Michael Praetorius

Es ist ein Ros Entsprungen

The many sided and productive Michael Praetorius (1571-1621) is knwon as a composer of dance music, sacred music and music for the advent and Christmas time. He worked as Kapelmeister to the court at Wolffenbuttel, but he was also asked to serve in other places, includin Dresden. Praetorius was valued for the new impulses he gave to music by means of his use of instrumental accompaniment. His main contribution is his theoretical work 'Syntagma Musicum', one of the most important musical refernce books, in connection with instruments and instrumentation in the early 17th Century. 'Es ist ein ros entsprungen' is a well known ancient melody which has inspired numerous composers and arrangers througout the Centuries. Otto M. Schwarz has made a choral arrangement.