Becker served in the court of Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie, a Swedish statesman and patron of the arts, and later as a violinist in the court orchestra of Duke Christian Ludwig of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
Compositional Technique
Becker's sacred concertos feature full-bodied string instrumentation and predominantly syllabic vocal parts to ensure clear text projection.
Performer Biography
The Hamburger Ratsmusik, revived by Simone Eckert in 1991, dedicates itself to historically informed performance on original instruments and has won multiple Echo Klassik and RITTER prizes.
Composer's Artistic Vision
In his sacred concerto "Wer unter dem Schirm des Höchsten sitzt," Becker aimed for optimal comprehensibility of the sung word, using musical-rhetorical figures sparingly for balance rather than drama.
Composer Biography
Dietrich Becker was appointed 'Director musices' of the Hamburger Ratsmusik, an eight-member ensemble financed by the city, and also served as cantor at the Hamburg Cathedral until his death.
Composition History
The five sacred concertos by Dietrich Becker on this CD are first recordings, showcasing his contribution to sacred music.
Composer Biography
Dietrich Becker, born in Hamburg around 1623, began his career as an organist in Woldenhorn (now Ahrensburg) and later became an excellent violinist and composer.
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