Allein Gott in der Höh sey Ehr SwWV 299

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562–1621) spent his entire life in Amsterdam, becoming organist at the Oude Kerk at age 15, and holding the post until his death 44 years later. Among his many students are all the leaders of the early Baroque in northern Germany, including Scheideman , J. Praetorius, Schildt, Siefert, and Scheidt. In an era when organs were banned from worship services, Sweelinck became an employee of the state, playing daily organ concerts. These concerts would have been entirely improvised, probably featuring sets of variations on popular secular melodies and religious melodies such as 'Allein Gott in der Höh sey Ehr'.

This set of variations, based on a German translation of the Gloria of the Mass, is typical of Sweelinck's style, beginning with a four part harmonisation of the chorale with each subsequent variation building in parts from two to four.