A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Theile, Johann

by George Grove

THEILE, Johann, known to his contemporaries as 'the father of contrapuntists,' the son of a tailor, was born at Naumburg, July 29, 1646, learned music under great difficulties at Halle and Leipzig, and became a pupil of the great Heinrich Schütz. In 1673 he became Capellmeister to the Duke of Holstein at Gottorp, and in 1678 produced a Singspiel, 'Adam and Eva,' and an opera, 'Orontes,' at Hamburg. In 1685 he became Capellmeister at Wolfenbüttel, then went to Merseburg and finally back to his native town, where he died in 1724. Buxtehude, Hasse, and Zachau were all his scholars. His principal works are a German Passion (Lübeck 1675); a Christmas Oratorio (Hamburg, 1681, MS.); 'Noviter inventum opus musicalis compositionis 4 et 5 vocum,' etc.—20 masses in Palestrina style; Opus secundum—instrumental; two treatises on double counterpoint, 1691. Körner has printed in the 'Orgel-virtuos' No. 65 a chorale by Theile, which is characterised by Spitta (Bach, i. p. 98) as 'very scientific but intolerably pedantic and stiff.' No other work of his appears to have been reprinted.

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