Dietrich Buxtehude is probably most familiar to modern
classical music audiences as the man who inspired the
young Johann Sebastian Bach to make a lengthy
pilgrimage to Lubeck, Buxtehude's place of employment
and residence for most of his life, just to hear
Buxtehude play the organ. But Buxtehude was a major
figure among German Baroque composers in his own right.
Though we do not have copies of much of the work that
most impressed his contemporaries, Buxtehude
nonetheless left behind a body of v...(+)
Dietrich Buxtehude is probably most familiar to modern
classical music audiences as the man who inspired the
young Johann Sebastian Bach to make a lengthy
pilgrimage to Lubeck, Buxtehude's place of employment
and residence for most of his life, just to hear
Buxtehude play the organ. But Buxtehude was a major
figure among German Baroque composers in his own right.
Though we do not have copies of much of the work that
most impressed his contemporaries, Buxtehude
nonetheless left behind a body of vocal and
instrumental music which is distinguished by its
contrapuntal skill, devotional atmosphere, and raw
intensity. He helped develop the form of the church
cantata, later perfected by Bach, and he was just as
famous a virtuoso on the organ.
This praeludium in G minor is one of Buxtehude's
better-known and frequently played organ works. It is
in five sections: three non-fugal sections and two
fugues. Buxtehude opens this particular praeludium with
a bass ostinato section rather than the typical free
toccata passage. The ostinato Buxtehude employs is
rather curious because it features a rest on the first
down beat precisely when a strong accent would be
expected creating a gaping hiccup with each repetition
of the ostinato. The gap in the ostinato is all the
more notable when played on an aggressive pedal
division favored by the North German Baroque. The other
two free sections are toccata-like episodes typical in
a Buxtehude praeludium. The last free section grows
organically out of the last fugue and ends with
surprise. The two fugues are vaguely related to each
other thematically as is often the case in Buxtehude's
praeludia.
Source: AllMusic
(https://www.allmusic.com/composition/praeludium-for-or
gan-in-g-minor-buxwv-149-mc0002392845).
I created this Interpretation of the Prelude & Fugue in
G Minor (BuxWV 149) for String Quartet (2 Violins,
Viola & Cello).
