Music traditions of the Innsbruck court

By inheriting Sigmund’s Innsbruck palace, Maximilian acquired a residence that had a rich history of music-making. Due to the former Archduke’s generous income from the province, he had been able to sustain a cohort of musicians that comprised a trumpeters’ corps whose numbers varied between three and ten, a wind band of around four members (shawms and slide brass instrument) as well as individual lutenists, harpists and a court organist (» D. Hofmusik. Innsbruck; » G. Nicolaus Krombsdorfer; »K. Leopold-Codex). It was these musicians that had been drawn on for Sigmund’s wedding to Katharina of Saxony in February 1484, which, according to those in attendance, brought together all of Germany’s nobility in a celebration that lasted for more than eight days.[13] The Hofmarschall was instructed to ready the trumpeters, pipers and singers (presumably of St Jacob’s) who would participate in various elements of the festivities, including the procession to the church, the wedding banquet, joust and dance. As Johann Nohen von Hirschfeldt noted, „daselbst ward Hof gehalten mit aller Köstligkeit acht tag und lenger, mit rennen und stechen, dantzen und springen“.[14] While Sigmund’s dwindling finances resulted in a decline in his musical patronage by the end of his rule, the core of his musical establishment endured: six trumpeters, a trombonist and drummer all transferred their allegiance to Maximilian in 1490, as did the great court organist Paul Hofhaimer.[15]

Hofhaimer appears to have enjoyed great acclaim and a considerable income through both Archduke Sigmund’s and then Maximilian’s patronage. He was first appointed court organist in 1478 with an annual salary of forty guilders and a yearly income of 100 guilders from the salt works in the nearby town of Hall.[16]  He continued to receive further benefits throughout his time as organist[17] and was thus able to acquire a house in Innsbruck until 1504 (for which the court paid for cleaning and repairs in 1497[18]), as well as in Passau and, upon Maximilian’s request, in Augsburg, where he lived from 1507 until the Emperor’s death in 1519.[19] In 1515, the organist received the exceptional honour of a knighthood from Maximilian, awarded on the occasion of the grand Viennese double wedding which united the House of Habsburg with the Hungarian royal dynasty (» I. Hofhaimer; »D. Royal Entry).