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Basilius Förtsch (Hymn-Writer)

Born: ??? - Roßla (Rosla), Thuringia, Germany
Died: 1619 - Gumperta (near Orlamünde), Thuringia, Germany

Basilius F. Förtsch was a Lutheran theologian, said to have been born at Rosla in Thuringia. After completing his studies, he was a tutor of Kammerrath v. Kromsdorf in Altenburg; afterwards Rector in Kahla; last since 1612 Pastor of Gumperda near Kahla, where he died in 1619.

In 1609 Basilius Förtsch published a devotional book under the title: Geistliche Wasserquelle, which he dvoted to the four children of Herr v. Kromsdorf, his pupils. . Several editions of this work appeared, differing in parts from each other; one of these later editions appeared in Leipzig in 1615. Some of the sacred songs printed in this book, which for the most part contain a collection of prayers, have been attributed to him as a poet; it happened more or less with those whose author was otherwise unknown. With what right, must sometimes be left undecided; most, if not all, are certainly wrong. So he should z. For example, the poem "Heut triumphiret Gottes Sohn", which was printed in the edition of Geistlicher Deutscher Lieder by Bartholomäus Gesius in 1601, was probably already known earlier. The songs: "Ich weiß (mir) ein Blümlein" and "O Christe Morgensterne" were already printed in 1579, so they certainly can not be of him, since he was still a private tutor in 1609, although both of them are quite definitely awarded here and there. On the other hand, of the songs in which "Fürstlicher Personen Symbola" are sung, which make up the fifth chapter of Geistlichen Wasserquelle, the ten which are signed (in the edition of 1615) with the capital letters B.F. 1609 appear to originate from him.

 

Source: Deutsche Biographie Website, English translation by Aryeh Oron (September 2018)
Contributed by
Aryeh Oron (September 2018)

Texts of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

BWV 291, BWV 520

Chorale Texts used in Bach’s Vocal Works

Das walt mein Gott, Vater, Sohn und Heilger Geist (1613; attributed to)

Heut triumphieret Gottes Sohn (1591; NLGB 95; GH 145; EKG 83; EG 109; KGEL 107; attributed to, actually Kaspar Stolzhagen)

Links to other Sites

Basilius Förtsche (Wikipedia) [Swedish]
Förtsch, Basilius (Deutsche Biographie) [German]

Bibliography

Bertheau, Carl, "Förtsch, Basilius" in: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie 7 (1878), S. 194


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Last update: Tuesday, November 06, 2018 03:23