Vincent Lübeck
Encyclopedia
Vincent Lübeck was a German
composer
and organist
. He was born in Padingbüttel
and worked as organist and composer at Stade
's St. Cosmae et Damiani
(1675–1702) and Hamburg
's famous St. Nikolai
(1702–1740), where he played one of the largest contemporary organs. He enjoyed a remarkably high reputation in his lifetime, and had numerous pupils, among which were two of his sons.
Despite Lübeck's longevity and fame, very few compositions by him survive: a handful of organ praeludia and chorale
s in the North German style
, a few cantata
s and several pieces for harpsichord, some of which were published during the composer's lifetime. Of his works, the organ pieces are the most important: influenced by Dieterich Buxtehude
and Johann Adam Reincken
, Lübeck composed technically and artistically sophisticated works, with frequent virtuosic passages for pedal
, five-voice polyphony, and other devices rarely used by most of the composers of the period.
Lübeck was born in Padingbüttel
, a small town situated some 70 km north of Bremen
. His father (also named Vincent) worked as organist first at Glückstadt
and then, from 1647, at the Marienkirche in Flensburg
, where he was succeeded in 1654 by Caspar Förckelrath. Lübeck's father died that year, and Förckelrath married the widow; it follows that he must have been young Lübeck's first teacher. According to scholar Wolfram Syré, Lübeck may have also studied under Andreas Kneller
, whose influence is palpable in Lübeck's surviving keyboard works. In late 1675 Lübeck became organist of St. Cosmae et Damiani
in Stade
. The city had been a prominent member of the Hanseatic League
, but by 1675 it was being slowly eclipsed by the nearby Hamburg
. Nevertheless, St. Cosmae had an organ built by the celebrated Arp Schnitger
(which still survives, although it has been reconstructed). Upon accepting the post, Lübeck married, as was custom in some parts of North Germany, the daughter of his predecessor, one Susanne Becker.
The only dated works by Lübeck are two cantatas composed in Stade in November 1693, both commissioned by the Swedish administration in Stade in memory of Ulrike Eleonora of Denmark
. Aside from these pieces, we know very little about the composer's activities at Stade. His reputation as organist, organ consultant and teacher grew steadily, and finally landed him the position at St. Nikolai
in Hamburg
in 1702; he was succeeded in Stade by his son, Peter Paul (1680–1732). Hamburg was already one of the largest cities in Germany and had a long organ tradition associated first with pupils of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
: Heinrich Scheidemann
, Jacob Praetorius
, and others. A number of other important composers worked in Hamburg in the late 17th century: among them Matthias Weckmann
, who helped organize the concert life of the city, and Johann Adam Reincken
, one of the most celebrated organists of his time. However, by the time Lübeck's arrival, only Reincken was still alive, and the musical life of the city, as well as its economical position, was in a slow decline. In 1720 Johann Sebastian Bach
applied for a post at Jacobikirche, but withdrew the application after acquainting himself with the local circumstances.
Nevertheless, Lübeck's position in Hamburg was a prominent one. St. Nikolai was one of the city's most important churches, and the organ was not only another Arp Schnitger but also one of the largest organs in the world: a four-manual instrument with 67 stops. Johann Mattheson
, writing in 1721, named both the organ and the organist "extraordinary", alluding to Lübeck's apparently great fame: "But how to extol someone who is already greatly renowned? I need only give his name, Vincent Lübeck." Unfortunately, Lübeck's St. Nikolai did not survive into the 20th century: the church was destroyed during the Great Fire of 1842.
Lübeck remained organist of St. Nikolai until his death in 1740. One of his sons (also named Vincent, 1684–1755) assisted him from 1735 and succeeded him. During much of his career, Lübeck was a renowned teacher and organ consultant (passing judgements on, among others, Arp Schnitger instruments). But we know little about his teaching activities; his pupils, aside from the two sons, included Michael Johann Friedrich Wiedeburg, a renowned keyboard pedagogue. Although Johann Sebastian Bach
may have been influenced by Lübeck, they almost certainly never met. Lübeck's works were quickly forgotten with much of the rest of 17th and 18th century organ music. The first modern edition of the composer's work appeared in 1921 in Germany (G. Harms (Klecken, 1921)). A school in Stade was named in his honor, the Vincent Lübeck Gymnasium.
, as well as Dieterich Buxtehude
. The preludes and fugues are remarkably varied, each has a distinct structure:
The influence of Buxtehude is apparent in some of Lübeck's fugue subjects, as well as the five-section structure of the E major work. The free sections often feature virtuosic pedal solos, and the G minor work includes double pedals in the first two sections (see Example 1). Absent in Buxtehude's surviving works, double pedals are found in the work of Reincken, Lübeck's Hamburg colleague. Most of Lübeck's fugues have an obbligato countersubject, commonly introduced during the first statement of the subject:
The F major and G major preludes and fugues are now attributed to Lübeck's son, whose name also was Vincent. Both have a simple two-section structure (i.e. Toccata and Fugue) and show no trace of the virtuosity apparent in the fully authenticated works.
