Michael Praetorius
Michael Praetorius, originally named Michael Schultheiss, was a prominent German composer, organist, and music theorist born around February 15, 1571, in Creuzburg, Thuringia, and died on February 15, 1621, in Wolfenbüttel, Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. He was a versatile figure in early 17th-century music, particularly noted for his contributions to the development of musical forms based on Protestant hymns.
Praetorius was the youngest son of a Lutheran pastor and studied divinity and philosophy at the University of Frankfurt (Oder). He began his musical career as an organist at the Marienkirche in Frankfurt in 1587 and later served at the court of Duke Heinrich Julius of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, where he eventually became the Kapellmeister.
His significant works include "Musae Sioniae," a collection of more than 1,200 chorale settings, and "Syntagma musicum," a crucial source for understanding 17th-century music and musical instruments. Praetorius was an advocate for the advancement of music, showing a keen interest in Italian music and employing rich and varied settings for voices and instruments. His work at the court of John George I, Elector of Saxony in Dresden, exposed him to the Venetian School's polychoral works, influencing his development of the chorale concerto form.
Praetorius's legacy includes his introduction of foreign dance pieces to Germany through his collection "Terpsichore" and his extensive contributions to liturgical music. His final years were marked by illness, and he passed away at the age of 49, leaving a lasting impact on the music of his time.
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