Nicolaus Bruhns
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Nicolaus Bruhns (Nikolaus, Nicholas) (1665 - March 19, 1697) was one of the greatest organists and composers of his time. He studied with Dieterich Buxtehude, who regarded him as among the very best of his students.
Life
He initially learned music from his father Paul Bruhns (1640-89?), who was the organist at Schwabstedt; he later studied composition and organ with Dieterich Buxtehude.
With Buxtehude's help, he received a post as violinist and composer at the court in Copenhagen, and in 1689 became the town organist in Husum, his last post before his tragic early death (sources disagree on whether he was 31 or 32 at the time).
Although primarily an organist, he had many musical talents; he was known for playing improvisations on the violin over a bass line played on the pedal board of the organ, and was one of the best composers of sacred cantatas of his era. He also composed chamber music, which is now unfortunately lost.
Johann Sebastian Bach's son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach later wrote to his father's biographer Johann Nikolaus Forkel that his father had admired Bruhns' work. J.S. Bach's obituary stated that he studied and followed Bruhns' compositions, but showing this musically is not easy.
Works
Vocal
Instrumental
References
Further reading
- Hugh J. McLean. "Bruhns, Nicolaus", The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. S. Sadie and J. Tyrrell (London: Macmillan, 2001), iv, 492-493.
- The most recent and concise summary of Bruhns' life and works available in English.
External links
- *Free scores by [Nicolaus Bruhns] in the Werner Icking Music Archive (Mein Herz ist bereit, concerto for bass, violin, and continuo)
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