MICHAEL PRAETORIUS Ballet

The German musical prodigy Michael Praetorius is one of the most prolific composers to have emerged from the Renaissance period, having published more than a thousand compositions and arrangements throughout his life. A church and court musician, as well as musical theorist, Praetorius was a contemporary of Heinrich Schütz and Claudio Monteverdi and is considered one of the central figures of 17th century Lutheran church music, providing much of the basic church repertory for the generations that came after him.

Born in 1571 in Creuzberg-Werra, Germany, Praetorius was the son of a Lutheran minister and, as the story goes with most of history’s musical prodigies, Praetorius’ career in music began in his youth. After having his musical talents nurtured from an early age at the famous Latin School in