Dieterich Buxtehude (; born Diderich Hansen Buxtehude, ; – 9 May 1707) His parents were Johannes (Hans Jensen) Buxtehude and Helle Jespersdatter. His father originated from Oldesloe in the Duchy of Holstein, which at that time was a part of the Danish realms in Northern Germany.

Scholars dispute both the year and country of Dieterich's birth, although most now accept that he was born in 1637 in Helsingborg in the province of Scania/Skåne, which was part of Denmark at the time (but it is now part of Sweden). His obituary stated that "he recognized Denmark as his native country, whence he came to our region; he lived about 70 years". Others, however, claim that he was born at Oldesloe. Later in his life he Germanized his name and began signing documents Dieterich Buxtehude.

Lübeck: Marienkirche

thumb|Another person in the same Voorhout painting, once was thought to be Buxtehude. Research reported by Snyder (2007) has questioned this.

Buxtehude's last post, from 1668, was at the Marienkirche, Lübeck which had two organs, a large one for big services and a small one for devotionals and funerals. There he succeeded Franz Tunder and followed in many of the footsteps of his predecessor. He married Tunder's daughter Anna Margarethe in 1668 – it was not uncommon practice that a man marry the daughter of his predecessor in his occupation. Buxtehude and Anna Margarethe had seven daughters who were baptized at the Marienkirche; however, his first daughter died as an infant. After his retirement as organist at St Olaf's Church, his father joined the family in Lübeck in 1673. Johannes died a year later, and Dieterich composed his funeral music. Dieterich's brother Peter, a barber, joined them in 1677. In addition to his musical duties, Buxtehude, like his predecessor Tunder, served as church treasurer.

Influence and legacy

Although more than 100 vocal compositions by Buxtehude survive, very few of them were included in the important German manuscript collections of the period, and until the early twentieth century, Buxtehude was regarded primarily as a keyboard composer. His surviving church music is praised for its high musical qualities rather than its progressive elements<!--, which is similar to that of Bach's later church music. - the which would refer to "is praised", but I doubt that the analogy is valid, + it doesn't help the statement, therefore commented out, 16 July 2014 -->.

Works

General introduction

The bulk of Buxtehude's oeuvre consists of vocal music, which covers a wide variety of styles,

Gustaf Düben's collection and the so-called Lübeck tablature A373 are the two most important sources for Buxtehude's vocal music. The former includes several autographs, both in German organ tablature and in score. Both collections were probably created during Buxtehude's lifetime and with his permission. Copies made by various composers are the only extant sources for the organ works: chorale settings are mostly transmitted in copies by Johann Gottfried Walther, while Gottfried Lindemann's and others' copies concentrate on free works. Johann Christoph Bach's manuscript is particularly important, as it includes the three known ostinato works and the famous Prelude and Chaconne in C major, BuxWV 137. Although Buxtehude himself most probably wrote in organ tablature, the majority of the copies are in standard staff notation.

Keyboard works

Preludes and toccatas

The nineteen organ praeludia (or preludes) form the core of Buxtehude's work and are ultimately considered his most important contributions to the music literature of the seventeenth century. They are sectional compositions that alternate between free improvisation and strict counterpoint. They are usually either fugues or pieces written in fugal manner; all make heavy use of pedal and are idiomatic to the organ. These preludes, together with pieces by Nicolaus Bruhns, represent the highest point in the evolution of the north German organ prelude, and the so-called stylus phantasticus. They were undoubtedly among the influences of J.S. Bach, whose organ preludes, toccatas and fugues frequently employ similar techniques.

The preludes are quite varied in style and structure, and are therefore hard to categorize, as no two praeludia are alike. They consist of strict diatonic harmony and secondary dominants.

Chorale settings

There are over 40 surviving chorale settings by Buxtehude, and they constitute the most important contributions to the genre in the 17th century. and the ones based on the chant (Magnificats BuxWV 203–5 and Te Deum laudamus, BuxWV 218), which are structurally similar to chorale fantasias.

