Editing Samuel Scheidt (section)

==Life and career==
Scheidt was born in [[Halle, Saxony-Anhalt|Halle]], and after early studies there, he went to [[Amsterdam]] to study with [[Sweelinck]], the distinguished [[Netherlands|Dutch]] composer, whose work had a clear influence on Scheidt's style.  On his return to Halle, Scheidt became court organist, and later [[Kapellmeister]], to the [[Margrave]] of [[Brandenburg]].  Unlike many German musicians, for example [[Heinrich Schütz]], he remained in Germany during the [[Thirty Years' War]], managing to survive by teaching and by taking a succession of smaller jobs until the restoration of stability allowed him to resume his post as Kapellmeister. When Samuel Scheidt lost his job because of [[Wallenstein]], he was appointed in 1628 as musical director of three churches in Halle, including the [[Marktkirche Unser Lieben Frauen|Market Church]].

Scheidt was the first internationally significant German composer for the organ, and represents the flowering of the new north German style, which occurred largely as a result of the [[Protestant Reformation]].  In south Germany and some other countries of Europe, the spiritual and artistic influence of [[Rome]] remained strong, so most music continued to be derivative of Italian models.  Cut off from Rome, musicians in the newly Protestant areas readily developed styles that were much different from those of their neighbours.

Scheidt's music is in two principal categories:  instrumental music, including a large amount of keyboard music, mostly for organ; and sacred vocal music, some of which is ''[[a cappella]]'' and some of which uses a [[basso continuo]] or other instrumental accompaniment. In his numerous [[chorale prelude]]s, Scheidt often used a "patterned variation" technique, in which each phrase of the chorale uses a different rhythmic motive, and each variation is more elaborate than the previous one, until the climax of the composition is reached.  In addition to his chorale preludes, he wrote numerous [[fugue]]s, suites of dances (which were often in a [[cyclic form]], sharing a common [[ground bass]]) and [[fantasia (music)|fantasia]]s.