The only complete surviving chorale setting by Lübeck is a chorale fantasia on Ich ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ. At 271 bars, it is one of the largest known examples of the genre. There are twelve clearly defined sections, covering the entire first stanza of the chorale; numerous techniques are employed, including multiple instances of advanced hand-crossing, another feature frequently found in Reincken but absent in Buxtehude's output. Lübeck's variations on Nun lasst uns Gott dem Herren survive incomplete, with only the first 6 verses set; the composer's rich variation technique at times almost dispenses with the melody, elaborating only on the harmonic framework of the chorale.
Lübeck's Clavier-Übung of 1728 consists of a single harpsichord suite, in which the traditional dances (allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue) are preceded by a prelude and fugue, and a chaconne, which is a simplistic two-voice piece, in which the chorale melody Lobt Gott ihr Christen allzugleich is combined with an eight-bar ostinato. The suite, on the other hand, is much more advanced and exhibits some of the virtuosic qualities found in Lübeck's organ works.
Of Lübeck's surviving cantatas, Gott wie dein Nahme, Hilff deinem Volck and Willkommen süsser Bräutigam are the less important ones, probably intended for small, average ensembles. The remaining two works, commissioned by the Swedish administration in Stade, include separate instrumental movements, choruses and ritornello arias; they also feature more advanced writing.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
. He was born in Padingbüttel
Padingbüttel
Padingbüttel is a municipality in the district of Cuxhaven, in Lower Saxony, Germany.The Land of Wursten, a rather autonomous farmers' republic including Padingbüttel, had long been claimed by the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, until in 1524 it could be definitely be subjected...
and worked as organist and composer at Stade
Stade
Stade is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany and part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region . It is the seat of the district named after it...
's St. Cosmae et Damiani
St. Cosmae et Damiani (Stade)
The Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian, Stade is a Lutheran church in Stade, Germany.The church was built in the early 12th century and expanded in the 17th. The Baroque altar was crafted by Christian Precht in 1674–77, and the organ was built in 1668–75 by Berendt Hus and his nephew,...
(1675–1702) and Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
's famous St. Nikolai
St. Nikolai, Hamburg
The Gothic Revival Church of St. Nicholas was formerly one of the five Lutheran Hauptkirchen in the city of Hamburg. It is now in ruins, serving as a memorial and an important architectural landmark. When Hamburg residents mention the Nikolaikirche, it is generally to this church that they are...
(1702–1740), where he played one of the largest contemporary organs. He enjoyed a remarkably high reputation in his lifetime, and had numerous pupils, among which were two of his sons.
Despite Lübeck's longevity and fame, very few compositions by him survive: a handful of organ praeludia and chorale
Chorale
A chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
s in the North German style
German organ schools
The 17th century organ composers of Germany can be divided into two primary schools: the north German school and the south German school...
, a few cantata
Cantata
A cantata is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir....
s and several pieces for harpsichord, some of which were published during the composer's lifetime. Of his works, the organ pieces are the most important: influenced by Dieterich Buxtehude
Dieterich Buxtehude
Dieterich Buxtehude was a German-Danish organist and composer of the Baroque period. His organ works represent a central part of the standard organ repertoire and are frequently performed at recitals and in church services...
and Johann Adam Reincken
Johann Adam Reincken
Johann Adam Reincken was a Dutch/German organist and composer...
, Lübeck composed technically and artistically sophisticated works, with frequent virtuosic passages for pedal
Pedalboard
A pedalboard is a keyboard played with the feet that is usually used to produce the low-pitched bass line of a piece of music...
, five-voice polyphony, and other devices rarely used by most of the composers of the period.
Life
Padingbüttel
Padingbüttel is a municipality in the district of Cuxhaven, in Lower Saxony, Germany.The Land of Wursten, a rather autonomous farmers' republic including Padingbüttel, had long been claimed by the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, until in 1524 it could be definitely be subjected...
, a small town situated some 70 km north of Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
. His father (also named Vincent) worked as organist first at Glückstadt
Glückstadt
Glückstadt is a town in the Steinburg district of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is located on the right bank of the Lower Elbe at the confluence of the small Rhin river, about northwest of Altona...
and then, from 1647, at the Marienkirche in Flensburg
Flensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
, where he was succeeded in 1654 by Caspar Förckelrath. Lübeck's father died that year, and Förckelrath married the widow; it follows that he must have been young Lübeck's first teacher. According to scholar Wolfram Syré, Lübeck may have also studied under Andreas Kneller
Andreas Kneller
Andreas Kneller was a German composer and organist of the North German school.-Biography:...
