Michael Praetorius

Why is Michael Praetorius so significant for early music theory? And how did a German end up with a Latin last name?

Michael Praetorius (probably 15 February 1571 – 15 February 1621) was a German composer, organist, and music theorist.[1] He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of musical forms based on Protestant hymns, many of which reflect an effort to improve the relationship between Protestants and Catholics.

Praetorius was born Michael Schultze, Schultheis, or Schultz, the youngest son of a Lutheran pastor, in Creuzburg, in present-day Thuringia. After attending school in Torgau and Zerbst, he studied divinity and philosophy at the University of Frankfurt (Oder). He was fluent in a number of languages. After receiving his musical education, from 1587 he served as organist at the Marienkirche in Frankfurt. From 1592/3 he served at the court in Wolfenbüttel, under the employ of Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He served in the duke's State Orchestra, first as organist and later (from 1604) as Kapellmeister.[2]

His first compositions appeared around 1602/3. Their publication primarily reflects the care for music at the court of Gröningen. The motets of this collection were the first in Germany to make use of the new Italian performance practices; as a result, they established him as a proficient composer.

Michael Praetorius (probably 15 February 1571 - 15 February 1621) was a German composer, organist, and music theorist. He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of musical forms based on Protestant hymns, many of which reflect an effort to improve the relationship between Protestants and Catholics.

Vibrato or no vibrato?

I generally live somewhere between the “straight-tone only” and “vibrato always” worlds, believing that the best singers do both, according to the needs and styles of the repertoire being performed. But what do the treatises say? Early Music Sources does an excellent job exploring the options (with special shout-outs to organ treatises and my perennial fav, Praetorius)!

2 Years of Early Music Monday

Early Music Monday started 2 years ago this week!
In that time, we’ve had 36 musical excerpts,
24 posts about performance practice/theory,
22 posts about composers/patrons/performers,
16 history-related posts,
3 about instruments, and
3 about musical philosophy!
Onward for year 3!

Ye sacred muses

A death in the family this week has me thinking about grief and how musicians in history handled it. Case in point: William Byrd’s magnificent ode to his friend and mentor Thomas Tallis.

Ye sacred muses (Elegy for Thomas Tallis - 1585)
by William Byrd
with Sonnambula: Shirley Hunt, Amy Domingues, Elizabeth Weinfield, and Colleen McGary-Smith
in conjunction with the Henry Purcell Society of Boston
recorded by Russ Anderson, T-Stop Productions
Live performance, October 2018