About Johannes de Cleve
Lived 1529 – 1582 (aged 52–53). Johannes de Cleve was a German composer.
Johannes de Cleve (c. 1529 – 14 July 1582) was a composer active at the court of Ferdinand I and Charles II.
He was presumably born in the Duchy of Cleves, and recruited into the court as a choirboy in the same way as Lassus and many others. He was originally a singer in Ferdinand's chapel in Vienna, but when Charles II organized a new chapel in Graz in 1564, he appointed de Cleve as the first Kapellmeister in Graz.
Works Laudatory and occasional Latin motets for the Habsburg court. 'Missa rex Babylonis venit ad lacum.'
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Johannes de Cleve's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Johannes de Cleve?
composer
When was Johannes de Cleve born?
Johannes de Cleve was born in 1529 in Kleve.
When did Johannes de Cleve die?
Johannes de Cleve died on 15 August 1582.
What was Johannes de Cleve's occupation?
Johannes de Cleve was a composer.
What nationality was Johannes de Cleve?
Johannes de Cleve was German.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Johannes de Cleve
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Johannes de Cleve. https://biography.guide/johannes-de-cleve/
MLA: "Johannes de Cleve." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/johannes-de-cleve/.
Chicago: "Johannes de Cleve." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/johannes-de-cleve/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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