Johann Kirnberger

Who was Johann Kirnberger?

Johann Philipp Kirnberger was a musician, composer, and music theorist. Possibly, though not verified, he was a pupil of Johann Sebastian Bach, visiting Leipzig in 1741. He became a violinist at the court of Frederick II of Prussia in 1751. He was the music director to the Prussian Princess Anna Amalia from 1758 until his death. Kirnberger greatly admired J.S. Bach, and sought to secure the publication of all of Bach's chorale settings, which finally appeared after Kirnberger's death; see Kirnberger chorale preludes. Many of Bach's manuscripts have been preserved in Kirnberger's library.

He is known today primarily for his theoretical work Die Kunst des reinen Satzes in der Musik. The well-tempered tuning systems known as "Kirnberger II" and "Kirnberger III" are associated with his name, as is a rational version of equal temperament.