Composer of the Month 5/2012: Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (selected by Peter van Dessel / Belgium)

The Netherlands 21.6.1935 The video shows Prof. Juergen Kursawa playing Jan P. Sweelinck's "Fantasia cromatica" on the Joerg Glebe organ in Zwolle/Netherlands. The Dutch composer and organist Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck was born in April or May 1562 in Deventer. He was the son of a renowned organist family and most likely studied in Venice. As organist at the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam, he had numerous organ student and thus had great influence on the North German organ school of the 17th Century. Sweelinck composed more than 70 works for keyboard instruments and over 250 vocal works. During the period of transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque Sweelinck was the last master of the Dutch vocal polyphony. He was known for his improvisations on the organ and the harpsichord. In his works, he combined elements of the English virginal with the Italian style organ. Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck died on 16 October 1621 in Amsterdam. 2012 marks his 450th birthday anniversary. More composer can be found in the members only section