Music for a Royal Entry: The Vienna Double Wedding of 1515

Towards the end of Maximilian’s I life the city of Vienna witnessed one of the most momentous events – and one of the greatest achievements – of his entire reign: the royal double wedding of 1515. This monumental occasion saw the marriage of Maximilian’s granddaughter Mary to Louis, son of King Vladislaus II of Hungary and Bohemia, and of the Emperor’s grandson Ferdinand to Vladislaus’ daughter Anna, thus promising the extension of Habsburg influence in Europe in the years to come. Dignitaries from across Europe gathered in the city to witness this historic event and the grand display of pomp and power befitting the union of two European dynasties.[1]

Details of the proceedings – including the attire of the eminent guests, their numerous horses as well as the performances of musicians – are provided in a number of contemporary accounts, the musical elements of which have been helpfully gathered together by Leopold Nowak.[2] Two of the most detailed accounts have been provided by Johannes Cuspinian in his Diarium (Congressus ac celeberrimi concentus Caesaris Mx. Et trium regum Hungariae, Boemiae et Poloniae) and Riccardo Bartolini in his Odeporicon idest Itinerarium … Cardinalis Gurcensis, both published in Vienna in 1515.[3] Several other reports in German, listed here below, were also published at the time. The frequent mentions of musicians in these reports reflect their important role in the representation of their patrons – and nations – to those present.

The processions opening these festivities provided the ideal opportunity for the presentation of both royal houses to all in attendance. The train of European grandees who entered Vienna on 17th July in preparation for the wedding on 22nd of that month, was adorned with numerous instrumentalists who highlighted the stature and different nationalities of those present. Amongst the procession, which ended with the arrival of the members of the Habsburg and Jagellonian houses, there appeared Duke Wilhelm of Bavaria with an entourage that included 165 horses, with soldiers, trumpeters and drummers; Margrave Casimir of Brandenburg with 132 horses and trumpeters and drummers dressed in red;[4] and towards the end of the train, the Emperor’s herald with trumpeters upon horseback.[5] And it was not only the regions of Maximilian’s Empire that were represented here through music: besides other musicians, there were also 136 Muscovite archers with trumpets that sounded “gleych wie die premen” [6] (just like horseflies), 135 Tatars with trumpets and two shawms; six Turks followed by a shawmist with timpani; a distinguished Hungarian gentleman with 14 horses, and trumpeters and drummers on horseback., and several other groups[7] Finally, the King of Hungary’s military band rode in with hussars, 13 boys, trumpeters and drummers.[8] Of course, instrumentalists – and especially trumpeters and drummers – were a common feature of such grand noble and royal entries. The brass instrumentalists’ resounding fanfares were put to ideal use here, a prestigious trumpeter corps symbolising a patron of particularly great wealth and stature.[9] Yet, the 1515 double wedding is of especial interest as an event that gathered together the distinct musical practices and instruments of two regions of Europe in one place. As we shall see here, before the diverse elements that formed this extravagant celebration were underway, it was the initial meeting of the two sovereigns, Maximilian and Vladislaus, that presented the first major opportunity for this exchange of musical representation.

On 16th July 1515, Maximilian had met his royal guests for the first time at Schwechat, just outside Vienna. The order of procession of the royal retinues – including the many musicians amongst their ranks – can be pieced together from the above-mentioned contemporary accounts. Trumpeters and drummers were dotted throughout the Emperor’s train: towards the front of the procession were the trumpeters of the Duke of Württemberg (“des Hertzogen von Wirtenberg Trumetter, der waren drey”[10] (the trumpeters of the Duke of Württemberg, of which there were three)), and after those representing the Cardinal of Gurk, there followed thirteen stallions. Thereafter “ritten drey ernholden … den volgten nach zwelff trummeter mit zwayen heer paucken”[11] (rode three heralds, … after which followed twelve trumpeters with two drummers). Ecclesiastical dignitaries were next, and then finally the Emperor himself, in a litter surrounded by his officials, which, according to one report was accompanied by “trumetten pusawnen und heerpaucken”[12] (playing on trumpets, trombones and drums), confirmed in other reports as including the trumpeters of Duke Wilhelm of Bavaria.[13] As the Emperor reached the tree where the meeting was to take place, he called on all trumpeters present to herald his arrival: “Aldo beualch. K.M. den Trumettern allen zu blasen, der waren … bey fünff und viertzig, mit sechs herpaucken, das mochten die Ungern wol hören, dann der wint ging gegen inen”[14] (There His Imperial Majesty commanded all the trumpeters to play. There were … around 45 with six drummers, so that the Hungarians should hear them well, for the wind blew against them). (» Abb. Posaunen, Trompeten und Heerpauken)

