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 major looks much more like a
prelude and fugue than the typical Buxtehude
praeludium. The free toccata-like section comes to a
full stop before the fugue begins, but the fugue does
break down into free rhapsodic material for the last
six bars of the piece. The opening free section could
be split into two chunks separated by a half
cadence.
Source: AllMusic
(https://www.allmusic.com/composition/praeludium-for-or
gan-in-g-major-buxwv-147-mc0002389685).
I created this Interpretation of the Prelude & Fugue in
G Major (BuxWV 147) for Woodwind Quintet (Flute, Oboe,
Bb Clarinet, French Horn & Bassoon).