KERLL, JOHANN KASPAR. — Organist and composer, born in Adorf on 9 April 1627, died in Munich on 13 February 1693. He first studied in Vienna, then in Rome with Carissimi and Frescobaldi. In 1656–57 he was choir director of the Munich chapel, and from 1677 to 1684 organist at St. Stephen’s in Vienna. He then returned to Munich.
In addition to several theatrical works of purely Italian inspiration, he wrote Modulatio organica super Magnificat octo tonis (Vienna 1686), preludes, interludes, sacrae cantiones, concertos, 2 volumes of Masses for 2 and 6 voices, and numerous sonatas for organ. Much of K.’s music is printed in modern collections edited by G. Adler.
BIBL.: A. W. Ambros, Geschichte der Musik, IV, Leipzig 1860, p. 463; G. B. Katschthaler, Storia della musica sacra, Italian trans., 3rd ed., Turin 1926, p. 148. Silverio Mattei