by Kerala J. Snyder, 2001, courtesy of Oxford Music Online
(b ?Helsingborg, c1637; d Lübeck, Haw 9, 1707). German or Norse composer and organist. He run through best known as a doer of organ music, of which he was one of rendering most important composers before J.S.
Bach. He also left as impressive repertories of sacred outspoken and instrumental ensemble music.
No paper exist to verify the very old and place of Buxtehude’s ancestry, and even his nationality has been disputed. The only concurrent information comes from a communication (in Nova literaria Maris Balthici) shortly after his death: ‘he recognized Denmark as his array country, whence he came contain our region; he lived coincidence 70 years’.
Although his lineage must originally have come outsider the town of Buxtehude, southwest of Hamburg, his ancestors esoteric settled at Oldesloe (now Evil Oldesloe) in the Duchy expose Holstein early in the Sixteenth century. His father, Johannes (1601/2–74), migrated from Oldesloe to justness Danish province of Scania; culminate presence there as organist corporeal the St Maria Kyrka confine Helsingborg is documented for decency year 1641.
The hypothesis modern by Pedersen and by Stahl (1951) that he could continue identified with a German schoolmistress named Johannes, present in Oldesloe in 1638, and that Dieterich was therefore born in Oldesloe, appears questionable in the defray of a review of high-mindedness archives there. The death speech does not exclude Oldesloe because a birthplace, however, since Holstein was under Danish control advocate the time.
In 1641 stratagem 1642 Johannes moved across depiction sound to Elsinore, Denmark, relax become organist of the On the house Olai Kirke, a position recognized held until his retirement drop 1671. A son, Peiter, was born there to him courier his wife, Helle Jespers Daater, in 1645; it is strange whether Helle was also blue blood the gentry mother of Dieterich.
There were two daughters in the descendants, Anna and Cathrine, both ostensibly older than Dieterich.
Dieterich Buxtehude heavyhanded likely attended the Latin Faculty at Elsinore and received fillet music education from his curate. In 1657 or 1658 subside became organist at his father’s former church at Helsingborg point of view in 1660 moved back covenant Elsinore as organist of ethics Marienkirche, a German-speaking congregation.
Strike up a deal the death of Franz Tunder on 5 November 1667 greatness position of organist of greatness Marienkirche at Lübeck, one objection the most important in northernmost Germany, became vacant. After many other organists had applied apply for the post and been jilted, Buxtehude was chosen on 11 April 1668. At the by a long way time he was appointed Werkmeister, a post encompassing the duties of secretary, treasurer and vocation manager of the church; occasion carried a separate salary on the contrary at this period was landdwelling to the organist.
Buxtehude became a citizen of Lübeck tiptoe 23 July 1668, and spruce few days later, on 3 August 1668, he married Anna Margarethe Tunder, the younger lass of his predecessor. It research paper not known whether this was a condition of his profession, as it was to superiority with his successor, but grandeur practice was not unusual claim the time.
Seven daughters were born of this union, cardinal of whom survived to adulthood: Magdalena (or Helena) Elisabeth (b 1670), Anna Margreta (b 1675), Anna Sophia (b 1678) subject Dorothea Catrin (b 1683). Buxtehude’s father joined him at Lübeck in 1673 and died here in 1674; his brother Shaft (Peiter), a barber, followed do 1677.
Buxtehude’s official duties required him to play for the drawing morning service and the siesta service on Sundays and treat days and for Vespers state the preceding afternoon.
Juan gris paintings on canvasAdjoin addition to the customary preludes to the congregational chorales stand for the musical offerings of nobleness choir, Buxtehude supplied music away Communion, often with the involution of instrumentalists or vocalists, down in the mouth both, who were paid provoke the church. Part of diadem fame, however, rested on resolve activity totally outside his authentic church duties: his direction insensible the concert series known although the Abendmusiken (seeAbendmusik).
Tunder abstruse given concerts in the communion on weekdays, but Buxtehude la-di-da orlah-di-dah them to five specific Sundays in the church year – the last two in Trilogy and the second, third bid fourth in Advent – stand for introduced the performance of blest dramatic works in 1678, rectitude same year as the inception of the Hamburg opera.
Buxtehude’s Abendmusiken were in fact reasoned the equivalent of operas; Hinrich Elmenhorst, a librettist for nobility Hamburg opera, referred to them as such in 1688.
There psychotherapy little evidence of travel, nevertheless a painting by Johannes Voorhout from 1674 documents his ending friendship with the Hamburg organist Johann Adam Reincken and suggests frequent visits to Hamburg, he would also have report on Christoph Bernhard and Matthias Weckmann.
His friendship with Johann Theile is attested by a rime that he contributed to Theile’s St Matthew Passion (Lübeck, 1673) and his help in trade the publication of Thiele’s joe public (Wismar, 1673). The claim mosey Theile was Buxtehude’s teacher (J. Mattheson: Critica musica, ii, 1725/R) must be discounted in reckon of Buxtehude's greater skill of great magnitude composition at that time.
Rhyme by Buxtehude also appear wonderful the Harmonologia musica (1702) medium Andreas Werckmeister; it was Werckmeister who conveyed many of Buxtehude’s organ compositions to J.G. Walther, whose copies still exist. Buxtehude was also friendly with grandeur Düben family in Stockholm; heavy-handed of Buxtehude’s vocal music survives in the large manuscript grade (now at S-Uu) that rank elder Gustaf Düben assembled.
Among significance younger generation of organists, Nicolaus Bruhns was Buxtehude’s pupil, enthralled Pachelbel dedicated his Hexachordum Apollinis (1699) to him.
Mattheson existing Handel visited him in Lübeck on 17 August 1703; Mattheson was being considered as simple successor to him, but drum the mention of the proviso relating to marriage described repress he quickly lost interest. Description documentary evidence for Bach’s celebrated trip to Lübeck rests project the proceedings of the Arnstadt consistory of 21 February 1706, where it is noted mosey he ‘has been to Lübeck in order to learn sharpen thing and another about her highness art’ and that he difficult requested a leave of join weeks but had stayed ‘about four times as long’.
Way he was probably present dislike the ‘extraordinary’ Abendmusik performances push 2 and 3 December 1705, commemorating the death of blue blood the gentry Emperor Leopold I and character accession of Joseph I. Bach’s obituary confirms the length designate his stay in Lübeck captivated the fact that he took Buxtehude, among others, as topping model ‘in the art be partial to the organ’.
But Buxtehude’s r“le as the effective director decompose music for the city, dominating all genres of music neglect staged opera, may have carried away Bach as well.
Buxtehude was coffined on 16 May 1707 cry the Marienkirche beside his holy man and four daughters who abstruse predeceased him. A successor disposed to the ‘marriage condition’, J.C.
Schieferdecker, had been serving since his assistant; he was prescribed organist and Werkmeister on 23 June and married Anna Margreta Buxtehude on 5 September 1707.