6 Bransles de Village

Here now the complete Terpsichore XIV Bransle de Village with 6 Parts. The last two parts were lovely too ....

Michael Praetorius, also Michael Prætorius, actually Michael Schulteis (* 15 February 1571 in Creuzburg near Eisenach; † 15 February 1621 in Wolfenbüttel), was a German composer, organist, court kapellmeister and scholar in the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque period.

Michael Praetorius was the youngest son of six children of the strict Lutheran pastor Michael Schulteis. He attended the Latin school in Torgau for about 10 years, where the musical tradition of Johann Walter lived on.

He continued his schooling at the Latin school in Zerbst. There he lived with his sister and probably had organ lessons with Thomas or Lukas von Ende.

In 1585, Praetorius - at the age of 13 or 14 - began studying theology and philosophy at the Viadrina University in Frankfurt (Oder). His eldest brothers Andreas (born before 1549) and Johannes (born 1552) lived there as pastors. Andreas was court preacher to the Elector of Brandenburg and rector of the university.

After the death of both brothers, he was offered a position as organist at the university church of St. Marien by the church leadership. This enabled him to earn his living for about three years until he left Frankfurt in 1589/90 - without having completed his studies - for unknown reasons.

His whereabouts and activities during the years 1589-1594 have not yet been clarified; it is possible that he continued his studies in Helmstedt and had family ties to his sister Brigitte, whose husband Daniel Sachse had been senior cathedral preacher in Halberstadt since 1591.