Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern

Georg Dietrich Leyding (1664 – 1710) was a German composer and organist. He was born n Bücken, near Hoya on the Weser. Showing an early ability in music, he moved to Braunschweig (Brunswick) in 1679 to study with organist Jacob Bölsche and in 1684 studied briefly with both Johann Adam Reincken and Dieterich Buxtehude in Hamburg and Lübeck. After the death of Bölsche he succceded him as organist of the St Ulrich and St Blasius churches in Braunschweig. He stayed there the rest of his life. Though Leyding was a composer of primarily organ works, nowadays only 5 of his works surive: three are preludes, and two choral preludes. One is based on the chorale "Wie schön leuchtet de Morgenstern", the other a set of variations on "Von Gott will ich nicht lassen". The choral preludes on "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern is a peculiar work in that is feautres three variation on the first half of the choral melody. In the first the chorale melody is treated as en ornamented solo voice, in the second is treated in imitation with repetative notes, in the third the chorale melody is treated as bass voice.

Score available here: http://partitura.org/index.php/georg-dietrich-leyding-wie-schon-leuchtet-der-morgenstern