Scheidt, Samuel
Scheidt, Samuel
Scheidt, Samuel, important German organist, teacher, and composer; b. Halle (baptized), Nov. 3, 1587; d. there, March 24, 1654. He studied at the Halle Gymnasium. From c. 1603 to 1608 he was organist at the Moritzkirche in Halle, and then went to Amsterdam to study with Sweelinck. He returned to Halle in 1609, and was appointed court organist to Margrave Christian Wilhelm of Brandenburg; in 1619 he also assumed the post of court Kapellmeister. When the margrave left for Denmark in 1625 to support the Protestant cause in the Thirty Years’ War, Scheidt retained his post even though without emolument, eking out a modest living by teaching. In 1628 he was named music director of the Marktkirche, the principal church in Halle, continuing in this employment until 1630. In 1638 he resumed his post as court Kapellmeister and served until his death. Scheidt was highly esteemed as an organist, was consulted on the building of organs as an inspector, and was also a noted organ teacher. As a composer, he excelled in both keyboard and sacred vocal works. A collected ed. of his works was begun by G. Harms and continued by others (16 vols., 1923–83).
Works
keyboard : Tabulatimi nova continens variationes aliquot psalmorum, fantasiarum, cantilenarum, passamezzo et canones (Hamburg, 1624); Pars secunda tabulaturae continens fugarum, psalmorum, cantionum et échus, tocatae, variationes varias omnimodas pro quorumvis organistarum captu et modulo (Hamburg, 1624); III et ultima pars tabulaturae continens Kyrie Dominicale, Credo in unum Deum, Psalmum de Coena Domini sub communione, hymnos praecipuorum festorum totius anni, Magnificat… & Benedicamus (Hamburg, 1624); Tabulatur-Buch hundert geistlicher Lieder und Psalmen (Görlitz, 1650); additional instrumental works include Paduana, galliarda, courante, alemande, intrada, canzonetto, ut vocant, in gratiatn musices studiosorum, potissimum violistarum, a 4, 5, and Basso Continuo (Hamburg, 1621); Ludorum musicorum secunda pars continens paduan, galliard, alemand, viol et istarum, a 4, 5, and Basso Continuo (Hamburg, 1622); Ludorum musicorum secunda pars continens paduanas, cour. et canzon., a 4, 5, 7, and Basso Continuo (Hamburg, 1624; not extant); Ludorum musicorum quarta pars, a 3, 4, and Basso Continuo (Hamburg, 1627); LXX Symphonien auff Concerten manir: Vornemlich auff Violinen zu gebrauchen durch die gewohnliche Tonos, und die 7 Oaves, a 2 and Basso Continuo (Leipzig, 1644); also canons in Tabulatura nova continens variationes aliquot psalmorum, fantasiarum, cantilenarum, passamezzo et canones (Hamburg, 1624). VOCAL : Church Music : Cantiones sacrae for 8 Voices (Hamburg, 1620); Pars prima concertuum sacrorum, adiectis symphoniis et choris instrumentalibus for 2 to 5, 8, and 12 Voices and Basso Continuo (Hamburg, 1622); Newe geistliche Concerten…prima pars for 2 and 3 Voices and Basso Continuo (Halle, 1631); Geistlicher Concerten…ander Theil for 2 to 6 Voices and Basso Continuo (Halle, 1634); Geistlicher Concerten…dritter Theil for 2 to 6 Voices and Basso Continuo (Halle, 1635); Liebliche Krafft-Blumlein aus des Heyligen Geistes Lustgarten abgebrochen und zum Vorschmack dess ewigen Lebens im zweystimmichten Himmels-Chor versetzet for 2 Voices and Basso Continuo (Halle, 1635); Geistlicher Concerten…vierter Theil for 2 to 6 Voices and Basso Continuo (Halle, 1640).
Bibliography
C. Mahrenholz, S. S.: Sein Leben und sein Werk (Leipzig, 1924); R. Hünicken, S. S.: Ein althallischer Musikus (Halle, 1934); W. Serauky, S. S. in seinen Briefen (Halle, 1937); a Festschrift in honor of his 350th birthday (Wolfenbüttel, 1937); E. Gessner, S. S.s geistliche Konzerte: Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Gattung (Berlin, 1961).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire