Page:Pratt - The history of music (1907).djvu/142



of Augsburg (sacred works from 1558); and the able Eccard (d. 1611), already mentioned (sec. 62).
 * lander, first in service at Cambrai, then in Italy, from 1562 under the Cardinal

Adam Gumpeltzhaimer (d. 1625), born in 1559, was musically trained in an Augsburg monastery, was then a general teacher, and from 1581 cantor at one of the churches, being also employed by the Duke of Württemberg. Besides a theoretical work (1591), he produced a quantity of motets, psalms and part-songs (from 1591) that show him to have been a careful student of both old and new styles.

Hans Leo Hassler (d. 1612), born in 1564 at Nuremberg, was one of the earliest Germans to seek instruction in Italy, where he studied with A. Gabrieli at Venice. In 1585 he became organist to Baron Fugger at Augsburg and later also at the cathedral, whence, in 1601, he was called to Nuremberg and in 1608 to the Royal Chapel at Dresden. His diversified works, sacred and secular (from 1590), not only show Venetian influence, as in the use of double choirs, but indicate the German genius for harmony, with important efforts to utilize artistically the folk-music of various peoples. His was a singularly enterprising and influential genius, sometimes ranked with that of Palestrina and Lassus. His two brothers, Jakob Hassler (d. c. 1611), a famous organ-virtuoso at Hechingen and Prague, and Kaspar Hassler (d. 1618), organist at Nuremberg (sacred collections from 1598), are also to be named.

Gregor Aichinger (d. 1628) was long organist to Baron Fugger (from 1584) and later vicar-choral at the cathedral. His motets and part-songs (from 1590) are praised for their elegance and simplicity.

Christian Erbach (d. 1635), born in 1573, was also organist to Baron Fugger and succeeded Hassler at the cathedral in 1602. He was a motettist of importance (works, 1600-11), and another leader in the direction of harmonic treatment.

North of the Danube in Franconia is the interesting city of Nuremberg. Among the many instrument-makers here were Konrad Gerle (d. 1521), whose lutes were famous before 1470, Hans Gerle (d. 1570), his son, known for good lutes and violins from 1523 and for important works in tablature (1532-52), and Hans Neusidler (d. 1563), also the compiler of lute-books (1536-44). Georg Forster (d. 1568), a physician here from about 1544, was one of the earliest and best collectors of folk-songs (5 parts, 1539-56) and of motets; and Friedrich Lindner (d. 1597), cantor of the Egidienkirche, was another useful editor of masses, motets and madrigals, adding examples of his own (1585-91).

At Ansbach we note Kaspar Othmayr (d. 1553), canon in the church of St. Gumbert from 1547, a worthy composer of part-songs (1546-9), and Jakob Meiland (d. 1577), court-choirmaster, afterwards at Frankfort and Celle, a strong contrapuntist (works from 1564).

Passing now westward into Württemberg, Hohenzollern and Baden, we add the names of Arnold Schlick, the blind court-organist at Heidelberg, whose books on organs and organ music (1511-2) are curious and valuable, indicating a genius ahead of his time; Bernhard Schmid (d. 1592), famous as one of the founders of the German organ style (with Sweelinck and Scheidt), organist at Strassburg, first at St. Thomas and from 1564 at the cathedral (organ-book, 1577), in both of which posts he was succeeded by his son