Cantate Domino - Music

Hans Leo Hassler Born In Nuremberg And Baptized October 26 1564 Was The Son Of An Organist And Received His First Instruction In Music From His Father. In 1584 Hassler Became The First Of Many German Composers Of The Time Who Went To Italy To Continue Their Studies He Arrived In Venice During The Peak Of Activity Of The Venetian School The Composers Who Wrote In The Resplendent Polychoral Style Which Was Soon To Become Popular Outside Of Its Native City. Hassler Was Already Familiar With Some Of This Music As Numerous Prints Had Circulated In Germany Due To The Interest Of Leonhard Lechner Who Was Associated With Orlandus Lassus In Munich. While In Venice Hassler Became Friends With Giovanni Gabrieli With Whom He Composed A Wedding Motet For Georg Gruber A Nuremberg Merchant Living In Venice In 1600. Together They Studied With Andrea Gabrieli Giovanni's Uncle. Under Andrea Hassler Received Instruction In Composition And Organ Playing. Following Andrea Gabrieli's Death Hassler Returned To Germany In The Latter Part Of 1585 Moving To Augsburg Where He Served As An Organist To Octavian II Fugger A Nobleman There. The Augsburg Years Were Extremely Creative For Him In Addition He Became Well-Known As A Composer And Organist At This Time Though His Influence Was Limited Because He Was A Protestant In An Area Which Was Still Heavily Catholic. Hassler Was Not Only A Composer But Also An Active Organist And A Consultant To Organ Builders. In 1596 Hassler Along With 53 Other Organists Was Given The Opportunity To Examine A New Instrument With 59 Stops At The Schlosskirche Groningen. Hassler Was Continually Recognized For His Expertise In Organ Design And Was Often Called Upon As The Examiner Of New Instruments. Using His Extensive Organ Background Hassler Stepped Into The World Of Mechanical Instrument Construction And Developed A Clockwork Organ That Was Later Sold To Emperor Rudolf II. In 1602 Hassler Returned To Nuremberg Where He Became The Kappelmeister Or Director Of Town Music. While There He Was Appointed 'Kaiserlichen Hofdiener' In The Court Of Rudolf II. In 1604 He Took A Leave Of Absence And Traveled To Ulm Where He Was Wed To Cordula Claus. Four Years Later Hassler Moved To Dresden Where He Served As The Electoral Chamber Organist To The Elector Christian II Of Saxony And Eventually As Kappelmeister. By This Time Hassler Had Already Developed The Tuberculosis That Would Claim His Life In June Of 1612. After He Died Michael Praetorius And Heinrich Schütz Were Appointed In His Place. read less