Buxtehude in Elsinore

The St. Mary´s church in Elsinore (Helsingør) is a beautiful former monastery church, built in 1430-1500. During the reformation in Denmark the monastery was closed, and the king then gave the church to the German and Dutch community in Elsinore, which converted it to a German church in 1576-77.

The St. Mary´s in Elsinore is probably internationally best known for its most famous organist, Diderich (also spelled Diderik, Dieterich or Dietrich) Buxtehude (1637?-1707) and his organ, which still is in use in the church.

It is believed that Buxtehude was born in the neighbouring city (on the other side of the Øresund) of Helsingborg (then Danish, but after 1658 Swedish), where his father was an organist.

At the age of 20, Buxtehude became the organist of the St. Mary´s church in Helsingborg, from where he moved to Elsinore in 1660 to become the organist of the German church, which also carries the name St. Mary´s. The German community in Elsinore had good connections to Northern Germany, and soon the word spread that there was an outstanding organist in Elsinore. In 1667 Buxtehude was invited to become the organist at the famous St. Mary´s church in Lübeck, where he stayed until his death.

The Buxthude organ in Elsinore was built in 1662-1663. The alterations, made in 1854 and 1959-60, have recently been reversed, and today the organ again presents itself as in the time of Buxtehude.

Thanks to the organ and excellent accoustics, the St. Mary´s is a popular concert church. Recently the British baroque music specialist Paul Hillier and his Grammy-winning Theater of Voices ensemble together with organist Bine Bryndorf recorded a selection of Buxehudes vocal music in the church.

Here is the promotional video for the Scandinavian Cantatas CD, which has received a lot of critical praise: