Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck - 6 Variations on ’Mein junges Leben hat ein End’

- Composer: Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (April/May 1562 -- 16 October 1621) - Performer: James David Christie - Year of recording: 1993 6 Variations on ’Mein junges Leben hat ein End’, SwWV 324. Citizens of the Dutch city and guests alike might flock to the Oude Kerk in the heart of town: the “Orpheus of Amsterdam,“ Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, was giving his daily public concert on the church organ. Since Amsterdam’s adoption of the Reformed faith in 1578, the organ could not be tolerated playing during a worship service, but the church organist could ply his formidable talents just before or after a service. Students came from across Europe as well, to learn of Sweelinck the principals of keyboard playing, which at the time meant how to improvise fantasia-like preludes or how to improvise upon a given melody. Though the students came presumably to learn improvisation on sacred tunes, the public became accustomed to hearing the master ornament, as well their favorite sec