Johann Kuhnau was a composer, keyboardist, music theorist, scholar, writer and lawyer. He was known for his keyboard music and preceeded Bach as Kantor of the Thomasschule in Leipzig. After Kuhnau showed early musical promise and was active as a church musician and music student, culminating with the Kantorship in 1701. In addition to his musical career, Kuhnau was an active scholar and a prosperous lawyer. He wrote a satirical novel, translated many literary works from French and Italian into German, and enjoyed a happy family life. His later years were marred by ill heath, the decline in the quality of his singers and a rivalry with Telemann. He is remembered as one of the last multi-faceted Kantors, proficient in many scholarly areas, not just music. His surviving work is in two categories; keyboard and sacred music. All his secular vocal works are lost. ~ Lynn Vought, Rovi