Works by Johannes Schultz, Samuel Scheidt, Matthias Weckmann, Johann Erasmus Kindermann, Johann Rosenmüller, Johann Theile

In the programme ’Musicalischer Lüstegarte’ a special characteristic of the music of 17th century is shown to advantage. In Germany in the period of the Early Baroque few solo sonatas, canzonas or even diminutions were written, but, alongside vocal pieces with obligatory instrumentation, much ensemble music, such as Intradas, Pavanes and “Simphonies”, was composed. Later composers like Weckmann or Theile wrote sonatas that were intended and specially composed for violin, cornettino (Quartzink), trombone and dulcian. In Italy the use of instruments as solo instruments was a lot more common. It is not surprising then, that the musician Johann Rosenmüller, living and working in Italy for a long time, not only wrote some sonatas for quite a number of instruments, but also some for solo violin.

The ‘Musicalischer Lüstegarte’ was composed and edited by Johannes Schultz in 1622. Schultz, of whose life and work we know little, was born 1582 in Lüneburg and died 1653 in Dannenberg. He worked as an organist in the ‘braunschweig-lüneburgischen Residenz’ where prince August von Wolfenbüttel supported him. The successor of the latter, Anton Ulrich freed Johann Rosenmüller in 1682 from his twenty-four years long Italian exile in Venice and brought him to Wolfenbüttel. Rosenmüller’s successor was Johann Theile (1646-1724), the last pupil of Schütz.

A further pupil of Heinrich Schütz was Matthias Weckmann, born 1619 in Thüringen. He worked in Dresden, Nykobing/Denmark and Hamburg and is regarded as exceedingly imaginative and expressive composer.

The composer Johann Erasmus Kindermann from Nürnberg travelled, as had Heinrich Schütz before him, to Italy for his studies. It is told that he kept personal contact with Francesco Cavalli, Giacomo Carissimi and Girolamo Frescobaldi.