Heinrich Scheidemann

Complete Organ Works Vol. 4

The present volume of 12 Motet Intabulations complements the 3 volumes already published with organ music by Heinrich Scheidemann (around 1595-1663), so that the complete organ oeuvre of the organist from Hamburg is now available in a modern editorial standard. From 1611-1614 Scheidemann studied with Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck in Amsterdam and from 1629 worked as an organist at St. Catherine's in Hamburg for about three and a half decades. He amalgamated the style of his teacher with North German tradition and is thus regarded as co-founder of the North German Organ School. For a long time, the skill to transfer vocal compositions into finger notation had been one of the main demands on a competently trained organist. At the beginning of the 17th century, however, the rather technical 'intabulation practice' faded into the background in favour of innovative forms of arrangement of the sacred cantus firmi. To Scheidemann belongs the credit for helping the genre tradition, which had unmistakably been in decline, to experience a late revival with his Motet Intabulations and for virtually erecting a glorious monument of excellent artistic quality to this type of composition - an important document in the history of organ music, and an interesting addition to the organ repertoire.