General Biography on Buxtehude

Dietrich Buxtehude (ca. 1637-1707) is perhaps the pivotal figure in the entire German organ tradition. Buxtehude’s name has long been connected with Bach, ever since the 500-mile round trip Bach made to Lübeck—on foot—to meet and hear Buxtehude perform. Born in Denmark, Buxtehude’s first instruction came from his father, who was a local church organist. After two smaller appointments, he was engaged in Lübeck as a “free” (i.e., non-indentured) musician and helped reinstate a well-known evening concert series that had fallen out of favor. Upon taking the job at Lübeck, he immediately married his predecessor’s daughter as stipulated in the employment contract. In turn, Buxtehude later asserted that whoever took the job after him would marry his eldest daughter—enough to deter both Handel and Mattheson! Buxtehude’s surviving vocal and organ works offer clear evidence of his inventiveness, contrapuntal skill, and influence on later composers.

(c) Jason Stell