Dieterich Buxtehude: Organist in Lubeck [Hardcover]

Kerala J. Snyder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1987

This book is a new edition of the most comprehensive life-and-works study of the great Baroque-era organist and composer Dieterich Buxtehude (ca. 1637-1707), released to celebrate the tercentenary of the composer's death. Originally published in 1987 and long out of print, Dieterich Buxtehude: Organist in Lübeck is considered by most musicologists to be the definitive biography. It also includes close description of Buxtehude's compositional output, from trio sonatas to the famed Abendmusiken: Buxtehude's yearly oratorio presentations. The young J. S. Bach traveled to Lübeck on foot in 1705 to learn as much as he could from the great master of the organ and of Lutheran church music. The revised edition contains new information on the organs that Buxtehude played in Scandinavia and Lübeck, excerpts from the newly available account books from St. Mary's in Lübeck, a discussion of newly discovered sources, including one written by J. S. Bach, an evaluation of recent scholarship on Buxtehude, and an extensive bibliography. Written for both the casual reader and the serious scholar. The accompanying CD provides examples of all genres discussed in the book -- vocal works, a trio sonata, harpsichord music, and organ music newly recorded on the North German meantone organ in Gothenburg, Sweden, by a noted specialist in this repertoire, Hans Davidsson, who is professor of organ at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music and the founder of the Göteborg Organ Art Center (GOArt). Kerala J. Snyder is professor emerita of musicology, Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester).

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

(Snyder) writes engagingly throughout and provides a rich array of musical examples and descriptions. --Julie Anne Sadie, EARLY MUSIC

A model of modern music biography. --George Stauffer, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MUSICOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Worthy of its subject, perhaps, as few other books can really claim to be. --Stephen Daw, MUSICAL TIMES --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Kerala Snyder is professor emerita of musicology at the Eastman School of Music. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 551 pages
• Publisher: Schirmer Books; First Edition edition (October 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028730801
• ISBN-13: 978-0028730806
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #367,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reissued At Last! Snap It Up!!!!!, July 7, 2007

By 

Doug - Haydn Fan (California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Dieterich Buxtehude: Organist in Lubeck (Eastman Studies in Music) (Hardcover)

Buxtehude's music remains one of the great pleasures of classical music - thoughtful and rich in melody, filled to overflowing with new ideas and freshness. For several years Kerala Snyder's book has been out of print, and unscrupulous book dealers have demanded exhorbitant prices for used copies. Now reissued it is possible to once again obtain a personal copy.
Although the price is high do not let that hold you back - this is an excellent achievement, and will probably remain the only major book in English on one of the greatest German composers. Highest recommendation.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Last Word about Buxtehude, September 13, 2007

By 

Paul Van de Water (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dieterich Buxtehude: Organist in Lubeck (Eastman Studies in Music) (Hardcover)

Bach's 250-mile journey on foot in 1705 from Arnstadt to Lubeck to visit Buxehude is one of the great tales in the history of music. If you've listened to some of Buxtehude's music (see my "Listmania!" list of Buxtehude's vocal music) and would like to learn more about the composer, his life, and his works, this is the one and only place to go. This second edition (published 20 years after the first) commemorates the 300th anniversary of the composer's death. It's reasonably accessible and readable for someone (like myself) who loves music but is not a professional musician. Among other things, it contains a very useful list of all of Buxtehude's compositions.

Paul N. Van de Water

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A serious biography of Dieterich Buxtehude, January 1, 2010

By 

Warden Manford - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dieterich Buxtehude: Organist in Lubeck (Eastman Studies in Music) (Hardcover)

Dieterich Buxtehude: Organist in Lubeck is a serious biography, researched in depth, yet interesting. Little is left to the imagination. Any part of his life that can be supported by scholarly research is present. Readable? yes, as well as provocative. We see a 17th century organist emerge from under his father's tutelage, as well as many other prominent organists, move to Lubeck probably because of the plague in his home town. and become his own accomplished person. His creativity is revealed from the very beginning with innovative fingering as well as many compositions showing great promise. Not everything went his way. We read of his struggles which reveal uncertainty of his future. Yet Buxtehude became well-known sufficiently that the famous J.S. Bach hiked a great distance to meet Buxtehude, to learn from him. Finanally, there's a CD found at the end of the book which demonstrates the many musical genres employed by Buxtehude. The book is also comprehensively documented, though such references are kept in low profile appendices at the end of the book.