A travelling orchestra for Maximilian I

The earliest record of a Hofkapelle, a Court band of musicians, dates from 1296: Duke Albrecht, a son of Rudolf I, named himself in a document ‘fundator capellae castris Vienensis’, founder of the palace Kapelle in Vienna. This was an ecclesiastical institution, connected to an all-boys schola cantorum. It employed an organist and a vocal ensemble for the musical accompaniment of processions and church services. Trumpeters and drummers, borrowed as needed from the army, were added for secular state ceremonies. The Kapelle was augmented by musicians from other ensembles – as yet, there was no permanent orchestra and the musicians were only loosely attached to the Court. Frederick II probably had a permanent ensemble with singers and instrumentalists of German or Burgundian origin.
Through his marriage Maximilian I acquired the famous Burgundian Court ensemble which specialized primarily in instrumental music; furthermore, in 1490 he also took over the Hofkapelle of Sigismund the ‘Rich in Coin’ of Tyrol and that of the emperor, Frederick III, as well after the latter’s death. He now had an internationally renowned ensemble at his disposal.

Music was given a new status at Court and gained in importance as an instrument to enhance the splendour of state occasions. In 1498 Maximilian I endeavoured to separate the church Kapelle from the music ensemble and may thus be regarded as the founder of the Hofmusikkapelle, the Court Music. This consisted of equal numbers of adult singers, boy choristers and instrumentalists; it was thus mainly a vocal ensemble and in the early fifteenth century numbered around fifty members. Although the Kapelle was based in Vienna, even the most renowned musicians had to tour with the imperial retinue throughout the realm to perform at Court ceremonies and festivities. The musicians were supposed to be paid in several instalments over the year, while expenses for travel and attire were reimbursed separately. However, they often waited in vain for their wages, as is evident from the despairing requests for payment from debt-ridden court musicians that have been preserved in the archives. The Hofmusikkapelle was dissolved after Maximilian’s death.