Johann Schelle (* September 6, 1648 in Geising (Erzgebirge); † March 10, 1701 in Leipzig)
was a German composer of the Baroque.
Johann Schelle, son of the cantor and rector Jonas Schelle, became discantist of the Saxon Court Orchestra of Dresden at the age of seven under Heinrich Schütz. On his recommendation Schelle was accepted as a choir singer in the ducal chapel in Wolfenbüttel in 1657 for which Schütz was active as Kapellmeister (church music director).
From 1665 to 1667 Schelle was singer in the ''Thomanerchoir'' at the Thomasschule (Thomas School) in Leipzig. He matriculated at the University of Leipzig on January 31, 1667. To secure his living he also gave music lessons. On the recommendation of Sebastian Knüpfer, Schelle became cantor in Eilenburg in 1670. There he married Elisabeth Wüstling from Eilenburg in 1671; subsequently six sons and two daughters were born.
From 31 January 1677 until his death Schelle was Thomaskantor (choirmaster) in Leipzig as Knüpfer's successor and predecessor of Johann Kuhnau. At the same time he was director of ''chori musici'' for the city of Leipzig. In Leipzig he introduced the combination of setting the gospel text to music with sacred songs and the chorale cantata and composed above all vocal-instrumental church music. 1682/1683 he was alternating with Johannes Keimel as Thomasorganist.
Schelle was the teacher of Johann Theodor Roemhildt, Friedrich Wilhelm Zachow, Reinhard Keiser, Johann Christoph Graupner and Johann David Heinichen.
He was one of the first to perform oratorical Gospel cantatas in the German language at church.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Schelle
Note: Translated from the German Wikipedia version into English
