Johannes Speth

Johannes Speth (9 November 1664 - c.1720) was a German organist and composer.

He was born in Speinshart, Upper Palatinate, and first learn music from Dominikus Lieblein, an abbot of the Premonstratensian monastery at Speinshart. He was organist of Augsburg Cathedral from November 1692 to 1694 , and remained in Augsburg the rest of his life.

His known compositions, all for the organ or clavichord, are in the tradition of the South German school and are to be found in the informatively-titled "Ars magna Consoni et Dissoni in vireto hoc Organico-Instrumentali Musico, vere et practice ab Oculos posita. Das ist: Organisch-Instrumentalischer Kunst-, Zier- und Lust-Garten: in welchem Erstens: Zehen Lehren-reiche, ausserlesene Toccaten, oder Musicalische Blumen-Felder: Zweytens: 8 Magnificat, samt denen darzu gehörigen Praeambulis, Versen, Clausulen &c auf die acht Chor- oder Choral-Thon eingericht: und so dann Drittens: unterschiedliche Arien, mit vielen schönen Variationen, und anderen Galanterien vorgestellt werden" (Augsburg, 1693); a modern edition is by T. Fedtke (Kassel, 1973). J.G. Walther wrote in his "Musikalisches Lexicon" that Speth collected the pieces and was not their composer, though modern opinion is against this assertion.

ources

*Gwilym Beechey, 'Speth, Johannes', Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed 2007-06-08), http://www.grovemusic.com/
*Gwilym Beechey: 'A 17th-Century German Organ Tutor', in "Musical Times" CXIII (1972)