Helsingør, where Dietrich Buxtehude grew up, was a cosmopolitan port city that collected the 'Sound Dues,' a tax on all shipping into and out of the Baltic Sea.
Composition History
Dietrich Buxtehude's famous Abendmusiken were privately funded church concerts, where he wrote the music, gathered musicians, and personally covered expenses, later reimbursed by wealthy merchants.
Composer Biography
Dietrich Buxtehude, one of the most innovative composers of his time, was born in Denmark around 1637 and considered Denmark his native land.
Cultural Impact
The Abendmusiken concerts were so popular that police had to be hired to maintain order, making Dietrich Buxtehude famous far beyond Lübeck.
Composition History
Kaspar Förster, a composer and bass singer, was also a captain in the Venetian army and spent two periods as musical director at the court in Copenhagen.
Cultural Impact
The Düben Collection in Stockholm, compiled by court conductor Gustav Düben, contains 80% of Dietrich Buxtehude's known vocal music and 95% of his instrumental chamber music.
Album & Artwork
The album explores the musical circle around Dietrich Buxtehude, a network of composers from northern German musician families who worked in or migrated to Scandinavia in the 1600s.
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