Dietrich Buxtehude

• Born: 1637, Helsingborg, Sweden
• Died: May 09, 1707, Lübeck, Germany
• Genres: Classical

Biography

A Danish (or German) organist and composer of vocal and organ music, sacred cantatas, and chorales. Buxtehude was the famed organist and composer whom J. S. Bach made a 200-mile journey on foot to hear. His organ music (toccatas, preludes and fugues, passacaglias, ciacconas, and chorale preludes) greatly influenced Bach with their clarity of line, nobility, and often daring harmonic invention. His chorale music contains innovations such as the exchange of the normal roles of the orchestra and chorus in "Gott hilf mir ('God help me')": the orchestra plays the straight chorale tune while the singers provide elaborate ornamentations. ~ Blue Gene Tyranny, All Music Guide