Forster, Georg

1514-1568

He was born in Amberg, Germany, and was a physician by profession, but became interested in music and attained to a high place as a musician and editor of a large and valuable collection of German folk-songs. In 1534 he entered the University of Wittenberg, where he graduated as a physician, going to Amberg to practice, then to Wurzburg and later, having been appointed to the post by the Duke of Bavaria, to Heidelberg, as physician and surgeon. He also went through the French campaigns. About 1544 Dr. Forster settled in Nuremberg, where he died. He rendered a distinct service to music by his collections of songs, which were arranged for four voices and which appeared in five parts at Nuremberg from 1539 to 1556. In these were represented the most important composers of the day, and of the three hundred and eighty songs contained in it Forster contributed thirty-seven. The second part which contained psalms included Josquin de Pres' " Qui Habitat" for twenty-four voices and a Deo Gratias, generally attributed to Okeghem. The work was reprinted in score by Eitner in 1904. Forster also edited two volumes of sacred works in 1540 and 1542.