Valentin Haussmann ( – ) was a German composer, music editor and poet, known from the publications of his compositions, derived from Italian and Polish models.

Life

Little is known of Haussmann's life, and information is ascertained from the titles, prefaces and dedications of his printed works. He published compositions between 1588 and 1611, and was very active from 1602 to 1606. He appended "Gerbipola" (a Latinized form of

Gerbstedt Gerbstedt () is a small town in Saxony-Anhalt, district Mansfeld-Südharz. It was traditionally dominated by of copper mining, presently agriculture is dominant. File:KlosterturmGerbstedt.JPG, Tower of former monastery Gerbstedt File:Rathaus Gerb ...

, a town in

Saxony-Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt (german: Sachsen-Anhalt ; nds, Sassen-Anholt) is a state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of and has a population of 2.18 million inhabitants, making it the ...

) to his name, so this is assumed to be his home town. It is thought he did not have a permanent position anywhere, but travelled throughout Germany, composing in various places works which he dedicated to princes and towns. There are many songs in German that are derived from Italian

canzonetta In music, a canzonetta (; pl. canzonette, canzonetti or canzonettas) is a popular Italian secular vocal composition that originated around 1560. Earlier versions were somewhat like a madrigal but lighter in style—but by the 18th century, especial ...

s, and there is instrumental music where he uses the melodies and rhythms of Polish folk music. In later years, from 1606 to 1609, he published, with German translations,

villanella In music, a villanella (; plural villanelle) is a form of light Italian secular vocal music which originated in Italy just before the middle of the 16th century. It first appeared in Naples, and influenced the later canzonetta, and from there also ...

s by

Luca Marenzio Luca Marenzio (also Marentio; October 18, 1553 or 1554 – August 22, 1599) was an Italian composer and singer of the late Renaissance. He was one of the most renowned composers of madrigals, and wrote some of the most famous examples of the fo ...

, canzonettas by

Orazio Vecchi Orazio Vecchi (6 December 1550 (baptized) in Modena – 19 February 1605) was an Italian composer of the late Renaissance. He is most famous for his madrigal comedies, particularly ''L'Amfiparnaso''. Life He was born in Modena, an ...

, tricinia by

Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi (c. 1554 – 4 January 1609) was an Italian composer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. He is known for his 1591 publication of ''balletti'' for five voices. Career Gastoldi was born at Caravaggio, ...

and ballets by

Thomas Morley Thomas Morley (1557 – early October 1602) was an English composer, theorist, singer and organist of the Renaissance. He was one of the foremost members of the English Madrigal School. Referring to the strong Italian influence on the Englis ...

. His publications were evidently popular, since collections went through several editions within a few years. His biographer in ''

Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie ''Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie'' (ADB, german: Universal German Biography) is one of the most important and comprehensive biographical reference works in the German language. It was published by the Historical Commission of the Bavarian Aca ...

'' (1880) wrote: "... He is the real mediator between the Italian canzonetta and the German

Lied In Western classical music tradition, (, plural ; , plural , ) is a term for setting poetry to classical music to create a piece of polyphonic music. The term is used for any kind of song in contemporary German, but among English and French s ...

. From the former he took the grace and accomplished manner of expression, and combined it with the German intimacy and heartiness, and thereby achieved in this genre a perfection that we do not come across again in any composer before or after him. But we must not overlook that as a result he indeed lost some depth, and did not reach as far as a Hassler in his love songs, much less surpass."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Haussmann, Valentin 1611 deaths 16th-century German composers 17th-century German composers