Tunder: Herr Gott dich loben wir

Vol. 6 of our journey of discovery through the Northern German organ baroque is dedicated to the two little-known masters Franz Tunder and Nicolaus Hasse.

Tunder, the better known of the two, was Buxtehude’s predecessor as city organist in Lübeck. Hardly any documentation of Hasse’s life is available, but it is thought he was probably a pupil of Praetorius and Sweelinck. His four organ works shine with echo effects and virtuoso coloraturas.

Franz Tunder belongs to the second generation of Sweelinck's heirs; his part in this inheritance came from having studied with several of Sweelinck's pupils, Scheidemann included. He may well have studied with Frescobaldi in Italy. He fulfilled the position of organist at the church of St. Mary in Lübeck, performing there on a magnificent Stellwagen organ.

The compositions by Tunder that have survived clearly demonstrate his predominant position in the development of the organists art in Northern Germany and in the field of the chorale fantasia in particular.