Johann Rudolph Ahle
Encyclopedia
Johann Rudolph Ahle was a German composer, organist, theorist, and Protestant church musician.
, Thuringia
. While not much is known of his early musical training, he studied at the grammar school
in Göttingen
and then studied theology
at the University of Erfurt
from 1645 to 1649. In 1646 he became cantor
at the Church of St. Andrew in Erfurt
. In 1648 he published the Compendium per tenellis, a theoretical treatise on choral singing which was reprinted several times during his lifetime and for a last time 50 years later by his son Johann Georg (the last edition appeared in 1704).
In 1654 Ahle assumed the post of organist at the Church of St. Blasen/Blasius in Mühlhausen. The next year he married Anna Maria Wölfer; their son, Johann Georg Ahle
, was also a well-known composer and organist. He was elected a town councilman in Mühlhausen in the 1650s, and was elected mayor
shortly before his death in 1673. His immediate successor at St. Blasen/Blasius was his son Johann Georg Ahle (1651-1706), and then briefly Johann Sebastian Bach
, who was in Mühlhausen 1707/08.
Much of his compositional output consists of sacred choral and vocal works, instrumental music, and organ music. He is best known for motets and sacred concertos (most of them in German, some in Latin) contained in Neu-gepflanzte Thüringische Lust-Garten, in welchem... Neue Geistliche Musicalische Gewaechse mit 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 und mehr Stimmen auf unterschiedliche Arten mit und ohne Instrument ... versetzet (1657-65). He is also known for hymn melodies, of which three remain in the Evangelical Hymn Book.
Biography
Ahle was born in MühlhausenMühlhausen
Mühlhausen is a city in the federal state of Thuringia, Germany. It is the capital of the Unstrut-Hainich district, and lies along the river Unstrut. Mühlhausen had c. 37,000 inhabitants in 2006.-History:...
, Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
. While not much is known of his early musical training, he studied at the grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
and then studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the University of Erfurt
University of Erfurt
The University of Erfurt is a public university located in Erfurt, Germany. Originally founded in 1379, the university was closed in 1816 for the next 177 years...
from 1645 to 1649. In 1646 he became cantor
Cantor (church)
A cantor is the chief singer employed in a church with responsibilities for the ecclesiastical choir; also called the precentor....
at the Church of St. Andrew in Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
. In 1648 he published the Compendium per tenellis, a theoretical treatise on choral singing which was reprinted several times during his lifetime and for a last time 50 years later by his son Johann Georg (the last edition appeared in 1704).
In 1654 Ahle assumed the post of organist at the Church of St. Blasen/Blasius in Mühlhausen. The next year he married Anna Maria Wölfer; their son, Johann Georg Ahle
Johann Georg Ahle
Johann Georg Ahle was a German composer, organist, theorist, and Protestant church musician.-Biography:Ahle was born at Mühlhausen. His father was Johann Rudolph Ahle, who supplied him with early musical training. At the age of 23 he succeeded his late father at the post of organist at St. Balsius...
, was also a well-known composer and organist. He was elected a town councilman in Mühlhausen in the 1650s, and was elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
shortly before his death in 1673. His immediate successor at St. Blasen/Blasius was his son Johann Georg Ahle (1651-1706), and then briefly Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
, who was in Mühlhausen 1707/08.
Much of his compositional output consists of sacred choral and vocal works, instrumental music, and organ music. He is best known for motets and sacred concertos (most of them in German, some in Latin) contained in Neu-gepflanzte Thüringische Lust-Garten, in welchem... Neue Geistliche Musicalische Gewaechse mit 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 und mehr Stimmen auf unterschiedliche Arten mit und ohne Instrument ... versetzet (1657-65). He is also known for hymn melodies, of which three remain in the Evangelical Hymn Book.
Sources
- Don Randel, The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music. Harvard, 1996, p. 8.
- Uwe Wolf - Programme notes to BIS-CD-821, 1996
- Markus Rathey, Johann Rudolph Ahle. 1625-1673. Lebensweg und Schaffen, Eisenach: Wagner, 1999
- http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Ahle-Johann-Rudolf.htm