Johann Adam Reincken

In 1654, which is the earliest knowledge concerning Reincken, he moved to Hamburg where he studied with Scheidemann. In 1658, after serving as organist for a year in Berghkercke, he went to Hamburg where he eventually succeeded Scheidemann. Reincken was a famed organist and organ inspector which brought him many students including Kneller, Leiding and perhaps even Bohm. The organ music which he composed, and the little which survives, illustrates that Reincken was definitively a student of Scheidemann. Virtuosity was more pronounced than religious concerns or artistic techniques. Part of these flavors in his music were generated by the four manual organ on which he was able to play. Variations by Reincken were often concerned with octaves and rhythms as can be discerned in "Schweiget mir" and "An den Wasserflussen Babylon." Reflecting the character of what became known as the north German organ school, Reincken's "Fugue in G-minor" and "Tocatta in C-major" exemplify fugal variations used to provide the basis for new fugues in combination with alternations of a number of passages. He also wrote a suite that went beyond the conventions of Froberger by using thematic connections between allemande and courante and sarabande and gigue. Reincken also employed the use of inversions in secondary sections of music. The amateur accessible chamber work "Hortus musicus" -- six suites -- were also scored by Reincken for complex technical keyboard performance.
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