Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637 to 1639) was a
German-Danish organist and composer of the Baroque
period. His organ works represent a central part of the
standard organ repertoire and are frequently performed
at recitals and in church services. He composed in a
wide variety of vocal and instrumental idioms, and his
style strongly influenced many composers, including
Johann Sebastian Bach. Buxtehude, along with Heinrich
Schütz, is considered today to be one of the most
important German composers of...(+)
Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637 to 1639) was a
German-Danish organist and composer of the Baroque
period. His organ works represent a central part of the
standard organ repertoire and are frequently performed
at recitals and in church services. He composed in a
wide variety of vocal and instrumental idioms, and his
style strongly influenced many composers, including
Johann Sebastian Bach. Buxtehude, along with Heinrich
Schütz, is considered today to be one of the most
important German composers of the mid-Baroque.
"Von Gott will ich nicht lassen" (BuxWV 221) is much
less like anything else Buxtehude wrote. Most of
Buxtehude's chorale preludes feature some sort of solo
voice with accompaniment, even if the melody is not in
the soprano, but this prelude features four mostly
equal voices in a polyphonic texture. The setting is
only loosely tied to the chorale, and while the chorale
melody migrates from voice to voice, there are moments
when the tune is not really present, but just hinted
at. Buxtehude's chorale fantasy-type chorale settings
do involve a migrating cantus firmus and can appear a
little bit lenient in their treatment of the chorale
melody; however, this piece doesn't really look much
like the typical Buxtehude chorale fantasy either.
Although originally created for choir, I adapted this
work for the traditional woodwind quartet (Flute,
Clarinet (Bb), Oboe and Bassoon).
SHEET MUSIC