Heinrich Albert (composer)

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Heinrich Albert (July 8, 1604–October 6, 1651) was a German composer and poet. He began studying music with in 1622 with his cousing, the great composer and musician Heinrich Schütz in Dresden. He then went to study law in Leipzig; however, he continued to compose arias. In 1627 he set out for Warsaw with some Dutch diplomats, but they were taken prisoner by the Swedes, and he was held for a year. When he returned in 1628, he was involved in "the science of fortification". By 1630 he had returned to being a musician in Königsberg, and in 1643 he renewed contact with Schütz.

His most important works are probably the 170 songs published in his Arien in eight volumes. They include detailed dedications which give important information on daily life in Königsberg. He set both his own poetry and that of Simon Dach. His songs were very popular, and at least 25 of them became chorale tunes. The prefaces to his works are also valuable sources for information on the playing of basso continuo and performance practice of the songs included. One comment he made was that one should not play continuo "like hacking a cabbage".