Court Music

Music making when the king of Sweden visited his next man comprised trumpet and ketteldrum playing on the rampart accompanied by shooting cannons, the school boys and teachers singing outside the castle  Visingsborg, chamber music during the meal.  The accurate account books permit naming of the musicians involved

Kejatuhan Melaka pada tahun 1511 menyaksikan kemunculan dan kebangkitan semula kerajaan Melayu yang cuba untuk mengisi kekosongan yang ditinggalkan oleh empayar tersebut. Susulan daripada itu, berlakunya pertembungan antara masyarakat tempatan dengan pedagang dan pengembara Eropah yang merangsang “pembentukan etnik” di Selat Melaka. Kesultanan Melayu terus mengamalkan adat istiadat yang memperlihatkan muzik sebagai simbol identiti dan ketamadunan Melayu yang diabadikan melalui sastera istana. Muzik menjadi alat yang penting untuk membangkitkan kesedaran identiti secara kolektif, serta melakarkan sempadan sosial dan politik masyarakat Melayu. Dengan merujuk kesusasteraan Melayu klasik dan catatan Eropah, artikel ini membincangkan peranan muzik istana yang dikenali sebagai nobat dalam proses pembentukan identiti Melayu seiring dengan usaha kerajaan Melayu yang saling bersaing untuk menjadi pusat budaya, politik dan ekonomi serantau di antara abad ke-15 dan abad ke-17 Masihi.

Kata kunci: nobat, muzik istana, identiti Melayu, kesusasteraan, Kesultanan Melayu

María Rosa Coccia (Roma 1759-1833) fue una compositora italiana que desarrolló su actividad en la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII y primeras décadas del XIX, a la que investigadoras como Candida Felici, Marie Caruso y Denise Gallo han dedicado estudios recientes centrados en algunas obras de su producción. Su talento fue tempranamente reconocido y fue pionera al ser la primera mujer en ser admitida, el 28 de noviembre de 1774, en la Congregazione di Santa Cecilia. El acceso a los espacios tradicionalmente masculinos fue duramente criticado por algunos hombres, si bien contó con la firme defensa de otros, como Farinelli, Metastasio y el padre Martini, autores del conocido Elogio storico della Signora Maria Rosa Coccia romana maestra pubblica di cappella (Roma, 1780).
Como muchas otras mujeres compositoras no tuvo fácil poder desarrollar su trayectoria profesional a pesar del reconocimiento inicial y el apoyo de los grandes nombres de la música de la época. Su principal estrategia fue buscar el apoyo de mujeres pertenecientes elites aristocráticas de distintas cortes europeas a quienes dedica obras con el fin de obtener la protección para poder seguir su carrera. En esta comunicación se dará a conocer una de sus obras más importantes, desconocida hasta ahora. Se trata de Ifigenia, cantata a 5 voces y orquesta compuesta en 1779 y dedicada a la princesa de Asturias María Luisa de Parma, esposa Carlos IV, rey de España entre 1788 y 1808. Se estudiarán las fuentes recientemente localizadas e identificadas de esta obra así como sus principales características. Asimismo, se trazará el posible vínculo que pudiera haber entre Coccia y la princesa de Asturias, que explicarían la dedicatoria de esta cantata y el envío de la partitura y el libreto a la dedicataria.

During their reigns, Charles IV and Ferdinand VII of Spain encouraged extraordinary musical activity associated with the Royal Chamber – a climate in which instrumental as well as small-scale vocal music was cultivated. In order to develop musical practice, the kings gathered a large musical collection, although up to this time no studies of the palatial institution’s own musical archive have been carried out. The purpose of this article is to bring awareness of a group of inventories of this archive, which were drawn up at different times during Ferdinand VII’s reign (1814-1833); its contents include music gathered during his reign as well as that of Charles V and, to a lesser extent, that of Ferdinand VI. This article identifies and offers a description of the documents, which for the most part have not been studied up to this time. In addition, it analyses the context in which they were produced as well as the collection build-up process, and a first approach to their content is carried out.  Finally, this work will deal with the current location of the sources, in order to provide essential bearings for the study of the musical repertoire associated with the Royal Chamber during a fundamental phase of its musical activity, from the mid eighteenth century up to 1833.
This work presents seven unpublished documentary sources of great interest for the knowledge of the vast Royal Chamber music collection in the second half of the eighteenth century and the first decades of the nineteenth century. This collection is associated with the outstanding musical activity at the Spanish court and exemplifies the magnificent musical library amassed the Royal Family.

Keywords: Royal Chamber, musical archive, Charles IV, Ferdinand VII, musical inventories, instrumental/vocal repertoire, Classical Period.

