Samuel Rüling
Encyclopedia
Samuel Rüling (1586 – June 1626) was a German
composer
and poet in the early 17th century.
, near Leipzig
, as the son of Johann (also Johannes, Hans) Rüling. His father (1550–1615) served as organist in Zeithain
from 1572 to 1575, then in Döbeln
until 1582, and finally until his death in Groitzsch, where he was also town clerk. Johann Rüling also published the Tabulaturbuch auff Orgeln und Instrument in 1583, and consequently his considerable musical accomplishments make it likely that Samuel received an extensive musical education early on. Samuel Rüling entered the Fürstenschule at Grimma
on 20 June 1601, and left it on 4 July 1606. His instructors in Grimma were primarily the rector Martin Hayneccius and cantor Fridericus Birck.
He matriculated at the University of Leipzig
in the same summer semester, where he studied with Ambrosius Sonewaldt, and later with Mühlmann, Harbart and Corvinus. He must also have been in close proximity with the prominent Thomaskantor
Sethus Calvisius
. Around 1610, he became cantor at the university church Paulinerkirche
, which was famous for its substantial musical performances at both religious and academic events. No later than 1611, he became a royally crowned poet.
, the Dresden
city council was particularly careful in filling the position, and assigned the main scribe M. Schobert to find a suitable student at the Leipzig University. Schobert wrote to the professor Johann Friedrich on 25 July 1612, explaining the vacancy and the desired qualifications. Friedrich recommended Rüling because of his academic and musical excellence, and he was appointed Kreuzkantor on 17 September 1612. Some sources claim that he married Maria Brehme in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig on 29 November 1612.
Though Rüling seems to have been satisfied with his position at the Kreuzkirche, he actively pursued a promotion to a clerical position, and when an opening appeared at the Kreuzkirche appeared in 1612, he applied for it. Though he did not receive the promotion, the council sent him a letter lauding his qualifications, and Rüling wrote back asking to be considered in the future.
In 1615 he compiled the first extensive Kreuzkirche inventory, dated 26 June, which showed substantial additions since the original 1575 one. The acquisitions, likely made during his and Christoph Lisberger's tenure (1606–1612), span the various 15th and 16th century European styles, and point to an interest and ability in performing them with the Kreuzchor. The entire contents of the inventory perished no later than the 1760 fire.
and his wife notably belonged. From 1615 until his death in June 1626, Rüling was able to publish a variety of sermons and poems, many of which can still be found in the Dresden archives. A number of his poems also appeared preceding Schütz's compositions. In 1625 he attended Schütz's wife at her deathbed. His connection with Schütz's wife, her father, and Schütz himself points towards a close relationship between the two, and this is further supported by his composition Machet die Tore weit, which has been misattributed to Schütz in the past, and the beginning of which seems to have been edited by Schütz himself.
Rüling died in June 1626. In many ways, he was the first significant post-Reformation Kreuzkantor, since his 6-9 voice compositions, though never appearing in print, managed to find their way into many regional archives over the course of the 17th century. As late as 1730, he was mentioned by M. Sivers as a "well-versed cantor".
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
composer
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
and poet in the early 17th century.
Before Kreuzkirche
Rüling was born around 1586 in GroitzschGroitzsch
Groitzsch is a town in the Leipzig district, in Saxony, Germany.- Geography and transport :The town is situated on the river Weiße Elster, 20 km northeast of Zeitz, and 25 km southwest of Leipzig. The B176 goes through Groitzsch and the B2 goes through the subdistricts Kobschütz and...
