Johann Rosenmuller

Full biography Johann Rosenmuller

Johann Rosenmuller (also known as Johann Rosenmüller) was a German Baroque composer, born in 1619 in Oelsnitz, near Zwickau, Saxony. He was educated at Leipzig University and held various positions as a trombonist and organist in Germany before settling in Venice, Italy in the late 1650s.

In Venice, Rosenmuller worked with famous musicians such as Giovanni Legrenzi and Antonio Sartorio. He also served as the music director at the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, where he composed music for the orphanage's choir and orchestra. His works were well-received and highly regarded during his lifetime.

However, in 1682, Rosenmuller was arrested on charges of sodomy, a crime punishable by death in Venice at the time. He was spared execution but was banished from the city and returned to Germany, where he eventually died in 1684.

Despite his tragic end, Rosenmuller's music lives on and is still performed and recorded today. He composed in a variety of genres, including church music, instrumental music, and vocal music. Some of his notable works include the Christmas oratorio "Historia de la Naissance", the "Sonatas for 2 to 5 instruments", and the "Symphoniae Sacrae".