Leonhard Lechner (also Leonard, 15539 September 1606) was a German composer, kapellmeister, tenor and music editor who was taught by Orlando de Lassus. He added Athesinus to his signature, referring to his origin in today's South Tyrol. His last positions were at the court of court of Stuttgart. He is regarded as a "leading German composer of choral music in the later 16th century". While many of his works are lost, a Passion, many expressive songs, and a song cycle are extant. The complete works were published by Bärenreiter in 14 volumes.

Life

Lechner was born in South Tyrol in 1553. He died on 9 September 1606 in Stuttgart. In 1593, he composed a Passion, Historia der Passion and Leidens unsers einigin Erlösers und Seligmachers Jesu Christi, in Württemberg. The 1593 work has five movements and is for a four-part mixed choir with a German text based on the four Gospels. Barely any of his compositions were printed during his lifetime. Some manuscripts are extant while many of his works are lost. His swan song was Deutsche Sprüche von Leben und Tod (German sentences of life and death).

Reception

The Larousse Encyclopedia Of Music stated, "His music is remarkable for its dramatic power and emotional intensity, qualities particularly evident in the fifteen Deutsche Sprüche von Leben und Tod, which reveal his sure command of techniques ranging from fluent polyphony to chordal writing." John C. Hughes of The Choral Journal wrote, "Upon deeper investigation, one finds Lechner's Passion not only to be a well-constructed work of art ... but also a strong influence upon later contributions to the Passion genre."

He is listed as an ecumenical saint.

References

  • Leonhard Lechner (in German) Bayerisches Musik-Lexikon Online
  • Lechner, Leonhard Deutsche Biographie
  • Leonhard Lechner (1553–1606) (in German) kantorei.it
  • John Charles Hughes: Leonhard Lechner's Passion (1593): cultural contexts, musical analysis, and historical implications (dissertation) iro.uiowa.edu Fall 2014