Anton Colander was born on November 30th 1590 in Weißenfels. He was a cousin and childhood friend of Heinrich Schütz, who most likely received his first musical training from Colander's father, who was cantor in Weißenfels at the time. From 1602 on Colander attended the Fürstenschule of Schulpforta, where the later cantor of St. Thomas, Johann Hermann Schein studied at the same time. Around 1610 he became court organist in Dresden on the recommendation by Heinrich Schütz. During that time he also received composition lessons from the latter. Unfortunately Colander's organ works have not survived, which is probably due to the improvisational practice of organ playing at the time. However, some sacred concerts, composed for one to four voices with continuo accompaniment, have been preserved. Printed by Wolfgang Seyffert, they haven’t been published until long after Colander's death, namely in 1643. This happened, as Seyffert states in his foreword, in order to prevent someone else to "[...] adorn himself with these beautiful and graceful feathers and thus alienate the name of Mr. Colander.”.
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