Nicholas Bruhns (1665-1697) was one of the greatest organists and composers of his time, and an important influence on Johann Sebastian Bach.

He initially learned music from his father Paul Bruhns (1640-89?), who was the organist at Schwabstedt ; he later studied composition and organ with Dietrich Buxtehude.

With Buxtehude's help he received a post as violinist and composer at the court in Copenhagen, and in 1689 became the town organist in Husum, his last post before his tragic early death (sources disagree on whether he was 31 or 32 at the time).

Although primarily an organist, he had many musical talents; he was known for playing improvisations on the violin over a bass line played on the pedal board of the organ, and was one of the best composers of sacred cantatas of his era. He also composed chamber music, which is now unfortunately lost.

Johann Sebastian Bach's son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach later wrote to his father's biographer Johann Nikolaus Forkel that his father had admired Bruhns' work.