Joachim a Burck

Joachim von Burck, also Joachim a Burgk or Joachim Moller (Burg, 1546-Mühlhausen, 24 May 1610) was a German composer, notable for an early German Passion setting.^[1][2][3] As Johann Sebastian Bach's predecessor at the church of St Blasius, he pioneered the musical life in post-Reformation Mühlhausen, bringing it to early fruition.^[4] Influenced by the tradition of Flemish polyphony and the Italian madrigal, he developed his own style, focusing on clarity of expression. Considering himself a servant to the word of God, he discovered the German language as the foundation of his work, pragmatically addressing the congregation: "for I have aimed to set the words to the music in a manner that almost each syllable has its own note and that the four parts sing the words simultaneously in order that the listener can hear the words clearly."^[5] Burck's compositions were widely disseminated and acclaimed for their suitability for common use.