Dieterich (born Diderik) Buxtehude (ca. 1637-1707) was a Danish-born organist and composer of the German Baroque; he was organist at St. Mary"s Church in Lübeck most of his life. Regarded at one time as mostly an "influence" on later composers, including Bach, Handel, and Telemann, Buxtehude has risen steadily in modern estimation and is now considered the most important German composer between Schütz and Bach. This two-CD set continues an exciting edition on Challenge Classics of the complete works of Buxtehude performed by Ton Koopman and colleagues. All of Buxtehude"s oratorios were thought lost, and this is the first recording of the reconstructed original version of one of them, based on a manuscript in Uppsala, Sweden. Dutch harpsichordist, organist, conductor, and scholar Ton Koopman is universally acknowledged as one of today"s pre-eminent Early Music performers, sitting very near the top of a crowded field.