Osiander d. Ä, Lukas 12/15/1534 - 09/17/1604

Lukas Osiander the Elder (1534-1604) was a court chaplain, prelate and composer in Württemberg, Germany. As the son of the Nürnberg theologian Andreas Osiander he went with his father in 1548 to Königsberg in Prussia (today Kaliningrad, Russia). Here he began his studies, which he continued in Tübingen after his father's death in 1553. He entered the church in Württemberg and held several leading positions. As court chaplain and councilor of the consistory he was also charged with the instruction of the young Duke Ludwig. In 1583 he received his doctor of theology degree in Tübingen.



After he fell out of favor with the succeeding Duke he was forced in 1598 to move to the imperial town of Esslingen where he was active in the church there without holding an official position.



In 1586 he published a song collection including his own compositions. With this collection he intended and achieved a breakthrough in sacred music by transferring the melody from the tenor to the highest voice. Through this setting he enabled the entire congregation to sing along and placed the role of women in the foreground.