Ahle, Johann Rudolph

Composer

b Mülhausen, Thuringia (W Germany, now Mulhouse in E France) 1625, d Mülhausen 1673. Colleges (Gymnasia) of Mülhausen and Göttingen, and from 1645 the Univ of Erfurt. In 1646 he was appointed Cantor of St Andreas’ Ch Erfurt and Director of its Music Sch; there he became a radical reformer of church music, a skilled keyboard player who introduced a more Italianate style of music. His sacred arias, however, were regarded as ‘too secular’ by many. From 1649 he was organist at St Blasius’ Ch back in his home town, was elected to the town council 6 years later and after a further 6 became its Burgomaster. Among his writings are a treatise on singing and a collection of motets. No.556.