, near Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, as the son of Johann (also Johannes, Hans) Rüling. His father (1550–1615) served as organist in Zeithain
Zeithain
Zeithain is a municipality in the district of Meißen, in Saxony, Germany.During World War II a large prisoner-of-war camp, Stalag IV-B/H, was located here.A memorial and museum commemorate it.-Municipality subdivisions:...
from 1572 to 1575, then in Döbeln
Döbeln
Döbeln is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, part of the Mittelsachsen district, located at both banks of the river Freiberger Mulde.-History:It was founded in the 10th century, the first written proof of its existence dates back to the year 981....
until 1582, and finally until his death in Groitzsch, where he was also town clerk. Johann Rüling also published the Tabulaturbuch auff Orgeln und Instrument in 1583, and consequently his considerable musical accomplishments make it likely that Samuel received an extensive musical education early on. Samuel Rüling entered the Fürstenschule at Grimma
Grimma
Grimma is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany on the left bank of the Mulde, southeast of Leipzig. Founded in c. 1170, it is part of the Leipzig district.- Location :...
on 20 June 1601, and left it on 4 July 1606. His instructors in Grimma were primarily the rector Martin Hayneccius and cantor Fridericus Birck.
He matriculated at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
in the same summer semester, where he studied with Ambrosius Sonewaldt, and later with Mühlmann, Harbart and Corvinus. He must also have been in close proximity with the prominent Thomaskantor
Thomaskantor
The Thomaskantor is the musical director of the Thomanerchor in Leipzig, founded in 1212. He is appointed by Leipzig's city council and his duties are to lead the weekly services called Motette, Sunday services and other services in the Thomaskirche, also to conduct recordings and tours.Johann...
Sethus Calvisius
Sethus Calvisius
Sethus Calvisius or Setho Calvisio, originally Seth Kalwitz was a German music theorist, composer, chronologer, astronomer, and teacher of the late Renaissance....
. Around 1610, he became cantor at the university church Paulinerkirche
Paulinerkirche, Leipzig
The Paulinerkirche was a church on the Augustusplatz in Leipzig, named after the "Pauliner", its original Dominican friars. It was built in 1231 as the Klosterkirche St. Pauli for the Dominican monastery in Leipzig. From the foundation of the University of Leipzig in 1409, it served as the...
, which was famous for its substantial musical performances at both religious and academic events. No later than 1611, he became a royally crowned poet.
Kreuzkirche Period
Because of various problems with Rüling's predecessors at the KreuzkircheKreuzkirche
The Church of the Cross in Dresden is the largest church in Saxony, and home to the Dresdner Kreuzchor boy choir. Known since the early 12th century, it was officially dedicated on 10 June 1388 to the Holy Cross. Since 1491, it has burned down five times...
, the Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
city council was particularly careful in filling the position, and assigned the main scribe M. Schobert to find a suitable student at the Leipzig University. Schobert wrote to the professor Johann Friedrich on 25 July 1612, explaining the vacancy and the desired qualifications. Friedrich recommended Rüling because of his academic and musical excellence, and he was appointed Kreuzkantor on 17 September 1612. Some sources claim that he married Maria Brehme in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig on 29 November 1612.
Though Rüling seems to have been satisfied with his position at the Kreuzkirche, he actively pursued a promotion to a clerical position, and when an opening appeared at the Kreuzkirche appeared in 1612, he applied for it. Though he did not receive the promotion, the council sent him a letter lauding his qualifications, and Rüling wrote back asking to be considered in the future.
In 1615 he compiled the first extensive Kreuzkirche inventory, dated 26 June, which showed substantial additions since the original 1575 one. The acquisitions, likely made during his and Christoph Lisberger's tenure (1606–1612), span the various 15th and 16th century European styles, and point to an interest and ability in performing them with the Kreuzchor. The entire contents of the inventory perished no later than the 1760 fire.
