Franz Tunder

17th-Century German Organist and Composer

Franz Tunder was a German composer and organist of the early to middle Baroque period. Born in 1614, he was an influential figure in the development of the North German organ school and served as the organist at the Marienkirche in Lübeck from 1641 until his death in 1667. Tunder was the predecessor of Dieterich Buxtehude, who married Tunder's daughter and succeeded him as organist at the Marienkirche. Although Tunder's surviving works are relatively few, they include important contributions to vocal and instrumental music of his time. His compositions reflect a transition from the early Baroque style to a more mature form, with an emphasis on dramatic expressiveness and contrapuntal complexity. Notably, Tunder was also instrumental in establishing the Abendmusiken, a series of free, public concerts held at the Marienkirche which became a significant cultural event in Lübeck and continued for many years after his death.