Time goes both ways, you know?

Dieterich Buxtehude died on May 9, 1707. He was around 70 years old. In her book Dieterich Buxtehude: Organist in Lübeck, Dr. Kerala Snyder points out that his illness must have been a sudden one, since he was still making regular entries in the account books of St. Mary's up until about 2 weeks before his death. (Besides being organist, he also held the position of Werkmeister, meaning he kept the church's books.) He may have suffered a stroke, but we really don't know. He was buried within the walls of St. Mary's, where his music had resounded for nearly 40 years.

On the evening of May 9, 2014 we gathered under the great vaults at the site of his grave for a concert of his chamber music, interspersed with organ works. 

His original grave marker was destroyed during the Palm Sunday bombing of 1942, and this plaque marks the spot where he was laid to rest: 

Marienorganist Johannes Unger is a fantastic interpreter of Buxtehude's music (and I'm picky!!) so it was a true delight to hear him perform 2 of Bux's free organ works: the Praeludium in a, BuxWV 153 and the Praeludium in g, Buxwv 148, a personal favorite.

Also on the program was a work called 'Fried- und Freudenreiche Hinfahrt' (In peace and joy I now depart), BuxWV 75, which Herr Unger called one of the finest works Buxtehude left us. It was arranged for violin, viola da gamba and harpsichord. The 'Klaglied', based on the Lutheran hymn tune, is especially poignant, since Buxtehude wrote a very moving text on the death of his father Johann or Hans Buxtehude. (Yep, DB was a poet, too!) Hans was also an organist, and in his text Dieterich states that his father is now playing 'den Himmels Lustklavier', or the joyful heavenly keyboard.

It was incredibly moving to hear Buxtehude's music at his grave on the date of his death. I have an uncomfortable relationship with the idea of an afterlife, so I wasn't imagining him 'looking down from heaven' at the proceedings. Perhaps he was able to experience it right along with us.

Sound crazy? Maybe. Let me try to explain.

Lübeck creates the notion in me that history is still happening all around us. I'll give you an example. In 17^th century Lübeck there was a man named Peter Hinrich Tesdorpf, who loved how Buxtehude played the organ, and called himself DB's 'true friend and admirer'. Tesdorpf founded a wine import business in 1678, and if you walk down the Mengstrasse today, you can see it. I've bought wine there myself.

Tesdorpf's wine business goes on. Buxtehude's earthly afterlife perpetuates each time his music is played, either in live performance or via recorded media. His music is still in the walls of St. Mary's. At special moments like the concert on May 9, it's easy for me to imagine that their timelines are still unfolding, and that maybe time isn't as linear as we think it is.

Please forgive this metaphysical excursion. We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog: matter-of-fact in tone, with gratuitous Lübeck pictures. ;-)

The Burgtor, one of two remaining original gates into the city.
It was built in 1444.

Lübecker Dom (Cathedral)

Mühlenteich

The towers of St. Marien, and the Rathaus