After Kreuzkirche
On 1 September 1615, Rüling was invited to another meeting with the city council about a deacon position, and received the post on 16 September. He was assigned to the central Frauenkirche parish, to which Heinrich SchützHeinrich Schütz
Heinrich Schütz was a German composer and organist, generally regarded as the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian Bach and often considered to be one of the most important composers of the 17th century along with Claudio Monteverdi...
and his wife notably belonged. From 1615 until his death in June 1626, Rüling was able to publish a variety of sermons and poems, many of which can still be found in the Dresden archives. A number of his poems also appeared preceding Schütz's compositions. In 1625 he attended Schütz's wife at her deathbed. His connection with Schütz's wife, her father, and Schütz himself points towards a close relationship between the two, and this is further supported by his composition Machet die Tore weit, which has been misattributed to Schütz in the past, and the beginning of which seems to have been edited by Schütz himself.
Rüling died in June 1626. In many ways, he was the first significant post-Reformation Kreuzkantor, since his 6-9 voice compositions, though never appearing in print, managed to find their way into many regional archives over the course of the 17th century. As late as 1730, he was mentioned by M. Sivers as a "well-versed cantor".
Compositions
Current locations of sources in parentheses.- Der Herr erhöre dich in der Not - 8 voices, 6 extant (Mügeln)
- Ein Tag in deinen Vorhöfen - 8 voices & basso continuo (BudapestBudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Dresden, Kraków, Levoča, Mügeln, Neustadt an der Orla, Wolfenbüttel) - also attributed to Heinrich Grimm - Erstanden ist der heilige Christ - 8 voices (Dresden)
- Gaudeat adjuncta sponsa - 7 voices, 2 extant (Dresden, Wolfenbüttel)
- Habe deine Lust an dem Herren - 8 voices & organ tabulature (BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, DresdenDresdenDresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, MügelnMügelnMügeln is a town in the district Nordsachsen, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is located 9 km southwest of Oschatz and 14 km northwest of Döbeln. The town has a population of approximately 4700 people.- Geography :...
, ZwickauZwickauZwickau in Germany, former seat of the government of the south-western region of the Free State of Saxony, belongs to an industrial and economical core region. Nowadays it is the capital city of the district of Zwickau...
) - Ich hab' den Herrn allzeit für Augen - 8 voices (Dresden, Mügeln, Wolfenbüttel, Zwickau) - also attributed to Heinrich Grimm
- Machet die Tore weit - 8 voices, basso continuo & organ tabulature (Dresden, LevočaLevocaLevoča is a town in the Spiš region of eastern Slovakia with a population of 14,600. The town has a historic center with a well preserved town wall, a Renaissance church with the highest wooden altar in Europe, carved by Master Paul of Levoča, and many other Renaissance buildings.On 28 June 2009,...
, Wrocław - also attributed to Heinrich SchützHeinrich SchützHeinrich Schütz was a German composer and organist, generally regarded as the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian Bach and often considered to be one of the most important composers of the 17th century along with Claudio Monteverdi... - Mein Freund komme in seinen Garten - 8 voices (Budapest, Dresden, Neustadt an der Orla, Waldheim, Warsaw, Wolfenbüttel, Wrocław, Zwickau) - also attributed to Melchior FranckMelchior FranckMelchior Franck was a German composer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras. He was a hugely prolific composer of Protestant church music, especially motets, and assisted in bringing the stylistic innovations of the Venetian School north across the Alps into Germany.-Life:Details of his...
- Nunc gaudere decet - 8 voices & organ tabulature, only organ tabulature extant (Berlin)
- Schaff in mir Gott ein reines Herze - 8 voices, at least 6 extant (Dresden, Mügeln, Wolfenbüttel)
- Sic Deus dilexit mundum - 6 voices, 4 extant (Dresden, Wolfenbüttel)
- Stehe auf meine Freundin - 8 voices, at least 6 extant (Dresden, KrakówKrakówKraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Wolfenbüttel) - Was betrübst du dich, meine Seele - 8 voices (Dresden, Mügeln, WeimarWeimarWeimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, WolfenbüttelWolfenbüttelWolfenbüttel is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, located on the Oker river about 13 kilometres south of Brunswick. It is the seat of the District of Wolfenbüttel and of the bishop of the Protestant Lutheran State Church of Brunswick...