Ostinato works

The three ostinato bass works Buxtehude composed—two chaconnes (BuxWV 159–160) and a passacaglia (BuxWV 161)—not only represent, along with Pachelbel's six organ chaconnes, a shift from the traditional chaconne style, but are also the first truly developed north German contributions to the development of the genre. Volume 2: The Bach Perspective, and Volume 3: Dieterich Buxtehude and the Schnitger Organ)

  • Christopher Herrick (to be recorded from 2007)
  • Helga Schauerte-Maubouet : (Complete Organ Works), Syrius (SYR 141.347/348/359/366/371), 2000–2002,
  • Ton Koopman (complete) – Dieterich Buxtehude – Opera Omnia series; Vol III, Organ works 1 (BuxWV 139, 141, 146, 156, 160, 162, 169, 178, 197, 210, 213, 220), Coci/Klapmeyer organ Altenbruch, Antoine Marchand Records, CC72242 – Vol IV, Organ works 2 (BuxWV 157, 161, 163, 164, 170, 173–175, 177, 180–182, 184, 188, 211, 217, 223), Wilde/Schnitger organ Ludingworth, Antoine Marchand Records, CC72243 – Vol VIII, Organ works 3 (BuxWV 149, 179, 225, 140, 185, 159, 148, 187, 176, 145, 183, 213–5, 137, 193, 200), Schnitger organ Hamburg, Antoine Marchand Records, CC72247 – Vol IX, Organ works 4 (BuxWV 138, 199, 172, 202, 224, 147, 196, 171, 219, 203, 144, 212, 201, 167, 186, 198, 190, 207, 189), Gerke/Herbst organ Basedow, Antoine Marchand Records, CC72248 – Vol X, Organ works 5 (BuxWV 142, 209, 218, 136, 222, 155, 221, 151, 152, 191, 158, 204, 205, 150, 153, 194, 192, 143, 206, 208 plus preludes in e (2) and G and a chorale prelude on "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" by Nicolaus Bruhns), Bielefeld organ Stade, Antoine Marchand Records, CC72249 (complete)
  • Bernard Foccroulle (complete) Ricercar RIC250. Awarded the Diapason d'Or and the Grand Prix de l'Académie Charles Cros in 2007 in addition to other prizes. On 5 CDs and performed on 5 different organs: Groningen, Martinikerk, Schnitger Organ; Helsingor, Sct. Mariae Kirke, Lorentz-Frietzsch organ; Norden, Ludgeri Kirche, Schnitger Organ; Stockholm, St. Getruds Gemeinde, Gronlunds Organ; Hoogstraten, Sint Katharinakerk, Thomas Organ. Recorded between 2003 and 2006.
  • various organists – Naxos (7 CDs) – Vol 1, Volker Ellenberger, Lutheran City Church, Bueckeburg, Germany, BuxWV 203, 191, 147, 205, 192, 139, 178, 224, 198, 152, 190, 149, 8.554543 – Vol 2 (Julia Brown, Brombaugh organ, Central Lutheran Church, Eugene, Oregon, USA), BuxWV 137, 199, 221, 207, 208, 164, 212, 197, 174, 160, 75, 223, 153, 8.555775 – Vol 3 (Wolfgang Rubsam, Brombaugh organ, Central Lutheran Church, Eugene, Oregon, USA), BuxWV 146, 180, 182, 159, 184, 185, 218, 183, 161, 186, 142, 8.555991 – Vol 4 (Craig Cramer, Fritts organ, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, USA), BuxWV 140, 208, 200, 193, 171, 141, 177, 181, 168, 143, 189, 211, 217, 169, 202, 187, 155, 8.557195 – Vol 5 (Julia Brown, Pasi organ, St Cecilia Cathedral, Omaha, Nebraska, USA), BuxWV 157, 220, 151, 210, 172, 201, 175, 206, 148, 196, 176, 219, 156, 8.557555 – Vol 6 (Julia Brown, Pasi organ, St Cecilia Cathedral, Omaha, Nebraska, USA), BuxWV 150, 166, 215, 213, 204, 145, 194, 225, 222, 136, 179, 165, 162, 8.570311 – Vol 7 (Julia Brown, Pasi organ, St Cecilia Cathedral, Omaha, Nebraska, USA), BuxWV 158, 138, 188, 173, 214, 147, 249, 195, 245, 144, 154, 170, 163, 8.570312
  • Harpsichord music
  • Huguette Grémy-Chauliac - L'Œuvre pour clavecin (3-CD set - CD 1: BuxWV 249, 236, 229, 235, Suite in G minor, 226, 233, 247; CD 2: BuxWV 241, 244, 242, 232, 227, Suite in D minor, 246, 240, 238, 230; CD 3: BuxWV 237, 243, 245, 234, 228, 248, 250), Solstice (éditeur phonographique) (FYCD035-37)
  • Lionel Rogg – Bach & Buxtehude on the Pedal Harpsichord (baroquecds.com – BuxWV 137, 146, 149, 153, 160, 161)
  • Simone Stella – Dieterich Buxtehude – Complete Harpsichord Music (4-CD set – CD 1: BuxWV 248, 240, 237, Ahn. 6, 234, 232, 179, 230, 242, 166; CD 2: BuxWV 247, 241, 228, Suite in a (deest), 243, Suite in d (Ed. Roger 1710), 229, 163; CD 3: BuxWV 246, 235, 249, 239, 226, 168, 244, 231, 165; CD 4: 245, 238, 233, 227, 236, 250), OnClassical (OC51-54Bv) also licensed for Brilliant Classics (94312)
