A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Murschhauser, Franz

by Franz Gehring

MURSCHHAUSER, Franz Xaver Anton, born at Zabern in Alsace, about 1670; came early to Munich, and became a pupil of Johann Caspar Kerl, with whom he remained till his death in 1690. From the title-page of his book 'des Vespertinus Cultus' (Ulm, 1700; for 4 voices, 2 principal and 4 ripieno violins), we learn that he was then Capellmeister to the Frauenkirche at Munich. He died there 1733.^[1] Besides the work already mentioned, he left:—'Octitonum novum Organum' (Augsburg 1696); 'Prototypon longebreve organicum' (Nuremberg)—preludes and fugues for organ, lately re-edited by Franz Commer. A second part appeared later. His most important and best-known work is the 'Academia Musico poetica bipartita, oder hohe Schule der musikalischen Composition' (Nuremberg 1721). Towards the close of the first part he incautiously used the words 'to give a little more light to the excellent Heir Matheson,' for which he was so severely taken to task by that irascible musician in a pamphlet 'melopoetische Lichtscheere in drei verschiedenen Schneutzungen' (Critica Musica, pp. 1–88), that he relinquished the publication of the 'Academia.' An 'Aria pastoralis variata' of his is given in Pauer's 'Alte Klaviermusik' (Senff).

[ F. G. ]

1. Lipowsky, 'Baierisches Musiklexicon.'