Johann Peter Kellner

Training under Hieronymus Florentinus Quehl is recorded. Johann Christoph Kellner, Johann Kirnberger and Johannes Ringk are recorded as having studied under Johann Peter Kellner. The recorded working language is German. The field of work recorded is music. Places of work recorded in the authority are Frankenhain and Gräfenroda.

He was born in Gräfenroda, Thuringia, and was intended by his parents to follow his father into a career as a lamp-black merchant. He was devoted to music from childhood, and first learnt singing from the cantor Johann Peter Nagel and keyboard from his son Johann Heinrich Nagel. He studied for a year from 1720 with the organist Johann Schmidt in Zella, followed by a year with the organist Hieronymus Florentinus Quehl (or Kehl) in Suhl, during which time he also studied composition. He knew Johann Sebastian Bach well, although it is not known whether he was taught by him. He was also acquainted with George Frideric Handel. In 1722, he returned to work as a tutor at Gräfenroda for three years. He was appointed cantor of Frankenhain in October 1725, returning to Gräfenroda in December 1727 as assistant cantor. He became cantor after Nagel's death in 1732, and remained in the post for the rest of his life; his pupils included Johann Philipp Kirnberger, Johannes Ringk, and J.E. Rembt. Kellner was admired as an organist, and performed for the Dukes of Coburg and Weimar and the Prince of Sondershausen. He played an important role in the dissemination of music by Johann Sebastian Bach, through the many manuscript copies made by him and his circle, particularly of keyboard and organ works, and very importantly the six cello suites. These are the earliest or only source of many works, and provide information on their chronology, compositional history, and authenticity. Russell Stinson has determined that the three movement trio sonata for organ BWV 1039a/BWV 1027a was not made by Bach, but almost certainly a transcription made by Kellner of the first two movements of Bach's Sonata in G major for two flutes and continuo, BWV 1039, and the fourth movement of Bach's Sonata in G major for viola da gamba and harpsichord, BWV 1027.

• Fugue in D minor, BWV Anh. 180 • Prelude and Fugue in D minor • 2 trios, D major, G major, in Die Orgel II/7 (Lippstadt, 1958) • Prelude in C major, in Orgelmusik um Johann Sebastian Bach (Wiesbaden, 1985) • 2 fugues in C minor and D major • 3 preludes in C major, C major, and G minor • 2 preludes and fugues in G major • It has been suggested that Kellner composed the Toccata and Fugue in D minor, formerly attributed to J.S. Bach

• Herzlich tut mich verlangen, BWV Anh. 47 (Leipzig, 1907) on Herzlich tut mich verlangen • Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan (Leipzig, 1907) on "Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan" • Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten (Wiesbaden, 1985) on "Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten" • Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich • Nun danket alle Gott, on "Nun danket alle Gott" • Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr on "Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr"

• Certamen musicum, bestehend aus Präludien, Fugen, Allemanden, Couranten, Sarabanden, Giguen, wie *auch Menuetten, 6 suites (1739–1749) • 3 Sonates (1752) • Manipulus musices, oder Eine Hand voll kurzweiliger Zeitvertreib, 4 suites (1752–1756) • Concerto in F major (Leipzig, 1956) • 2 fugues in A minor and C major • Menuet in A minor • 3 preludes and fugues in A minor, C major, and G major • 2 sonatas • 12 Variationes

• 36 church cantatas, in Stadt- und Universitätsbibliothek, Frankfurt • Annual cycle of church cantatas with organ, 1753 (lost)