Kocher, Conrad

Composer

b Ditzingen, nr Stuttgart, Germany 1786, d Stuttgart 1872. He left home at 17 to work at St Petersburg as a tutor. While there he heard the works of Haydn and Mozart and resolved on a musical career. Influenced by M Clementi he travelled to Rome in 1819, where a study of Palestrina persuaded him of the need of reform of church music in his native Germany. On his return to Stuttgart he founded a School of Sacred Song which influenced not only the Würtemburg area but encouraged 4- part singing in many parts of the country. From 1827 to 1865 he was organist of Stuttgart’s Stiftskirche, contributing several tunes to the hymnals he had a share in revising. Among his compositions were 2 operas and an oratorio, and he compiled a chorale collection (1855) and wrote a treatise on church music (1853). PhD Tübingen, 1852. But for most congregations it is one ‘standard’ hymn tune which preserves his name today. No.386.