Christoph Praetorius (died 1590) was an author, choirmaster and composer. He entered the
University of Wittenberg in 1551.
Christoph was born in
Bunzlau,
Silesia, but the date of his birth is unknown.
His earliest composition, a funeral motet,
appears to be from around 1560,
which was the date of the first of four collections consisting of sacred music for vocalists. He served as Kantor at the
Lüneburg Johannisschule from 1563 until 1581.
He was obliged to resign as Kantor because he had become deaf, yet he continued his compositional activity as evidenced by a wedding motet written for
Euricius Dedekind’s wedding.
He published two books on music theory between 1563 and 1581. The last of his sacred vocal volumes appeared in 1581.
He died in Lüneburg in 1590.
His compositions have not been deemed masterworks, but his writings on music were widely quoted. They included the use of the 12
Glarean
Heinrich Glarean also styled Glareanus (born as Heinrich Loriti on 28 February or 3 June 1488 – 28 March 1563) was a Swiss music theorist, poet and humanist. He was born in Mollis (in the canton of Glarus, hence his name) and died in Freiburg im ...
modes,
coloratura
Coloratura is an elaborate melody with runs, trills, wide leaps, or similar virtuoso-like material,''Oxford American Dictionaries''.Apel (1969), p. 184. or a passage of such music. Operatic roles in which such music plays a prominent part, an ...
training, and the use of ‘voces fictae’.
He was the uncle of
Michael Praetorius.
Published works
Prose
* ''Erotemata renovatae'', Wittenberg, 1574
* ''Erotemata renovatae musicae, Ülzen, 1581
Music
* ''De obitu'', Wittenberg, 1560
* ''Melodia epithalamia composite in nuptiis'', Wittenberg, 1561
* ''Fröliche und liebliche Ehrnlieder'', Wittenberg, 1581
* ''Der ander Teil: frölicher und lieblicher Ehrnlieder'', Wittenberg, 1581
* ''Carmen nuptial in honorem'', Ülzen, 1581
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Praetorius, Christoph
Renaissance composers
1590 deaths
People from Bolesławiec
Year of birth missing
University of Wittenberg alumni