  • Ton Koopman – Dieterich Buxtehude – Opera Omnia series; Vol I, Harpsichord Works 1 (BuxWV 250, 230, 238, 233, 245, 235, 247, 228, 242, 226, 243, 234, 232), Antoine Marchand Records, CC74440 – Vol VI, Harpsichord Works 2 (BuxWV 246, 236, 249, 239, Suite in a (deest), 168, 244, 227, 165, 248, 240, 237, 166, Anh 6, 241, 229), Antoine Marchand Records, CC74445 (complete)
  • Rinaldo Alessandrini (BuxWV 163, 234, 164, 166, 226, 174, 248, 250)
  • Lars Ulrik Mortensen (BuxWV 243, 168, 238, 162, 250, 165, 223, 233, 176, 226, 249, 166, 179, 225, 247, 242, 174, 245, 171, 235, 170, 215)
  • Cantatas
  • 6 Cantatas (BuxWV 78, 62, 76, 31, 41, 15), Orchestra Anima Eterna & The Royal Consort, Collegium Vocale, Jos van Immerseel&nbsp;– 1994&nbsp;– Channel Classics, CCS 7895
  • Sacred Cantatas (BuxWV 47, 94, 56, 73, 174, 12, 48, 38, 60), Emma Kirkby et al., The Purcell Quartet&nbsp;– 2003&nbsp;– Chandos Records Ltd, Chan 0691
  • Sacred Cantatas Vol. 2 (BuxWV 13, 92, 77, 17, 6, 71, 58, 37, 57), Emma Kirkby, Michael Chance, Charles Daniels, Peter Harvey, The Purcell Quartett&nbsp;– 2005&nbsp;– Chandos Records Ltd, Chan 0723
  • Sacred Cantatas (BuxWV 104, 59, 97, 161, 107, 53, 64, 108), Matthew White, Katherine Hill, Paul Grindlay, Aradia Ensemble, Kevin Mallon&nbsp;– 2004&nbsp;– Naxos 8.557041
  • Geistliche Kantaten (Sacred cantatas), Cantus Cölln, Konrad Junghänel, Harmonia Mundi France HMC 901629
  • O Gottes Stadt (BuxWV 87), Wo ist doch mein Freund geblieben? (BuxWV 111) and Herr, wenn ich nur dich hab (BuxWV 38), sung by Johannette Zomer and Peter Harvey on "Death and Devotion", Netherlands Bach Society, Jos van Veldhoven, Channel Classics, CCS SA 20804
  • Dieterich Buxtehude – Opera Omnia, Volume 2, Vocal Works 1, Wacht! Euch zum Streit gefasset macht (Das jüngste Gericht) (BuxWV Anh.3) Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Caroline Stam and Orlanda Velez Isidro (soprano), Robin Blaze (alto), Andreas Karasiak (tenor), Klaus Mertens (bass), Antoine Marchand Records, CC72241
  • Dieterich Buxtehude – Opera Omnia, Volume 5, Vocal Works 2 (BuxWV 2, 10, 12, 19, 20, 40, 43, 50–52, 64, 70, 81, 110, 113, 114, 120, 123, 124, Anh 1) Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Bettina Pahn and Johannette Zomer (soprano), Bogna Bartosz, Patrick Van Goethem and Daniel Taylor (alto), Jörg Dürmüller and Andreas Karasiak (tenor), Donald Pentvelsen, and Klaus Mertens (bass), Antoine Marchand Records, CC72244
  • Dieterich Buxtehude – Opera Omnia, Volume 7, Vocal Works 3 (BuxWV Anh.4, 7, 24, 25, 41, 47, 62, 63, 68, 72, 77, 79, 116, 119 A, 119 B, 122) Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Miriam Meyer, Bettina Pahn and Johannette Zomer (soprano), Bogna Bartosz, Patrick van Goethem and Hugo Naessens (alto), Jörg Dürmüller and Andreas Karasiak (tenor), Donald Bentvelsen and Klaus Mertens (bass), Antoine Marchand Records, CC72246
  • Dieterich Buxtehude – Opera Omnia, Volume 11, Vocal Works 4 (BuxWV 33, 56, 26, 71, 86, 11, 27, 8, anh2, 29, 112, 54, 5, 53, 37, 59, 13) Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Bettina Pahn, Miriam Meyer, Siri Thornhill, Johannette Zomer (soprano), Patrick van Goethem, Bogna Bartosz (alto), Jörg Dürmüller, Andreas Karasiak (tenor) & Klaus Mertens (bass), Antoine Marchand Records, CC72250
  • Membra Jesu Nostri, The Sixteen, Harry Christophers, CORO 16082
  • Membra Jesu Nostri, Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, Fretwork, John Eliot Gardiner, Archiv Produktion 447 298–2
  • Membra Jesu Nostri, Netherlands Bach Society, Jos van Veldhoven (cond), vocalists Anne Grimm, Johannette Zomer sopranos, Peter de Groot counter-tenor, Andrew Tortise tenor, Bas Ramselaar bass (the soloists act as the chorus), Channel Classics CCS SA 24006; this SACD also features the Fried- und Freudenreiche Hinfarth (BuxWV 76), a series of 2 aria's, sung by Johannette Zomer
  • Membra Jesu Nostri, Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, Bis Records CD-871
  • Membra Jesu Nostri, Konrad Junghänel, Cantus Cölln, Harmonia Mundi, HMC 901912

