Johannes Ringk
Encyclopedia
Johannes Ringk, or Ringck, (26 June 1717 1778) was a German composer
and organist
.
He was born in Frankenhain
, Thuringia
, and studied organ with Johann Peter Kellner
in Gräfenroda
and Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel
in Gotha
. From 1740 he was a music teacher in Berlin
, and in 1754 he was appointed organist of the Marienkirche, where he remained until his death. Contemporaries held a high opinion of his organ playing and ability at fugal extemporisation.
He composed organ works, concerto
s and possibly an opera
, but is most remembered today for the numerous copies he made, often the only now remaining, of works by more notable composers. Amongst these copies in his hand are Johann Sebastian Bach
's cantata
Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten, BWV 202 and the oldest copy of the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
. It is possible that the copies were made from versions in Kellner's collection, who was a pupil of Bach. The copies in Kellner's collection, which were made approximately around 1725, are today one of the most important sources of Bach's work.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and organist
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
.
He was born in Frankenhain
Frankenhain
Frankenhain is a municipality in the district Ilm-Kreis, in Thuringia, Germany.It is well known for its biathlon club. A famous biathlete is Kathrin Apel....
, 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....
, and studied organ with Johann Peter Kellner
Johann Peter Kellner
Johann Peter Kellner was a German organist and composer. He was the father of Johann Christoph Kellner.-Biography:...
in Gräfenroda
Gräfenroda
Gräfenroda is a municipality in Thuringia in the northeast of the Thüringer Wald forest, Ilm-Kreis district. Gräfenroda is the seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Oberes Geratal....
and Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel
Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel
Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel was a prolific German composer.-Biography:Stölzel grew up in Schwarzenberg, Saxony in the Erzgebirge. From 1707 he was a student of theology in Leipzig, and of Melchior Hofmann, the musical director of the Neukirche. He studied, worked and composed in Breslau and Halle...
in Gotha
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
. From 1740 he was a music teacher in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and in 1754 he was appointed organist of the Marienkirche, where he remained until his death. Contemporaries held a high opinion of his organ playing and ability at fugal extemporisation.
He composed organ works, concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
s and possibly an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, but is most remembered today for the numerous copies he made, often the only now remaining, of works by more notable composers. Amongst these copies in his hand are 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...
's cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten, BWV 202 and the oldest copy of the famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565
The Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, is a piece of organ music attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach. It is one of the most famous works in the organ repertoire, and has been used in a variety of popular media ranging from film, video games, to rock music, and ringtones...
. It is possible that the copies were made from versions in Kellner's collection, who was a pupil of Bach. The copies in Kellner's collection, which were made approximately around 1725, are today one of the most important sources of Bach's work.