(b Creuzburg an der Werra, 15 Feb ?1571; d Wolfenbüttel, 15 Feb 1621). German composer and theorist, nephew of Christoph Praetorius. The son of a strict Lutheran, he was educated at Torgau, Frankfurt an der Oder (1582) and Zerbst (1584). He was organist of St Marien, Frankfurt (1587-90), before moving to Wolfenbüttel, where he was court organist from 1595 and Kapellmeister from 1604. He temporarily served the Saxon court (1613-16), chiefly at Dresden, where he met Schütz and got to know the latest Italian music, and he worked in many other German cities. The most versatile German composer of his day, he was also one of the most prolific. His 21 extant sacred vocal publications include over 1000 Protestant hymn-based works (e.g. Musae Sioniae, 9 vols., 1605-10), many for multiple choirs, as well as Latin music for the Lutheran service, motets, psalms and instrumental dances (Terpsichore, 1612). His encyclopedic treatise Syntagma musicum (3 vols. pubd 1614-20), with detailed information on instruments and performing practice, is of immense documentary value. (For an illustration from this book, see Early music.)

The Concise Grove Dictionary of Music. Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.. All rights reserved.