Melchior Vulpius

The beginning of Vulpius' St. Mathew Passion in Pori trivial school's Discantus part book (1725). Text in Swedish and in Finnish

Melchior Vulpius (ca. 1570, Wasungen – 7 August 1615) was a German singer and composer of church music.

Vulpius came from a poor craftsman's family. He studied at the local school in Wasungen (in Thuringia) with Johannes Steuerlein. From 1588, he attended the school in Speyer. After marrying in 1589, he obtained a position at the Gymnasium in Schleusingen. In 1596, he was named cantor in Weimar.

He wrote and published church music, the best known being the setting of the hymn Ach, bleib mit deiner Gnade on a text by Josua Stegmann. This setting was often performed in Protestant churches on New Year's Day and at the end of the service. Important compilations were Cantiones sacrae (1602, 1604), Kirchengesänge und geistliche Lieder Dr. Luthers (1604), Canticum beatissimae (1605) and Ein schön geistlich Gesangbuch (1609). The Cantional (a collection of songs) was published posthumously in 1646 in Gotha.

Song melodies

• Der Tag bricht an und zeiget sich
• Die helle Sonn
• Christus, der ist mein Leben
• Jesu, deine Passion
• Hinunter ist der Sonne Schein
• Lobt Gott den Herrn ihr Heiden all
• Ach bleib mit deiner Gnade

List of selected works

• Pars prima Cantionum sacrarum (1602)
• Pars secunda selectissimarum Cantionum sacrarum (1603)
• Kirchen Geseng und Geistliche Lieder D. Martini Lutheri und anderer frommen Christen (1604)
• Erster Theil Deutscher Sonntäglicher Evangelien Sprüche (1612)
• Das Leiden und Sterben Unsers Herrn Erlösers Jesu Christi auß dem heiligen Evangelisten Matthäo (1613, new edition 1981)
• Der ander Theil Deutscher Sonntäglicher Ev. Sprüche (1614)

External links

• Free scores by Melchior Vulpius in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Melchior Vulpius (Bach-Cantatas.com)
• Free scores by Melchior Vulpius in the Werner Icking Music Archive (WIMA)
• Free scores by Melchior Vulpius at the International Music Score Library Project
• Sheet music and MIDIs for some of Vulpius' motets

Persondata
Name	Vulpius, Melchior
Alternative names
Short description	German singer and composer
Date of birth	ca. 1570
Place of birth	Wasungen, Germany
Date of death	7 August 1615
Place of death	Weimar, Germany