Sweelinck, Jan Pieterszoon

Sweelinck, Jan Pieterszoon (yän pē`tərsōn swā`lĭngk), 1562–1621, Dutch organist and composer, called the "maker of German organists" because the succession of his pupils descended directly to J. S. Bach and Handel. In his organ fugues, called "fantasias," he was the first to give an independent part to the pedals.

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Sweelinck, Jan Pieterszoon

(born April 1562, Amsterdam, Neth.—died Oct. 16, 1621, Amsterdam) Dutch composer. As organist at Amsterdam's Old Church from c. 1580, he became famous for his improvisations. Aside from occasional trips to other cities for organ consultation, he remained there his entire life, teaching Samuel Scheidt and other members of the North German school of organists (which would ultimately influence Johann Sebastian Bach). Many of his vocal works were published in Psalms of David (1604–14) and Cantiones sacrae (1619); he also published many keyboard fantasias, toccatas, and variation sets.