bishop of Olmutz, and afterwards to the imperial chapel at Prague, where he died much respected and bewailed July 4, 1591. He had a special privilege from the Emperor to publish his great work 'Hándl Jac. Musici operis, harmoniarum 4, 5, 6, 8, et plurium vocum' (Prague, 4 vols. 1586, 7, 90), a collection of the greatest value. Gallus wrote in the old Church tones, before the modern distinction between major and minor came into existence. His well-known motet (á 4) 'Ecce quomodo moritur Justus' (which Handel borrowed for his Funeral Anthem), is contained in the collection just named, and is also printed (with 18 others by him for 5, 6, and 8 voices) in Bodenschatz's 'Florilegium Portense.' Proske's 'Musica divina' contains 11 motets, 3 Responsoria, a Miserere, a Christus factus est, and a Te Deum, all by him.

[ F.G. ]

1. The sobriquet of 'Gallus' is a pun on Handl, as if Hahn. Another of his name was called Le Cocq.