Jacob Praetorius studied with Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, a great organist, in Amsterdam for two years starting in 1606, and Sweelinck even composed a motet for Praetorius's wedding in 1608.
Instruments
The Scherer organ in Tangermünde, built in 1624, is considered one of the most important examples of North-German organ building from the early 17th century, with a large proportion of its pipework still original.
Historical Context
During the 17th and 18th centuries in northern Germany, improvisation was the norm for organists; playing 'written' music was rarely discussed, except for ensemble music or organ music during communion.
Compositional Technique
Jacob Praetorius's compositions combine contrapuntal rigor with the joy of virtuoso playing.
Recording & Production
The Scherer organ in Tangermünde, used for this recording, was beautifully restored in 1994 by Alexander Schuke Potsdam Orgelbau.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Johann Mattheson, a German composer and music theorist, noted that Jacob Praetorius adopted Sweelinck's "perfectly agreeable and respectable habits and behavior," maintaining a body without superfluous movements while playing, giving the impression of effortlessness.
Composer Biography
Jacob Praetorius, born in Hamburg in 1586, came from a family of renowned organists; both his grandfather and father were organists at the main church in Hamburg, the Jakobikirche.
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