H. & J. Praetorius: Organ Music (Norddeutsche Orgelmeister, Vol. 6)

Featuring

Joseph Kelemen
Hieronymus Praetorius
Jacob Praetorius

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Composition History

One of Jacob Praetorius's Magnificat settings, dating from 1640, was discovered in 1964 after being used to seal organ bellows during renovations around 1700.

Composer Biography

Hieronymus Praetorius (1560-1629) inherited his organist position at St. Jacobi Hamburg from his father, Jacob Sr., in 1586 and held it until his death.

Interpretation

The recording uses a mean-tone tuning system, as used by Praetorius, which features pure major thirds but can make more remote keys sound 'sour'.

Instruments

The builder of the Tangermünde Scherer Organ, Hans Scherer the Younger, also maintained and expanded Hieronymus Praetorius's organ in St. Jacobi Hamburg.

Compositional Technique

Hieronymus Praetorius, along with Johann Steffens and Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, pioneered the technique of an accompanied solo part in the right hand for organ music.

Instruments

The Tangermünde Scherer Organ, built in 1623-24, is considered one of the most important historical organs in northern Germany, with about 50% of its original pipework preserved.

Composer Biography

Jacob Praetorius Jr. (1586-1651), son of Hieronymus, studied with the influential Dutch organist Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck in Amsterdam from 1606 to 1608.

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