Christian Heinrich Aschenbrenner (Composer)

Born: December 29, 1654 - Altstettin, Germany
Died: December 13, 1732 - Jena, Germany

The German composer and violinst, Christian Heinrich Aschenbrenner, was son of the ducal Kapellmeister at Wolfenbüttel. Amongst his teachers were Heinrich Schütz, Theile, and finally Schmelzer of Vienna.

Although Christian Heinrich Aschenbrenner held at intervals some good appointments, and played on one occasion (in 1690) before the Emperor of Austria, to whom he dedicated 6 violin sonatas, his existence was, throughout, a very struggling one, and he died poor. His most important appointments were in the ducal chapels of Zeitz and Merseburg (first violin in the former, 1677-1681, and musical director 1695-1713; first violin at Merseburg 1683-1690 and Kapellmeister 1713-1719), Duke Wilhelm of Merseburg eventually allowing him a very small pension. His best-known work has the following title, 'Gast und Hochzeitfreude, bestehend in Sonaten, Präludien, Allemanden, Couranten, Balletten, Arien, Sarabanden, mit drei, vier und fünf Stimmen, nebst dem basso continuo,' (1673). It is uncertain, according to Fetis, if the above.mentioned 6 violin sonatas were ever published.

Source: Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 1952 Edition (Author: W.W. Corbett)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (April 2006)

Use of Chorale Melodies in his works

Title

Chorale Melody

Year

Allein Gott in der Höh sey Ehr for 4 voices and 6 instruments

Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr

Meine Seele erhebt den Herrn for 5 solo voices, 5-pt. chorus, 4 violas and bassoon

Meine Seele erhebet den Herren [The German Magnificat]

Choral setting for 12 voices on Wo soll ich fliehen hin

Wo soll ich fliehen hin

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