We were delighted to welcome back Peter Wendland to give a workshop on the music of Schütz, Praetorius and Kerll – a great way to finish our workshop series before the summer break. Fifty singers and instrumentalists came to the lovely St Martin’s Chapel in the University of Cumbria, and although the weather wasn’t quite good enough to let us sit outside over lunch, the music more than made up for that. We had people coming from far and wide, including three intrepid souls who flew in from Northern Ireland for the day. It was a treat to see so many period instruments, including an alto curtal and a lever harp, among the more usual cornetts and sackbutts. Many thanks to everyone who came, and to those who brought delicious home-baking too – very much appreciated! A full review will follow in our September newsletter.
If you missed the workshop, Peter will be leading it again for NEEMF on 17 October 2026 in Clements Hall in York.
More information about the day
Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) was one of the most important German early Baroque composers and organists before J. S. Bach. Schütz studied 3 years in Italy with Giovanni Gabrieli and brought the Italian style to Germany. Michael Praetorius (1571- 1621) was a German composer, organist, and music theorist. He wrote the “syntagma musicum“, a theoretical work in three books, the second of which describes in detail many instruments of the time with scaled-down drawings. Between 1615-19, Praetorius worked and consulted with Schütz, and we can feel the influence of the Venetian style in the composition which we study today.
We will also be looking at a work by a less well-known composer, Johann Caspar Kerll (1627-1693). He was a very fine composer and outstanding teacher. He studied in Vienna and was also strongly influenced by Schütz. He worked in Vienna, Munich and Brussels and travelled widely. Sadly many of his works have been lost, but the surviving works give a very good insight into his composition style and polyphony, where he explores the baroque style mixed with beautiful harmonies. We will study three movements (Requiem, Sanctus and Agnus Dei) from his Missa pro defunctis first published in 1689 for 5 voices and 4 instruments.
Schütz – Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied Psalm 98 (8 parts)
Kerll – Missa pro defunctis – Kyrie, Sanctus & Agnus Dei (4 voices, 5 instruments)
M Praetorius – Ein Feste Burg a 8
Schütz – Ist nicht Ephraim mein teurer Sohn (8/16 parts)
The Tutor
PETER WENDLAND is a viol player and early music specialist; an accomplished, versatile and sensitive performer on all instruments of the viol family: pardessus de viole to violone. As a soloist he plays the viol repertoire from Ortiz to Abel. Contemporary projects have included a recording with the American cult composer, “Moondog”.
As a performer of Bach, he has played the three celebrated sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord obligato in the Bachhaus in Eisenach with Harald Hoeren and in the UK with David Roblou; the gamba solos from the Passions, and performed and recorded the Art of the Fugue with the Koelner Violen Consort.
As a consort player he is a longstanding member of the acclaimed Rose Consort of Viols, whose recent guest artists have included Emma Kirkby, Jacob Heringman, Jacob Lindberg, Catherine King and Timothy Roberts. With the Koelner Violen consort in Germany: radio, CDs, premieres of new music for viols and collaborations with lutenist Konrad Junghaenel, oboist Helmut Hucke and cornett player Friedemann Immer.
As a teacher he has been a visiting artist at Trinity College of Music in London and taught at summer schools and workshops throughout Europe, including the Dartington International Summer School. He currently teaches regularly at Benslow music trust (Hitchin) and at several colleges in London. As a specialist in early music he has coached and performed with ensembles ranging from viol consorts, choirs and recorder ensembles to renaissance wind bands.