The so-called Political Testament, written by Charles Eusebius the Prince of Liechtenstein for
his son and heir around 1680 includes, among other things, a substantial, detailed passage
dedicated to music at the prince’s court. Music is not just one element of court representation
here. This key aspect, in the text of the instruction, comes with a detailed insight to possible
problems with a music ensemble, as well as with the use and character of individual instruments.
This study focuses primarily on the status of musical ensembles and musicians within
the structure of the aristocratic court, beginning with Charles I (d. 1627), through a partial
analysis of the situation at the court of his son Charles Eusebius (d. 1686) and finally brings an
outline of the role of musicians and musical life with the third generation of princes from Liechtenstein.
Certain continuity can be assumed, in particular, in attempting to adapt its own court
to princely habits (for example, as regards the minimum number of trumpeters etc). In general,
however, it must be stressed that the trumpeters or the trumpeter ensemble constituted
an essential part of the princely court, whereas the existence of a musical ensemble always
depended on the actual needs, preferences and economic possibilities of a particular prince.

The history of the Hungarian court music has many details and sources from the 18th century. Scholars usually date its beginning from the court of Pal Esterhazy in Kismarton and the work of Joseph Haydn. This essay is going to explore that what kind of court music culture existed in Hungary before Esterhazy.
Court culture, including court music is an important segment of Hungarian culture history. The appearance of music itself could be found around baronial courts. Besides court music town music and military music had an important section as well. As a focal point of this essay the personal and objective characteristics of musical culture are going to be studied. This era has relatively many sources that help research; diaries, personal letters, but most importantly inventories, assets of baronial families. There is a possibility that these inventories have instruments as well.
As for the literature and investigation of the topic one can say that court music is well processed and explorable from the beginning of the 18th century. In the case of a few rulers, baronial and noble families from the 16th and 17th centuries scholars have satisfactory documentation. Most of the rulers and significant baronial families – even if scholars have a good amount of sources of them – are still waiting to be studied.
The general aspect of the Hungarian residential music in the 16th and 17th centuries is fragmental because the analysis of its sources is not detailed enough.
According to the essay there is no doubt that residential music had an important role in the development of the Hungarian musical culture. Because of the baronial centers of musical life musical culture closed up to the European standard in this era (16th – 17th centuries). It would not be possible without the aristocracy that wanted to maintain its relations with foreign countries, and they could, even if their possibilities were limited. 
After all the research I did in this field my opinion is that the exploration of court music has to have a part that studies it from the aspect of culture history.

This scientific seminar aims to be a forum for researchers interested in studying the music of the Iberian courts in the 18th and 19th centuries. Music is a fundamental aspect of court culture not only in the Old Regime but also in the contemporary era. The relationship between music and constitutional monarchies is a field hitherto unexplored that we also propose to deepen. Performing arts and the representation of power will be the core subject of this year's meeting, but issues related to private practice and the enjoyment of music and dance by members of the royal families, as well as the dissemination of these practices outside the court will also be addressed. Organized by the research group "Historical and Cultural Studies in Music" of the INET-md and the Instituto Complutense de Ciencias Musicales (ICCMU) of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, this research seminar intends to be a space for the exchange, discussion and critical review of court music from an interdisciplinary perspective that allows to frame it in a broad cultural, artistic, social and political context. After a first edition in Madrid, in October 2018, this second edition was  hosted by the Ajuda National Palace (Lisbon).

Music life in the era of Imrich Thököly
Music has been a basic necessity present at every level of society in the early modern times. Through music, person‘s system of values can also be judged. Music can be understood as one of the tools of mandatory representation, but also an organic and personal part of everyday life. The history of Hungarian music at the noble courts involves manifold documents from the 18th century. The first data are mostly related to the court of Miklós
(I.) Esterházy (1714-1790) in Kismarton and Joseph Haydn (1732-1809). In my own research, I am looking for answers related to the topic of what the musical culture in Hungary before Miklós Esterházy (I.) was, or what was the musical life at the residences of modern Hungary in the 16th to the 17th century. So far, this subject has commanded a relatively low interest among historians. To a certain extent, sufficient documentation, which relates to
several rulers, nobility is available to us. Research on the musical heritage of most sovereigns and aristocratic families will be the matter of further research, although some of us already have a usable amount of data today.
There have been various documents preserved which reveal the facts about rulers and noblemen, their devotion to music, learning, some of them even mastered high level of music interpretation skill. To master playing
some musical instrument it was not enough to have talent at that time; except for the love of music, effort and dedication were also needed. Aristocracy representatives also used to enrich their musical skills during their visits;
moreover, Prešporok assembly, besides political activities, offered various entertainment events including music for its members. For local musicians accompanying their masters, entertaining the assembly members represented
a dignified gainful activity. Recruitment of musicians was not based on oral but written contract fixed on a one-year period, while writing the name of the so-called familiar (member of the aristocracy court), his status, workload,
money and perquisites paid for his work. We can find numerous examples of the fact that the terms of the contract were not based purely on master´s arbitrary behaviour but also on musicians´ expectations. In addition to providing income data, conventions also reveal information about the social status of musicians. They prove that the groups of musicians working for aristocratic courts did not consist merely of musicians meeting for special occassions. It´s quite interesting to learn that beside playing musical 435 instrument, musicians also did some other work. Having more than one job was generally widespread in Europe and characterized by small and
medium-sized courts. Various musical instruments found in castles´ inventory represent the evidence of musical life at Thököly´s court; these were used for instrumental
music designated for Imrich Thököly and his companions. In Thököly´s musical band from 1683 we can find 15 trumpetists, 6 whistle players, 4 violinists, 1 virginalist, 1 piper, and 5 singers. The number of musicians in
1685 proves decline: the number of trumpetists declined from 15 to 11, the whistle players declined from 4 to 2, instead of two drummers ony one was mentioned; the rest is unchanged, i.e. 1 virginalist, 1 piper and 5 singers.
Because of unceasing fightings worlwide, including Thököly´s court, military musicians (martial music) were still needed. Regarding such a musical group, the above mentioned wind instruments played the most important role; as a result, Thököly considered these musicians to be the most important and therefore, he issued regulations regarding their clothing.
As in the case of the Hungarian nobility, dealing also with the Thököly‘s court, there are only a few documents providing the knowledge of the music they listened to in the courts. Without notes, recordings and detailed
descriptions, based only on incomplete sources, mainly based on urban and church documents, we can assume that Hungary was not characterized by a rapid development concerning music in the early days; it rather followed the European pattern. Music that used to be played in the 17th century at Hungarian residences including Thököly‘s court was of different origins, not
only by local but also by foreign authors.

