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Buxtehude, Diderik, German Dietrich c.1637-1707
Danish organist and composer

Born in Oldesloe or Helsingborg (now in Sweden), he was appointed to the coveted post of organist at the Marienkirche, Lübeck, in 1668. Here he began the famous Abendmusiken - evening concerts during Advent of his own sacred choral and orchestral music and organ works. In 1705 J S Bach walked 200 miles across Germany from Arnstadt and Handel travelled from Hamburg to attend the concerts and to meet Buxtehude, who was highly respected in his time as an organist and as a composer. His principles of 'free' organ and pure instrumental works were later to be developed by Bach.