, whose influence is palpable in Lübeck's surviving keyboard works. In late 1675 Lübeck became organist of St. Cosmae et Damiani
St. Cosmae et Damiani (Stade)
The Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian, Stade is a Lutheran church in Stade, Germany.The church was built in the early 12th century and expanded in the 17th. The Baroque altar was crafted by Christian Precht in 1674–77, and the organ was built in 1668–75 by Berendt Hus and his nephew,...
in Stade
Stade
Stade is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany and part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region . It is the seat of the district named after it...
. The city had been a prominent member of the Hanseatic League
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
, but by 1675 it was being slowly eclipsed by the nearby Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. Nevertheless, St. Cosmae had an organ built by the celebrated Arp Schnitger
Arp Schnitger
Arp Schnitger was a highly influential German organ builder. He was primarily active in Northern Europe, especially the Netherlands and Germany, where a number of his instruments survive to the present day; his organs can also be found as far away as Portugal and Brazil.Notable examples still in...
(which still survives, although it has been reconstructed). Upon accepting the post, Lübeck married, as was custom in some parts of North Germany, the daughter of his predecessor, one Susanne Becker.
The only dated works by Lübeck are two cantatas composed in Stade in November 1693, both commissioned by the Swedish administration in Stade in memory of Ulrike Eleonora of Denmark
Ulrike Eleonora of Denmark
Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark was the Queen consort of Sweden as the spouse of King Charles XI of Sweden.The name Ulrike is a Danish version of the name; in Swedish she is called Ulrika Eleonora den äldre, which in English means Ulrica Eleanor the Elder), to distinguish her from her daughter, the...
. Aside from these pieces, we know very little about the composer's activities at Stade. His reputation as organist, organ consultant and teacher grew steadily, and finally landed him the position at St. Nikolai
St. Nikolai, Hamburg
The Gothic Revival Church of St. Nicholas was formerly one of the five Lutheran Hauptkirchen in the city of Hamburg. It is now in ruins, serving as a memorial and an important architectural landmark. When Hamburg residents mention the Nikolaikirche, it is generally to this church that they are...
in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
in 1702; he was succeeded in Stade by his son, Peter Paul (1680–1732). Hamburg was already one of the largest cities in Germany and had a long organ tradition associated first with pupils of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck was a Dutch composer, organist, and pedagogue whose work straddled the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Baroque eras. He was among the first major keyboard composers of Europe, and his work as a teacher helped establish the north German organ...
: Heinrich Scheidemann
Heinrich Scheidemann
Heinrich Scheidemann was a German organist and composer. He was the best-known composer for the organ in north Germany in the early to mid-17th century, and was an important forerunner of Dieterich Buxtehude and J.S. Bach.-Life:...
, Jacob Praetorius
Jacob Praetorius
Jacob Praetorius or Schultz was a German Baroque composer and organist, and the son of Hieronymus Praetorius. His grandfather, the father of Hieronymus, Jacob Praetorius the elder was also a composer....
, and others. A number of other important composers worked in Hamburg in the late 17th century: among them Matthias Weckmann
Matthias Weckmann
Matthias Weckmann was a German musician and composer of the Baroque period. He was born in Niederdorla and died in Hamburg.- Life :...
, who helped organize the concert life of the city, and Johann Adam Reincken
Johann Adam Reincken
Johann Adam Reincken was a Dutch/German organist and composer...
, one of the most celebrated organists of his time. However, by the time Lübeck's arrival, only Reincken was still alive, and the musical life of the city, as well as its economical position, was in a slow decline. In 1720 Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
applied for a post at Jacobikirche, but withdrew the application after acquainting himself with the local circumstances.
Nevertheless, Lübeck's position in Hamburg was a prominent one. St. Nikolai was one of the city's most important churches, and the organ was not only another Arp Schnitger but also one of the largest organs in the world: a four-manual instrument with 67 stops. Johann Mattheson
Johann Mattheson
Johann Mattheson was a German composer, writer, lexicographer, diplomat and music theorist.Mattheson was born and died in Hamburg. He was a close friend of George Frideric Handel, although he nearly killed him in a sudden quarrel, during a performance of Mattheson's opera Cleopatra in 1704...
, writing in 1721, named both the organ and the organist "extraordinary", alluding to Lübeck's apparently great fame: "But how to extol someone who is already greatly renowned? I need only give his name, Vincent Lübeck." Unfortunately, Lübeck's St. Nikolai did not survive into the 20th century: the church was destroyed during the Great Fire of 1842.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
may have been influenced by Lübeck, they almost certainly never met. Lübeck's works were quickly forgotten with much of the rest of 17th and 18th century organ music. The first modern edition of the composer's work appeared in 1921 in Germany (G. Harms (Klecken, 1921)). A school in Stade was named in his honor, the Vincent Lübeck Gymnasium.
