Christian Geist - ChoralWiki

Life

Born: c. 1640, or more likely c. 1650

Died: 27 September 1711

Biography

German-Swedish composer, organist, singer, and hymn-writer. Salary records place Geist among the Kapellknabe at the ducal court of Mecklenburg-Güstrow during 1665–66 and 1668–69, and his probable birth has been revised. He was a bass singer during 1669 in Copenhagen and from 1670-79 at the court in Stockholm under Gustaf Düben, during which time the bulk of his ~60 motetti were composed. He took organist posts in Götheburg (1684) and Copenhagen (1689) were he died of plague.

"Christian Geist was a bass singer, composer and organist from Mecklenburg, Germany. From 1670−79 he was employed at the Svenska Hovkapellet (Swedish Royal Court Orchestra) and wrote some 50 compositions for the court and aristocracy. In 1679, he left Stockholm to take up the post of organist at the German Church in Gothenburg, and in 1684 he went to Copenhagen, where he remained until his death on 27 September 1711. His music is unconventional and is often characterised by a strong affective expression" (SwedishMusicalHeritage.com).

View the Wikipedia article on Christian Geist.