Gottfried Scheidt

Full biography Gottfried Scheidt

Gottfried Scheidt was a German composer and organist born in Halle, Germany in 1593. He was the younger brother of famous composer and organist Samuel Scheidt. Gottfried's father, Johann Scheidt, was also a musician and served as the organist at St. Ulrich's Church in Halle.

Gottfried Scheidt likely received his early musical education from his father and later became a student of his brother Samuel. He went on to hold several positions as an organist and composer in cities throughout Germany, including Stettin, Stargard, and Naumburg.

While Gottfried Scheidt's music is not as well-known as his brother's, he did leave behind a number of compositions, including works for organ and vocal music. Some of his surviving works include a series of sacred songs for voices and continuo, as well as several organ preludes and fugues.

Today, Gottfried Scheidt is primarily remembered for his association with his brother Samuel and the larger North German organ school of the early-to-mid seventeenth century. The Scheidt brothers, along with other notable composers such as Heinrich Scheidemann and Matthias Weckmann, were part of a thriving musical community in Germany during this time and helped to establish the organ as a prominent instrument in sacred music.