Samuel Scheidt (ca. 1587 – 1654) was a German
composer, organist and teacher of the early Baroque
era. Scheidt was born in Halle (Germany), and after
early studies there, he went to Amsterdam to study with
Sweelinck, the distinguished Dutch composer, whose work
had a clear influence on Scheidt's style. On his return
to Halle, Scheidt became court organist, and later
Kapellmeister, to the Margrave of Brandenburg. Unlike
many German musicians, for example Heinrich Schütz, he
remained in Germany...(+)
Samuel Scheidt (ca. 1587 – 1654) was a German
composer, organist and teacher of the early Baroque
era. Scheidt was born in Halle (Germany), and after
early studies there, he went to Amsterdam to study with
Sweelinck, the distinguished Dutch composer, whose work
had a clear influence on Scheidt's style. On his return
to Halle, Scheidt became court organist, and later
Kapellmeister, to the Margrave of Brandenburg. Unlike
many German musicians, for example Heinrich Schütz, he
remained in Germany during the Thirty Years' War,
managing to survive by teaching and by taking a
succession of smaller jobs until the restoration of
stability allowed him to resume his post as
Kapellmeister. When Samuel Scheidt lost his job because
of Wallenstein, he was appointed in 1628 as musical
director of three churches in Halle, including the
Market Church.
Scheidt was the first internationally significant
German composer for the organ, and represents the
flowering of the new north German style, which occurred
largely as a result of the Protestant Reformation. In
south Germany and some other countries of Europe, the
spiritual and artistic influence of Rome remained
strong, so most music continued to be derivative of
Italian models. Cut off from Rome, musicians in the
newly Protestant areas readily developed styles that
were much different from those of their neighbours.
Scheidt's music is in two principal categories:
instrumental music, including a large amount of
keyboard music, mostly for organ; and sacred vocal
music, some of which is a cappella and some of which
uses a basso continuo or other instrumental
accompaniment. In his numerous chorale preludes,
Scheidt often used a "patterned variation" technique,
in which each phrase of the chorale uses a different
rhythmic motive, and each variation is more elaborate
than the previous one, until the climax of the
composition is reached. In addition to his chorale
preludes, he wrote numerous fugues, suites of dances
(which were often in a cyclic form, sharing a common
ground bass) and fantasias.
Source: Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Scheidt).
Although originally composed for 5 voices (SSATB), I
created this arrangement of the Canzon Bergamasca (SSWV
64) for Woodwind Quintet (Flute, Oboe, Bb Clarinet,
French Horn & Bassoon).
