Johann Walter

WALTER, Johann. b. Kahla ( ?), 1496 ; d. Torgau, 25 March 1570. He was possibly born in Kahla (Thüringen). After studying at the Latin schools in Kahla and Rochlitz (Saxony), Walter matriculated at the University of Leipzig in 1517, where he may have had personal contact with Georg Rhau*, cantor at the Thomaskirche at the time. By 1521 he was a bass in the court chapel of Friedrich the Wise, Elector of Saxony, although this was disbanded in 1525 following the Elector’s death. In 1525, Walter and Conrad Rupsch acted as musical advisors in Luther*’s development of the Deutsche Messe (‘German Mass’); in the same year, Walter founded the first civic church choir in Torgau in association with...