Michael Praetorius was a prolific German composer, organist, and music theorist of the early Baroque era, not to be mistaken with a contemporary artist. Born on February 15, 1571, in Kreuzburg (today Creuzburg), Thuringia, Germany, he had a significant influence on the musical landscape of his time. His birth name was Michael Schultze, and he was the youngest son of a Lutheran pastor. Praetorius attended the University of Frankfurt (Oder) and became a prolific composer upon taking on various court positions in the service of the Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

His career spanned a period that saw the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the early Baroque, and Praetorius was instrumental in bringing about this change in Northern Germany. With his liturgical music, including masses, hymns, and the nine volume Musae Sioniae (1605-10) which collected Lutheran chorales, he remained deeply entwined with the church. Praetorius's seminal work, the "Syntagma Musicum", published in three volumes from 1614 to 1620, is a detailed treatise on contemporary music practice and includes illustrations of musical instruments which are indispensable to the study of early 17th-century music. His most enduring composition is the advent hymn "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" (Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming), which remains a staple of Christmas liturgy and concerts. Praetorius died on February 15, 1621, on his 50th birthday, in Wolfenbüttel, leaving an indelible mark on the music of the German Baroque.

The releases listed in your query suggest a revival or renewed interest in Michael Praetorius's music, with performances of "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" and selections from "Terpsichore", a vast collection of over 300 instrumental dances, being recorded and shared with contemporary audiences, perpetuating the timeless nature of his work. These releases are performed by various artists, ensembles, and choirs who continue to celebrate and interpret Praetorius's contributions to the world of classical music.

Genres

Baroque

Classical

Early Music

Early Music Ensemble

German Renaissance

Renaissance

Related Artists

Heinrich Schütz

Johann Sebastian Bach

Giovanni Gabrieli

Dietrich Buxtehude

Claudio Monteverdi

Johann Hermann Schein

Hans Leo Hassler

Samuel Scheidt

Georg Philipp Telemann

William Byrd

Thomas Tallis

Hieronymus Praetorius

Latest Release

Itinerary of a HIP Musician

Ton Koopman•

Antonio Vivaldi•

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach•

Dietrich Buxtehude•

Francis Poulenc•

Franz Schubert•

François Couperin•

Georg Philipp Telemann•

George Frideric Handel•

Girolamo Frescobaldi•

Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber•

Henry Purcell•

Johann Sebastian Bach•

Joseph Haydn•

Marc-Antoine Charpentier•

Michael Praetorius•

Wilhelm Friedemann Bach•

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Album - 166 Tracks - Released October 27, 2024