Samuel Scheidt

SCHEIDT, Samuel. b. Halle, 1587 (baptized 3 November); d. Halle, 24 March 1654. He was active as an organist and composer throughout his life in Halle. He attended the local Latin gymnasium and received his early instruction in music from local musicians. Around 1608 he studied with Sweelinck in Amsterdam. In 1609 he returned to Halle as court organist to Margrave Christian Wilhelm of Brandenburg. In 1619/20 after becoming court Capellmeister (retaining his position as court organist) Scheidt increased the musical establishment and began to publish an important sequence of publications, including: motets in Cantiones sacrae (1620); large-scale vocal works in Concertus sacri; and organ music...