References

Notes

Sources

:The most comprehensive life-and-works study of Buxtehude; contains an extensive bibliography. Written for both the serious scholar and casual reader. A revised edition of this book was published in May 2007 under the same title by the University of Rochester Press (see Boydell.co.uk for more details). The new edition also includes a CD of Buxtehude's works which makes a splendid introduction to the work of this neglected composer.

:A comprehensive 540-page book with illustrations, also available as an ebook.

:A concise summary of Buxtehude's life and works, a bibliography, and a complete list of works and sources.

:A detailed study of the presence of rhetorical argument in Buxtehude's music.

:An analysis of Buxtehude's organ praeludia.

:A collection of Buxtehude-related essays on a wide variety of topics.

:A study of the sources of Buxtehude's free organ works, along with a suggested chronology.

Editions

Organ music

  • Philipp Spitta, Leipzig (1877)
  • Max Seiffert (Revision of above, 1939)
  • C.F. Peters (Hermann Keller, 1938)
  • Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Josef Hedar, 1952)
  • Breitkopf (Klaus Beckmann)
  • Breitkopf (Harald Vogel, free works only)
  • Bärenreiter (Christoph Albrecht)
  • Broude Brothers (Christoph Wolff/Kerala J. Snyder)
  • Dover (reprint of Spitta/Seiffert)
  • Edwin F. Kalmus (reprint of Spitta/Seiffert)
  • OrganScore (Renaud Vergnet, urtext edition eliminating page turn problems)

Keyboard music

  • Hansen (Emilius Bangert, 1944)
  • Dover (reprint of Bangert, suites only)
  • Breitkopf (Klaus Beckmann)
  • Broude Brothers (Christoph Wolff)
  • Prelude, Fugue, and Chaconne BuxWV 137, hypermedia by Jeff Hall and Tim Smith at the BinAural Collaborative Hypertext; Shockwave Player required.
  • The International Dieterich Buxtehude Society, a Buxtehude-related group
  • Activities Buxtehudeyear, organized by The Netherlands Bach Society
  • Pipedreams program An audio program of works by and biography of Buxtehude, from Pipedreams
  • Wolf's Thematic Index of the Works of the Great Composers

Scores

  • Numerous editions for download at International Dieterich Buxtehude Society site
  • Prélude et fugue en sol mineur BuxWV 150 Score from Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection
  • Fugue en ut BuxWV 174 Score from Sibley Music Library Digital Scores Collection
  • Free scores Mutopia Project

Recordings and MIDI

  • Kunst der Fuge: Dietrich Buxtehude&nbsp;– MIDI files