“Musica, Schalmeyen, pusaunen krumphörner”: Shawms, trombones und crumhorns

As the “Maister” of the second musician carriage in the Triumphzug, “Music: shawms, trombones und crumhorns” (“Musica, Schalmeyen, pusaunen, krumphörner”) (» Abb. Triumphzug Bläser), Hans Neuschel (c. 1470–1533) is named. He was never a permanent member of Maximilian’s court chapel, but worked as a trumpet maker and city piper in Nuremberg.[21] Although Maximilian evidently valued him and often requested him from the Nuremberg council as a musician, Neuschel himself was not entirely happy about this honour, as the travels to Maximilian, which sometimes occupied him “lenger dann jar und tag” (longer than a year and a day), caused him to neglect his other customers: “because his workshop was completely idle and he had to abstain from his craft in his absence, thereby losing his customers and traders, and the income he would otherwise earn, and he had to incur many debts because he had to follow the emperor.”[22] Trombonists like Neuschel, or Hans Stewdl (or Steydlin), who is mentioned elsewhere in the Triumphzug, were specialists who performed with the singers on special occasions. For example, it is noted that during the Imperial Diet in Trier in 1512, the emperor “heard Mass, which was sung in discant [polyphony]. Therein, cornettos and trombones played.”[23] This suggests that one or more trombones played the lower parts of a vocally performed polyphonic Mass while a cornett player played the upper part and presumably improvised. It is also conceivable that a trombonist played a new or additional contratenor part. (A possible impression of such a “loud” ensemble is provided by » Hörbsp. ♫ La la hö hö.)

Abb. Triumphzug Bläser

„Musica, Schalmeyen, pusaunen krumphörner“, Triumphzug, Holzschnitte 19 und 20 von Hans Burgkmair, 1517–18; koloriert von Joseph Hoeger, 1765. Universitätsbibliothek Graz.

Abb. Triumphzug Kantorei

„Musica Canterey“, Triumphzug, Holzschnitte 25 und 26 von Hans Burgkmair, 1517–18; koloriert von Joseph Hoeger, 1765. Universitätsbibliothek Graz.

This exact situation is depicted in the Triumphzug on the carriage of the “Music: Chapel” (“Musica Canterey”) (» Abb. Triumphzug Kantorei) where alongside the singers, a cornett player and a trombonist can be seen. According to the pictorial program, Augustin Schubinger and Hans Stewdl are depicted here. Schubinger was evidently the specialist for cornett playing in his time. He came from an Augsburg city piper family that produced many outstanding wind players.[24] AAugustin was probably born around 1460 and is documented as a city piper in Augsburg from 1477. Temporarily also in the service of the Margrave of Brandenburg and Maximilian’s father, Frederick III, he can be traced between 1489 and 1493 in northern Italy and especially in Florence, where Henricus Isaac (» G. Henricus Isaac) also worked. After the fall of the Medici, Augustin returned to Habsburg service; again, in a certain parallel to Isaac, who returned to Maximilian’s court a few years later. He seems to have gradually specialized in the cornett, as at the beginning of his career he is still referred to as a “pfeifer,” generally understood to be a professional musician and player of wind instruments, then as a “busauner,” indicating a certain specialization in contratenor parts, and also as a lutenist. This shows that instrumental musicians were generally proficient in several instruments. In the employment contract of Augustin’s younger brother Ulrich with the Archbishop of Salzburg in 1519, it is stated that he serves his new lord “with viols, fiddles, trombones, pipes, lutes, and other instruments in music, on which he can play.”[25] With the exception of keyboard instruments, all conceivable wind, plucked, and string instruments are listed here, which were quite evidently mastered and probably played.