Music
Only a handful of Lübeck's works survives: five preludes and fugues (one possibly incomplete, and there is also a spurious sixth prelude and fugue), two chorale settings (one incomplete), a single harpsichord suite published in 1728, and five cantatas. Lübeck's organ works show influence of his Hamburg colleague Johann Adam ReinckenJohann Adam Reincken
Johann Adam Reincken was a Dutch/German organist and composer...
, as well as Dieterich Buxtehude
Dieterich Buxtehude
Dieterich Buxtehude was a German-Danish organist and composer of the Baroque period. His organ works represent a central part of the standard organ repertoire and are frequently performed at recitals and in church services...
. The preludes and fugues are remarkably varied, each has a distinct structure:
- Prelude and Fugue in C major: Toccata – Fugue 1 – Fugato manualiter – Fugue 2
- Prelude and Fugue in C minor: Toccata – Fugue (possibly incomplete)
- Prelude and Fugue in D minor: Toccata – Fugue 1 – Toccata
- Prelude and Fugue in E major: Toccata – Fugue 1 – Fugato – Fugue 2 – Toccata
- Prelude and Fugue in G minor: Toccata – Fugue 1 – Fugue 2 – Toccata – Fugue 3
The influence of Buxtehude is apparent in some of Lübeck's fugue subjects, as well as the five-section structure of the E major work. The free sections often feature virtuosic pedal solos, and the G minor work includes double pedals in the first two sections (see Example 1). Absent in Buxtehude's surviving works, double pedals are found in the work of Reincken, Lübeck's Hamburg colleague. Most of Lübeck's fugues have an obbligato countersubject, commonly introduced during the first statement of the subject:
The only complete surviving chorale setting by Lübeck is a chorale fantasia on Ich ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ. At 271 bars, it is one of the largest known examples of the genre. There are twelve clearly defined sections, covering the entire first stanza of the chorale; numerous techniques are employed, including multiple instances of advanced hand-crossing, another feature frequently found in Reincken but absent in Buxtehude's output. Lübeck's variations on Nun lasst uns Gott dem Herren survive incomplete, with only the first 6 verses set; the composer's rich variation technique at times almost dispenses with the melody, elaborating only on the harmonic framework of the chorale.
Lübeck's Clavier-Übung of 1728 consists of a single harpsichord suite, in which the traditional dances (allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue) are preceded by a prelude and fugue, and a chaconne, which is a simplistic two-voice piece, in which the chorale melody Lobt Gott ihr Christen allzugleich is combined with an eight-bar ostinato. The suite, on the other hand, is much more advanced and exhibits some of the virtuosic qualities found in Lübeck's organ works.
Of Lübeck's surviving cantatas, Gott wie dein Nahme, Hilff deinem Volck and Willkommen süsser Bräutigam are the less important ones, probably intended for small, average ensembles. The remaining two works, commissioned by the Swedish administration in Stade, include separate instrumental movements, choruses and ritornello arias; they also feature more advanced writing.
List of works
Organ music
- Prelude and Fugue in C major
- Prelude and Fugue in C minor (possibly incomplete)
- Prelude and Fugue in D minor
- Prelude and Fugue in E major
- Prelude and Fugue in F major (possibly by Lübeck's son, also named Vincent Lübeck)
- Prelude and Fugue in G major (possibly by Lübeck's son, also named Vincent Lübeck)
- Prelude and Fugue in G minor
- Chorale fantasia Ich ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ
- Chorale prelude Nun lasst uns Gott (incomplete, only the first 6 verses survive)
Harpsichord music
- Clavier Übung bestehend im Praeludio, Fuga, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande und Gigue als auch einer Zugabe von dem Gesang Lobt Gott ihr Christen allzugleich in einer Chaconne (Hamburg, 1728):
- Prelude and Fugue in A minor
- Suite in G minor
- Chaconne on Lobt Gott ihr Christen, in F major
- Works from Handschrift S.M.G. 1691, attributed to Lübeck and published in the recent Bärenreiter edition of his works:
- Praeludium (in D major) and Chaconne (in D minor)
- Chaconne in A major
- Suite in A minor
- March and Menuet in F major
Sacred vocal music
- Es ist ein grosser Gewinn, wer gottselig ist (4vv, 2 vn, 2 b viol, 2 ob, bn, bc; dated 10–14 November 1693)
- Gott wie dein Nahme (3vv (ATB), 3 instruments, bc)
- Hilff deinem Volck (4vv, 2 violins, 2 b viol, bc)
- Ich hab hier wenig guter Tag (4vv, 2 vn, 2 b viol, 2 ob, bn, bc; dated 10–14 November 1693)
- Willkommen süsser Bräutigam (2vv, 2 vn, bc)
- 14 more cantatas and a Passion, known from titles and/or texts (all lost)