Heinrich Schwemmer

Full biography Heinrich Schwemmer

Heinrich Schwemmer was a German composer and music teacher who lived during the Baroque period. He was born in Gumpertshausen bei Buttenheim in 1621 and died in 1678. Schwemmer is known for his contribution to the development of the Nuremberg musical tradition, which was a significant influence on the Baroque music of southern Germany.

Schwemmer's father died when he was young, and this led him and his mother to flee from the Thirty Years War. As a result, Schwemmer's early life was characterized by upheaval and displacement. However, he was able to receive a thorough education in the musical arts and became a well-respected teacher and composer.

Some notable composers who studied under Schwemmer include Johann Pachelbel and Johann Krieger. Pachelbel studied with Schwemmer before attending the University of Altdorf and embarking on his own career as a composer and organist. Krieger also studied with Schwemmer and later went on to become a well-known composer and organist in his own right.

Schwemmer's influence can also be seen in other composers who were part of the Nuremberg musical tradition, such as Georg Caspar Wecker. Though relatively little is known about his life and works, Schwemmer's legacy lives on through the music of his students and the Baroque composers who were influenced by his teachings.