SCHUTZ, Heinrich
b Kostritz, 8 October 1585
d Dresden, 6 November 1672, aged eighty-seven

In 1599 he became a chorister at the chapel of the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, and received a thorough general and musical education. In 1608 he entered the University of Marburg to study law, but the Landgrave paid for him to go to Venice as a pupil of G. Gabrielli, and he remained there from 1609 to 1612. He then went to Leipzig to resume his law studies, but finally abandoned them when he was appointed organist to the Landgrave. In 1613 he visited Dresden and in 1615 was appointed to the Electoral chapel there. He went to Italy in 1628 to study the music of Monteverdi; but on his return horn e he found that Saxony had begun to take part in the Thirty Years War in 1628, and economic pressures were being felt at the Court. This determined him to go to Copenhagen, to become Kapellmeister at the Danish court from 1633 to 1635. He continued afterwards to make occasional visits to Denmark, but the Elector of Saxony compelled him to continue working in Dresden from 1641. His hearing failed in his later years.

1611 (26)

p Italian Madrigals

1619 (34)

p Psalms and Motets

p Psalmen Davids for two, three or four choirs of voices and instruments

1623 (38)

Resurrection Oratorio

Easter Oratorio

p Historia der Auferstehung Jesu Christi, for voices and instruments

1625 (40)

p Cantiones sacrae, for four voices

1627 (42)

fp Dafne, opera

1629 (44)

p Symphoniae sacrae, Part I

1636 (51)

Musicalische exequien (Funeral music)

Kleine Geistliche Concerte, Book I

1638 (53)

fp Orpheus and Euridice, ballet

1639 (54)

Kleine Geistliche Concerte, Book II

1645 (60)

The Seven Words from the Cross, choral

1647 (62)

p Symphoniae sacrae, Part II

1648 (63)

p Musicali ad chorum sacrum

1650 (65)

p Symphoniae sacrae, Part III

1664 (79)

Christmas Oratorio

1665-6 (80-1)

Four Passions (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)

1671 (86)

Deutsches Magnificat