German composer. He was a choirboy at the Dresden court chapel (1630-33), where he was a pupil of Schütz and studied organ and singing. In 1633 he went to Hamburg to study with Praetorius. Upon his return to Dresden in 1637 he became organist at the electoral chapel. In 1642 he followed Schütz to Nykøbing, Denmark, and was organist at the chapel there until 1647. After resuming his Dresden duties, he was appointed organist at the Jacobikirche, Hamburg, in 1655; he remained there until his death, founding a collegium musicum in 1660 and composing much of his extant music, which includes cantatas, choral works, canzonas, sonatas, and keyboard music.