Michael Praetorius (c. 1571-1621) was born in Thuringia and learned to play the organ as a child. He studied theology in Frankfurt/Oder but never completed his degree. In 1594 he became court organist in the Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, and in 1604 Duke Heinrich Julius promoted him to music director. He soon began to publish his own compositions, including this dance from his 1612 collection of mostly French dances titled Terpsichore (named after the Greek muse of dance).