Johann Andreas Herbst

Full biography Johann Andreas Herbst

Johann Andreas Herbst was a German composer and music theorist of the early Baroque era. He was born on June 9, 1588, in Nuremberg, Bavaria, and was baptized on the same day. Herbst was a contemporary of other well-known composers of the time, including Heinrich Schütz and Johann Hermann Schein.

Not much is known about Herbst's early life, but he is believed to have received his musical education in Leipzig, Germany. He went on to serve as the music director in Frankfurt am Main , where he worked from 1642 until his death in 1666.

During his time in Frankfurt, Herbst amassed a significant music collection, which included works by many composers of the time, such as Johann Sebastian Bach. His collection contained around 120 editions with approximately 300 works by 250 different composers.

Herbst's own compositions were varied and included vocal and instrumental works. He is best known for his collection of hymns, titled "Hymni sacri novi," which was published in Frankfurt in 1631. The collection contained 36 hymns, many of which were based on psalms and other sacred texts.

Herbst died on January 24, 1666, at the age of 77, in Frankfurt am Main. Despite being a prolific composer and collector of music, he is not as well-known as some of his contemporaries today. Nonetheless, his contributions to the music of the Baroque era have not been forgotten, and his works continue to be performed and studied by music scholars and enthusiasts.