description Dieterich Buxtehude Overview
Dieterich Buxtehude was a prominent Baroque composer and organist of the mid-17th and early 18th centuries who spent most of his career as the organist at the Marienkirche in Lübeck, Germany. He is best known for his highly expressive keyboard works, particularly his organ preludes, toccatas, and fugues, which expanded the structural and improvisational possibilities of the instrument. Buxtehude's church music includes numerous sacred cantatas and instrumental sonatas, which he showcased during his famous public "Abendmusiken" concert series. His keyboard music significantly influenced a young Johann Sebastian Bach, who famously traveled to Lübeck to study his techniques.
help Dieterich Buxtehude FAQ
Why did Johann Sebastian Bach travel to hear Buxtehude?
The young Bach walked from Arnstadt to Lübeck in 1705 to hear Buxtehude and study his organ playing. Bach stayed for several months, much longer than the leave granted by his employers.
What were Buxtehude's Abendmusiken concerts?
The Abendmusiken were public musical performances associated with Lübeck's Marienkirche and held during the Advent season. Buxtehude expanded them into ambitious programs featuring singers, instruments, and large-scale sacred compositions.
Which Buxtehude organ works should a new listener hear first?
The Prelude in G minor, BuxWV 149, and the Passacaglia in D minor, BuxWV 161, are strong introductions to his free and highly structured styles. His organ catalogue also contains chorale preludes based on Lutheran hymn melodies.
How was Buxtehude connected to Lübeck's Marienkirche?
Buxtehude became organist at the Marienkirche in 1668 and remained there until his death in 1707. The post made him one of northern Germany's most influential organists before Bach.
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