Johann Schop (1590-1667) was probably born in Hamburg, Germany. In 1614 he was a court musician in Wolfenbüttel, where he played violin, lute, trumpet and cornett. In 1615 he went to Copenhagen and played at the royal court of Christian IV. In 1619 he fled the plague spreading there. In Hamburg he then became a member of the Ratsmusik (Council Music), in 1621 their director and city kapellmeister. Later he was active as an organist at the Jacobikirche.



Upon the occasion of Christian's wedding he again travelled, in the company of Heinrich Schütz, to Copenhagen. The king's attempt to bring Schop back to Copenhagen for good failed; Schop spent the rest of his days in Hamburg.



Johann Schop was one of the first well-known German violin virtuosi. His popularity radiated beyond the city limits of Hamburg. Schop had 2 sons, Johann (* 1626) and Albert (* 1632) who also became musicians.