The German composer and theorist Christoph Bernhard was a pupil of Schütz in Dresden and later possibly of Carissimi in Italy. After a period as vice-Kapellmeister in Dresden, in 1664 he moved to Hamburg as Cantor at the Johannisschule, with responsibility for the music of the four principal churches of the city. He returned to Dresden 10 years later, remaining there, eventually as Kapellmeister, until his death in 1692.

Vocal and Choral Music

The main body of Bernhard’s work consists of sacred music—settings of Latin and German texts. He also left a smaller number of secular songs.