Johann Erasmus Kindermann

Kindermann was a student of <a href="spotify:artist:6S5VPJGfCp0aWZFMerlHHQ">Johann Staden</a> though he did not follow his teacher's method of prepared dissonances in melodic style. The important teacher-pupil tradition that was started in Nuremberg with Staden continued through Kindermann and his pupils Schwemmer and Wecker who then taught Krieger and <a href="spotify:artist:62TD7509VQIxUe4WpwO0s3">Pachelbel</a>. He was a teacher praised and in demand who also taught <a href="spotify:artist:1Ip7BTamdS6FuyFYdQqvOm">Johann Agricola</a> and Augustin Pfleger. From Nuremberg, and his studies with Staden, Kindermann probably went to Venice where he studied with, or perhaps only met with, <a href="spotify:artist:5iAhVgz6P8Nylxijb0C65v">Monteverdi</a>, Cavalli, Carissimmi, Frescobaldi and Merula. With the exception of his teaching the most important position Kindermann held was as the organist of the Egidienkirche in Nuremburg. There were only two positions considered to be more important for a musician. As already alluded to, Kindermann experimented with his music. This was unusual for he lived in a very conservative city particularly regarding music. His innovatory unprepared dissonances and contrasting choral and solo movements prepared the way for further musical development. His compositions did not accede to the declamatory styles of <a href="spotify:artist:5iAhVgz6P8Nylxijb0C65v">Monteverdi</a> but his forward looking manner included recitatives and contemplative choruses that did not become prevalent in Germany for many years to come. Kindermann also introduced instrumentally accompnaied songs and published four humorous works. The humor can easily be discerned from the title of one of the works, "In honorificabilitudinationibusque." ~ Keith Johnson