Cruger, Johann

Cruger, Johann a German composer of Church music, was born April 9, 1598, at Gross- Breese, near Guben, in Brandenburg. He studied at Wittenberg, was in 1612 organist at St. Nikolai, in Berlin, and died there, February 23, 1662. He wrote, Praecepta Musicae Practicae Figuralis (Berlin, 1625): — Synopsis Musica (ibid. 1630): — Quaestiones Musicae (1650); and composed, besides, many chorals, which are still in use in the German Church. He also published, Neues Gesangbuch augsburger Konfession (ibid. 1640): — Geistliche Kirchenmelodien (Leips. 1649): — Psalmodia Sacra (1658): — Praxis Pietatis (eod.). See Koch, Geschichte des deutschen Kirchenleides, 4:99 sq.; Grove, Dict. of Music, s.v. (B.P.)