Johann Sebastiani

17th-Century German Composer and Organist

Johann Sebastiani (1622–1683) was a German composer and Kapellmeister of the Baroque era. He is primarily known for his contribution to Protestant church music. One of his most significant works is his setting of the "Passion According to St. Matthew," which predates the more famous version by Johann Sebastian Bach. Sebastiani's "Matthäus Passion" is noted for its incorporation of chorales and arias, and for being one of the earliest passions to include recitatives, which would later become standard in the genre. His style represents a transition between the early Baroque period and the more developed high Baroque. While not as widely recognized as some of his contemporaries, Sebastiani's work contributed to the development of sacred music in Germany during a period that was rich with musical innovation.