Este año 2021 se conmemora el bicentenario del
fallecimiento del compositor y organista Félix
Máximo López, uno de los más importantes exponentes
de la música para tecla de la segunda
mitad del siglo XVIII y primeras décadas del XIX
en España, que desarrolló su carrera profesional
durante más de 45 años como organista de la Capilla
Real al servicio de los reyes Carlos III, Carlos
IV, José I y Fernando VII. En este artículo se hace una reflexión sobre su trayectoria profesional y su aportación a la música durante la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII y primeras décadas del XIX especialmente en el ámbito de la música para tecla y como organista en la Real Capilla

450 Jahre Staatskapelle Berlin - eine Bestandsaufnahme: Die Entwicklung der Hofmusik von der kurfürstlichen Kapelle von Brandenburg zum Hoforchester des ersten Königs in Preußen. Beiträge des dritten Colloquiums in der Reihe "Kulturgeschichte Preußens - Colloquien" vom 16. bis 18. Oktober 2015, hg. von Lena van der Hoven (KultGeP - Colloquien 3)
https://www.perspectivia.net/publikationen/kultgep-colloquien/3

“Te haré tocar el piano, y cantar, y esto me distraerá, pues me han dicho que tienes una bonita voz”. Estas palabras fueron escritas el 13 de septiembre de 1816 por Fernando VII, en una de las numerosas cartas que intercambiaron los futuros esposos durante el tiempo que duró el viaje de María Isabel desde su desembarco en Cádiz hasta su encuentro en Ocaña. Suponen, sin duda, un elocuente testimonio de la relación directa de María Isabel con la práctica de la música y de los conocimientos que tenía tanto en el canto como en la interpretación del pianoforte, uno de los instrumentos más importantes de la época al que se asocia tradicionalmente la práctica musical femenina.
La estrecha relación de las reinas e infantas con la música es un aspecto relativamente bien conocido, aunque se ha estudiado generalmente su papel como promotoras de las artes, y por tanto aspectos relacionados con el mecenazgo y coleccionismo. Son más recientes los estudios que abordan su vinculación con la música desde otros ángulos, como es su influencia en la difusión de determinados géneros y repertorios, además de su propia participación en la interpretación y composición de música.
Este artículo es un primer acercamiento a la relación de la reina María Isabel de Braganza con la música durante su reinado, un aspecto que apenas ha sido estudiado hasta el momento . Explicaremos cómo fue su formación y la práctica de la música en su etapa como infanta en la corte portuguesa, para centrarnos después en los dos años de reinado en España, desde septiembre 1816 hasta diciembre de 1818

Per Brahe the younger (1602-1680) developed a court Chapel consisting of 1) a trumpet corps for court ceremonies  2) drummers and pipers for the needs of the castle Visingsborg, 3) chamber musicians  for tafel music at meals and as a resource  for weddings and other festivities in the county of Visingsborg 4) pupils from the Brahe school performing at the castle Church at High Mass. The investigation is based on account books covering five decades which give biographic information abourt members of the  four Groups. They were recruited locally and were not known earlier.
The court music of Per Brahe had much in common with Christian IV's court in Copenhagen, the courts of Gottorf and Stockholm. Thus it belonged to the music culture of the Baltic region.
The only music preserved consists of sacred music copied from Daniel Friderici's printed music intended for schools (S-Vx Mus Ms 330, now 13). A missa brevis was composed by the first school master Svercherus Christiernus Forsselius.