Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland

Peter Gerritz (1681-1728) was a German composer and organist, born in Milstedt. He was organist of the Stellwagen organ in Heide and later he became organist in Rendsburg, where he died.

It's interesting to see how most pieces by Gerritz in the Rendsburger Orgaltabulatur roughly use the same pattern: first a small praeludium, followed by the choral and then a variation on that choral. Especially the short preludes of these pieces are often exciting and in the spirit of the stylus phantasticus (Buxtehude isn't far away often). The chorale and variation that follow are quite simple, but were probably effective during the church service.

I used the fine set of the Hus/Schnitger organ of Stade. I couldn't resist the temptation to end with a big plenum in the final section, even using the Cimbel of the Oberwerk, which gives a beautiful crown to the plenum sound.