, ZwickauZwickauZwickau in Germany, former seat of the government of the south-western region of the Free State of Saxony, belongs to an industrial and economical core region. Nowadays it is the capital city of the district of Zwickau...
)
- Gott ist in Juda bekannt - 9 voices (lost, last mentioned 1894 - Karl Held)
- Homo quidam erat dives 7 voices (lost, last mentioned before 1894 - Otto Kade)
Writings
- Novus Elector Dei gratia Serenissimus Et Potentissimus Princeps Ac Dominus, Dominus Johannes Georgius Dux Saxoniae, Iuliae, Cleviae Et Montium: S.R. Imperii Archimarschallus … : Lipsiam 17. September. An. 1611. solenniter ingressus humilime salutatur
- Hiskias Querulus, Das ist: Klagrede des krancken Königes Hiskiae, Bey dem Begrebnüß des Weyland Ehrnvesten, Manhafften und Kunstreichen Herrn Michaelis Lehmanni, gewesenen FeldTrommeters, [et]c. : Welcher am Sontage Sexagesimae, war der 8. Februarij, Anno 1618. ... entschlaffen, und folgends den 11. ... in sein Ruhebettlein ist versetzt worden
- Epigram to Schütz's "Psalmen Davids"
- Christliche Leichpredigt, Bey dem Volckreichen Begräbnüß, Des … H. Gabriel Voigts, Churf. S. Secretarii, und geheimbden RentCammer Verwandtens : Welcher den 9. Septembris, Anno 1622. zu Dreßden, in Christo selig eingeschlaffen, vud den 12. hernach in sein Ruhebettlein ist versetzt worden
- “Lessus Christianus” d. i. Leichten Predigten in und außer der Festung Dresden gehalten
- Die edle Sterbekunst Simeonis, Bey dem Leichbegängnüs Der… Frawen Annen, Des … Matthes Kaphans, gewesenen Bürgers und Büttners zu Dreßden ... Wittwen : Welche am Tage Mariae Reinigung, Anno 1622. im 90. Jahr ihres Alters, seliglich von dieser Welt abgeschieden, und den 6. Februarii hernach Christlich zur Erden ist bestattet worden
- Succus propheticus, d. i. XXV außerlesene Kernsprüche aus den Propheten in … Predigten erklärt
- Epigram to Schütz's "Cantiones sacrae"
- Sechs christliche hohe Festags Predigten, auff Weynachten, Ostern und Pfingsten, gehalten in der Creutzkirchen zu Dreszden, und vielen frommen Christen zu Trost in Druck gegeben
Sources
- Garbe, Daniela. Das Musikalienrepertoire von St. Stephani zu Helmstedt: Ein Bestand an Drucken und Handschriften des 17. Jahrhunderts. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 1998.
- Härtwig, D., Herrmann, M. Der Dresdner Kreuzchor: Geschichte und Gegenwart, Wirkungsstätten und Schule. Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, 2006.
- Held, Karl. Das Kreuzkantorat zu Dresden. Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1894.
- Moser, Hans Joachim. Heinrich Schütz: His Life and Work. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959.
- Steude, Wolfram: Annäherung durch Distanz: Texte zur älteren mitteldeutschen Musik und Musikgeschichte. Altenburg: Verlag Klaus-Jürgen Kamprad, 2001.
- Steude, Wolfram. Bemerkungen zu “Machet die Tore weit” (SWV Anhang 8). 10. Jahrgang 1988, p. 50-61.
- Steude, Wolfram. Die Musiksammelhandschriften des 16. und 17. Jahrhunderts in der Sächsischen Landesbibliothek zu Dresden. Wilhelmshaven: Heinrichshofen’s Verlag, 1974.
- Steude, Wolfram. Samuel Rüling und Heinrich Schütz: Machet die Tore weit, SWV Anhang 8. Stuttgart: Carus Verlag, 1992.