Jacob Praetorius (II) (1586–1651) came from a Hamburg family of organists; from 1604 he was organist at the main church of St. Petri. He was one of the first German pupils of the Amsterdam master organist Jan Pieterson Sweelinck and was famed for his very elaborate organ compositions and his apparently effortless organ playing. Praetorius’s organ works comprise mainly Praeambulae (preludes), chorale variations, organ chorales, and Magnificat settings.

The three Praeambulae and five Magnifica...