Johann Hermann Schein

German Baroque Composer and Poet

Johann Hermann Schein (1586–1630) was a German composer of the early Baroque era. He was born in Grünhain and was an important predecessor to Johann Sebastian Bach in his role as Thomaskantor in Leipzig, a position he held from 1616 until his death. Schein was one of the first to blend Italian styles with traditional German music, and he composed sacred music, secular vocal music, and instrumental music. His collection "Israels Brünnlein" (1623), also known as "Fontana d'Israel," is a notable work consisting of sacred madrigals. Schein's work was innovative for its time, incorporating elements of the then-emerging Italian Baroque style into Lutheran church music. He also published a collection of instrumental suites called "Banchetto musicale" (1617), which further demonstrates his skill in both vocal and instrumental composition. Despite his significant contributions to early Baroque music, Schein's work was somewhat overshadowed by later composers, and he is not as widely recognized today as some of his contemporaries.