As the Imperial train arrived, they were met by the retinues of the Kings of Hungary and Poland, which counted Tatars and Hussars amongst their numbers. The unusual sounds of their instruments were described with some wonder in the reports that spread the news of the wedding across Maximilian’s Empire. Towards the front of this train, there appeared a number of Muscovites “die hetten nach jnen etlich Trumetter, mit grossen Trumettern, und waren nit zusamen gestimbt. Nach inen hetten sie zwen, die bliesen auff grossen stratzen hörn, lautent wie ain grobe schalmey, solcher Trumetter waren inn dreyen hauffen, yeglicher bey sechs”[15] (who were followed by several trumpeters with large trumpets, which were not sounded together. After them there were two who blew on large rough horns, sounding like a coarse shawm. These trumpeters were in three groups of six). And later in the procession there followed Polish musicians who announced the arrival of their king. While some reports simply comment here on the “bayder Künign trumetter und heerpaucker auf dy Teutsch manier geklaidet.”[16] (trumpeters and drummers of both kings [of Hungary and Poland] dressed in the German style), others provide further details of the instruments played at this point: “Darnach kamen etlich Polen … die hetten Trumeter und herpaucken auch ir zwerchpfeyffer und trumelschlager gut, der waren bey drehundert.”[17] (After that came a number of Poles … who had trumpeters and drummers, also good fifers and drummers. There were around three hundred). The collective noise of the musicians gathered on that day must have created quite a din: one report noted “da waren auff yeglicher seiten trumetter und herpaucken die bliessen zu allen seiten auff das niemandt gehörn möcht.”[18] (there were trumpeters and drummers on each side, who blew in all directions so that no-one could hear). And another account summed up the great impact of the sounds of these instruments: “Ist allenthalben geschray der rossen trumetten und paucken erhort worden: und ain groß spectakel gewesen, darvon all nachkumen sagen und wundern werden.”[19] (All around, the clamour of trumpeters and drummers on horseback could be heard; and it was a great spectacle, which will be spoken of and marvelled at by all posterity).

In the days preceding and following the wedding ceremony on 22nd July, the visiting members of the House of Jagiellon – not only King Vladislaus and his children, but also his brother Sigismund, King of Poland – were introduced to all kinds of revels and musical practices of Maximilian’s court: hunts, banquets, jousts and dances all took place during this period. At the wedding ceremony itself, the Cardinal of Esztergom pronounced a general indulgence in his own name and that of Cardinal [Matthäus Lang] of Gurk, to which Maximilian’s chapel choir simultaneously sang the Te Deum, accompanied by stringed and wind instruments (“mit allen saitenspiln aufgeblasen”); the great organist Paul Hofhaimer “responded” on the organ.[20] The Chapelmaster of the Emperor and Bishop of Vienna, Georg Slatkonia celebrated the solemn service, which was carried out “with the most exquisite music of various musical performers.”[21]

The Vienna double wedding was thus not only an event of great political significance for the future of the Habsburg Empire, it also provided the opportunity for a contrasting display of musical practices and instruments from across the Habsburg and Jagiellonian lands. Besides the other instruments present, it was the most prestigious instrument of all – the trumpet – which added particular splendour to the proceedings. The numerous persons – including musicians – present, as well as the diverse entertainments that followed the royal entries described above, clearly testify to the great importance of the wedding, not only to Emperor Maximilian and King Vladislaus, but for future generations of their royal houses.

Abb. The Double Wedding

Woodcut by Albrecht Dürer from the Ehrenpforte (um 1515) commemorating the Vienna double wedding (Detail). From the left: Maximilian I; his granddaughter Mary; King Vladislaus’s son Louis; King Vladislaus II of Hungary; his daughter Anna; and King Sigismund I of Poland. © Albertina, Wien.