Heinrich Schütz (M / Germany, 1585-1672), composer
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Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) was a German composer.
Regarded as the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian Bach, Schütz was born in Köstritz. After being a choir-boy he went on to study law at Marburg before going to Venice from 1609–1612 to study music with Giovanni Gabrieli. He was organist at Kassel from 1613 to 1615, before moving to Dresden to work as court composer to the Elector of Saxony.
Schütz is credited with bringing the Italian style to Germany and continuing its evolution from the Renaissance into the Early Baroque. He authored several oratorios on subjects from the New Testament.