Sebastiani, Johann

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Sebastiani, Johann

Sebastiani, Johann, German composer; b. near Weimar, Sept. 30, 1622; d. Königsberg, 1683. He settled in Königsberg about 1650, and was made Kantor at the Cathedral in 1661 and court Kapellmeister to the Elector of Brandenburg in 1663; was pensioned in 1679. He wrote a Passion, Das Leyden und Sterben unsers Herrn und Heylandes Jesu Christi nach dem heiligen Matthaeo for 5 Voices, 6 Instruments, and Basso Continuo (knigsberg, 1672; ed. in Denkmäler Deutscher Tonkunst, XVII, 1904), which is noteworthy for the devotional chorales therein introduced. He also wrote Erster Theil der Parnass-Blumen oder [60] geist- und weltliche Lieder (Hamburg and Wolfenbüttel, 1672), Ander Theil der Parnass-Blumen (Hamburg, 1675), various funeral songs (1663–80), and many occasional pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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