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“Musica süeß Meledey”: Instrumental Ensembles

Martin Kirnbauer

Finally, in the Triumphzug, there is a fourth musician carriage, “Music: sweet melody” (“Musica süeß Meledey”) (» Abb. Triumphzug Süße Melodie), whose “Maister” Maximilian had not yet determined. A total of eight musicians are depicted, with their instrumentation precisely specified:
„ain tämerlin, ain quintern, ain große laüten, ain Rÿbeben, ain Fydel, ain klain Raůschpfeiffen, ain harpfen, ain große Raůschpfeiffen.“ (a tämerlin, a quintern, a large lute, a Rÿbeben, a fiddle, a small rauschpfeife, a harp, a large rauschpfeife)[31]

While these specifications were apparently clear to the illustrators, the exact identification of the instruments today is more difficult. The “tämerlin” is a one-handed flute and drum, a type of one-man dance music ensemble, as depicted several times in Freydal. “Quintern” and “large lute” refer to a duo of two differently sized lutes. Next are a viola da gamba, a fiddle or proto-violin, and a harp. The two rauschpfeifen are woodwind instruments with reeds enclosed in a wind cap, similar to the crumhorn. All the named instruments likely did not play together in this combination; rather, different individual ensembles are depicted here. The incompatibility is already evident in the different volume levels of the instruments, reflecting the late medieval distinction between “bas” (soft) and “haut” (loud). This also signifies a differentiation of performance venues, with (soft) string instruments being played in the chamber for a few listeners, versus (loud) wind instruments being played outdoors or in a large hall.

 

Abb. Triumphzug Süße Melodie

Abb. Triumphzug Süße Melodie

„Musica süeß Meledey“, Holzschnitte 23 und 24 von Hans Burgkmair, 1517–18; koloriert von Joseph Hoeger, 1765. Universitätsbibliothek Graz.

 

[31] So the wording in the formulation of the iconographic program in » A-Wn Ms. 2835, fol. 8v.