Download Heinrich Schütz, Letter to the Elector of Saxony

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IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Heinrich Schütz, Letter to the Elector of Saxony (1651)
It is unusual for a composer of early music to provide us with much in the way of an
autobiography. Yes, there are the occasional letters, prefaces, dedications to publications, contracts, and other archival documents that provide personal information,
but never did a composer offer a comprehensive overview of his life. Moreover,
famous musicians, unlike illustrious artists, did not benefit from the musical equivalent of Giorgio Vasari’s The Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects (1568), perhaps because musicians were thought to be mere craftsmen or
tradesmen, not “great artists.” The first biography of an important composer is John
Manwaring’s Memoirs of the Life of the Late George Frederic Handel (London, 1760).
Short biographical notices were published about both Bach and Mozart a year after
their deaths. Haydn came close to leaving an autobiography when he told his life
story, sometimes in conflicting ways, to two biographers (A. C. Dies, as published in
his Biographische Nachrichten, and G. A. Griesinger, appearing in his Biographische
Notizen, both short works were printed in 1810, the year after Haydn’s death). The
first full-scale autobiography of a composer was Richard Wagner’s lengthy Mein
Leben published privately for a few friends in 1880 but not for the general public
until 1911.
Aging composer Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672) presumably had no intention of
writing an autobiography, when in 1651 at the age of sixty-six he petitioned his
patron, the Elector of Saxony, to be allowed to retire with a pension. (The petition
was denied.) But in this lengthy request to the elector, Schütz sets out the framework
for his biography, at least for the early years of his life, to 1615, by which time he was
thirty. Here Schütz provides a few details about his present condition as of 1651: that
he is worn out, that his eyesight is failing, and that he would like to have time to put
his musical oeuvre in order before his death. (Actually, Schütz lived another twentyone years!) Yet this document reveals more about the early years of his career, when
he vacillated between a career in music and one in law.
Many music students today can relate to Schütz’s uncertainty. They find music
fascinating and are tempted to devote their lives to it, but their parents discourage
such notions, pointing out the greater security and income potential in careers in
business and law. Ultimately, Schütz was allowed to pursue music when, at the age
of thirty, according to this letter, he received an offer of secure employment at the
prestigious court of the Elector of Saxony in Dresden, Germany, a post he held on
to, sometimes in absentia, for the rest of his life.
Most Illustrious, Noble, Elector [Johann Georg I of Saxony]
Kind Sir:
With this present, unworthy offering [the last volume of his Symphoniae sacrae,
1650], which has just appeared under the auspices of your Electoral Excellency, I am at
the same time compelled to review my often difficult life’s course from my youth up to
the present, begging in deep devotion that you, illustrious Elector, receive this petition
graciously and not fail to engage it when the opportunity arises.
I was born into this world on St. Burkhard’s Day in 1585. Not long after, as early
as my thirteenth year, I left my late parents’ house in Weissenfels and was on my own
thereafter, and for a while was a choirboy in the chapel of Lord Landgrave Moritz in
Cassel. In addition to music, I had formal study in school, learning Latin and other
languages.
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It was never my late parents’ wish at any time that I should pursue the profession of
music. After I lost my soprano voice, and following their advice, I went to the University of Marburg in the company of my other brother, who earned a degree of doctor of
laws, and who just a few years ago died in the capacity of high court judge in Leipzig
and in your Excellency’s employ. It was my intention to continue the studies that I had
begun elsewhere, excluding music, so as to be able to attain a profession and thereby
achieve an honorable station in life. Fate, or rather the will of God, however, changed
things. For one day there came to Marburg Lord Landgrave Moritz—who during the
time that I occupied myself as a choirboy at his court had perhaps noticed that I had
a natural talent for music—and he made me the following proposal: because in Italy
at that time there was a very famous but rather old musician and composer who was
still alive [Giovanni Gabrieli], I should not lose the chance to hear this person and
get some instruction from him. The aforementioned gracious lord offered a stipend of
200 German thalers annually, which, because I was young and eager to see the world, I
most gratefully and eagerly accepted.
Thus in the year 1609 [at the age of twenty-four], entirely against the will of my
parents, I journeyed to Venice, where immediately upon my arrival, spending a little
time with my teacher, I recognized the seriousness and the difficulty of my chosen area
of study: composition; and I realized that my initial preparation was very poor. Thus
I very much regretted having turned away from those studies that are offered at
German universities, in favor of [nonmusical] studies in which I was rather far advanced.
I wasn’t therefore averse to applying myself diligently toward the purpose for which I
had come there. And from that time forward I obligated myself to put aside previous
studies and apply myself industriously and exclusively to the study of music to see what
I could make of myself.
And thus [in 1612] with God’s help after three years (and one year before I returned
from Italy) I was able, not wishing to boast, to get published my first little musical work
in the Italian language, with exceptional praise of the worthy musicians of Venice,
and to dedicate it and send it to Lord Landgrave Moritz. After this publication of my
first little work I was told, not only by my teacher Giovanni Gabrieli, but also by the
musical director [of San Marco, Giulio Cesare Martinengo; c1564–1613] and other
distinguished musicians, that I should continue to pursue my studies in music and that
I should enjoy fortunate success therein.
Thus I remained there [in Venice] another year, although at the expense of my parents, and continued to better myself in this discipline. Yet my abovementioned teacher
[Gabrieli] died, and I accompanied him to his final resting place. On his deathbed he
bequeathed to me, as a token of his esteem, one of his rings, which was delivered to
me by his confessor, an Augustinian monk belonging to the same monastery where
Dr. Luther once resided. Thus the premonition of Lord Landgrave Moritz at Marburg
had proven true, that anyone wishing to learn something from this great man [Gabrieli]
need absent himself no longer than I.
Thus in 1613 I now for the first time returned to Germany from Italy and resolved to
maintain those well-laid fundamentals in music that I had acquired, but to keep them
to myself until I had perfected them further and could demonstrate them in a worthy
publication. Yet it was the opinion of my parents and other wise relatives, in brief,
that I should treat music only as a secondary activity [Nebensache] and should make
use of my other modest abilities. Because of their repeated and unending hectoring, I
had almost resolved to go back to my books that I had put aside. But in the year 1614
God the almighty (who without doubt had selected me for the profession of music in
my mother’s womb) decreed that I be called to the court of Dresden for the impending baptism of Lord Duke August, presently the administrator of the archbishopric of
Magdeburg—I know not whether the recommendation came from Lord Christoff von
Loos, at that time Privy Counselor or from Chamber Counselor Wolffersdorff, then
also Administrator of Weissenfels. After my arrival and subsequent to an audition,
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I was graciously offered the position of Director of Music of your Electoral Excellency.
From which act my parents and close relatives, as well as myself, obviously saw the direct intervention of God on my behalf, and in place of vacillation [regarding a career]
a purpose was now set before me. And I was persuaded not to fail to seize this honorable
opportunity, but rather to accept the offer with humble thanks, and to give it my very
best efforts.
I am hopeful that your Electoral Excellency will be mindful of the some slight service that I have rendered now since the year 1615 (when I assumed this post) and not
without difficulty over the course of thirty-five years and will continue to render, God
and your Excellency willing. . . .
Dated Dresden on Monday 14 January in the year of our Lord, our only Savoir and
Redeemer, 1651
The Electoral Excellency’s most humble and unworthy servant
Henrich Schütz, Kapellmeister
In his own hand
Source: Translated from the original German available in Gina Spagnoli, Letters and Documents of
Heinrich Schütz (1990).