Ebeling, Johann Georg 07/08/1637 - 12/04/1676

Johann Georg Ebeling (1637-1676) was a German publisher and composer. He was born in Lüneburg and studied theology at the university of Helmstedt after 1658. Because of his musical gifts he was taken under the wing of Duke Ludwig von Braunschweig. After 1660 he was active with the Hamburger Collegium Musicum.



In 1662 he succeeded Johann Crüger as cantor at St. Nikolai church and teacher at the Gray Monastery in Berlin. In 1668 he was appointed professor of Greek and poetry at the Gymnasium Carolinum in Stettin, where he also taught music.



From 1666 to 1667 he published ten volumes, each containing 12 songs of Paul Gerhardt, who was minister at St. nikolai from 1657-1667. For 112 of the 120 songs he invented his own melodies, of an aria-like character which did not take.



Well-known are his melodies to the songs »Die güldne Sonne voll Freud und Wonne« (EKG 346), »Du meine Seele, singe« (EKG 197) and »Warum sollt ich mich denn grämen?« (EKG 297). His melody for »Befiehl du deine Wege« uses the Protestant hymnbook for the song of Rudolf Alexander Schröder »Wer kann der Treu vergessen, die du an uns getan« (EKG 307).