eldest son. Christof would take over the keepings of the Inn and eventually purchase another while becoming a figure of incredible eminence and eventually the Burgomeister of Weissenfels.
             Cristof always provided his children with a religious and liberal education and at a very young age Heinrich showed a singular proclivity toward noble music, learning very quickly to sing securely and especially estimably with a particular grace. It is acknowledged that he received his early music instruction from the local Kantor, George Weber, as well as from organist Heinrich Colander, the husband of his widowed aunt (SL&W).
             As a young man with a particular talent, Heinrich so charmed and impressed the Landgrave Moritz of Hessen who had spent the night at his fathers Inn on an occasion. "His Grace was moved to suggest to the parents that they allow the boy to accompany him to his court, promising that he would be educated in all good arts and praiseworthy virtues"(SL&W 27). Encountering great resistance from Heinrich's parents the Landgrave continued appealing and pressing his case in letters until finally in 1599, Christof took his fourteen year old son to the Landgrave's seat in Kasel. Heinrich served, albeit a short time due to pubescence, as a choirboy and pursued his education at the Collegium Mauritianum, an academy founded by the Landgrave in 1595 primarily for the Hess nobility.
             As a student at the Collegium, Heinrich, showed a particular talent for academia in all subject and excelled distinguishing himself from other students. He displayed a gifted aptitude for foreign languages, learning Latin, Greek and French in addition to his native tongue. His education in music came from the Landgrave's Kapellmeister, George Otto, whom Heinrich learned and developed a good foundation for counterpoint. There is no evidence supporting any theories that would have him learning any music skills beyond the...