Books › A dictionary of music and musicians, 1926 › scan 64
Scan 64
A dictionary of music and musicians, 1926
16 lines. Read by computer on 10 September 2026. Printed page 42. See the scan on archive.org.
1Selneccer in a work published in 1581 (Erk, Monatshefte, 1879, p. 63). Selneccer explains that in 1557, the organistship being vacant, at the request of the Praeceptores, he filled it for a month. Then through Court influence Hermann Finck was appointed to the post, 'der bald hernach elendiglich und jemmerlich zu Wittenberg gestorben' (who soon after miserably died in Wittenberg). He may have stated this on the authority of Johannes Garcaeus, Astrologiae methodus Basiliae, 1570, 'Hermannus Finckius Pirnensis. Insignis hic fuit Musicus et Organista, miserrime subitanea morte extinctus est. Nascitur 21 mart. 1527, etc.' But the suggestion is negatived by the discovery of the date of Hermann's death made by M. Fürstenau, in the Wittenberg University records (Scriptorum publice. Witebergae. 1559-62. See Monatshefte, 1879, p. 63), where it states that he died peacefully on Dec. 28, 1558, 'auf fromme Weise aus diesem Leben geschieden ist.'
3The important theoretical work by which Hermann Finck's name is best known is entitled: 'Practica musica Hermanni Finckii, exempla variorum signorum, proportionum et canonum, judicium de tonis, ac quaedam de arte suaviter et artificiosce cantandi continens. Vitebergae ex-cudebant Haeredes Georgii Rhaw. 1556.' In one volume, 4to. In British Museum, etc. The dedication is to the Count Gorca, and shows that Hermann must have visited Poland and been hospitably received by the Gorca family, to whom he expresses a warm sense of gratitude: 'Itaque in editione huius operis, praecipue ad Celsitudinem vestram scripsi, ut ostenderem me beneficiorum memoriam, quae in meam familiam a Regibus et Principibus Polonicis collata sunt, perpetua gratitudine et retinere et celebrare. Fuit eximia erga me quoque liberalitas Celsitudinis tuae Illustris Domine Stanislae. Quare et fratrum et tui nominis mentionem hic feci, et vobis hoc opus dedico, ut gratitudinem meam et observantiam erga vos perpetuam, ostendam.' The work is divided into five books. The first book 'De musicae inventoribus' is of some historical interest owing to its mention of contemporary musicians (see Heinrich Finck) and to the light it throws on the musical taste of that time. A long quotation from pp. 2, 3, 4, is given in the Dict. Hist. (Choron et Fayolle) with a French translation. In the third book 'de canonibus' are numerous examples of canons: 'Clama ne cesses,' four voices: 'Misericordia & Veritas,' Bassus & Tenor; 'Justitia et pax,' Discant & Altus; 'Gaude cum gaudentibus,' four voices; 'Qui se humiliat, exaltabitur'—'Languir me fais,' four voices; and 'Le désir croist quant et quant l'espérance'—'Amour parfaict m'a donné hardiesse,' four voices, with the French words. A German translation of the fifth book 'De arte eleganter et suaviter cantandi,' with music, was published in Monatshefte, 1879, p. 129, etc. Finck was a composer of some note. Few of his works are in existence, but they show that he was distinctly in advance of his time, both in form and in expression. Eitner included three compositions in the Publikation älterer prakt. und theoret. Musikwerke, 1879, vol. 8: 'Pectus ut in sponso' in three sections for four voices; 'Semper honorabile' in two sections, for five voices, both wedding hymns; and the motet for five voices 'Christ ist erstanden,' part 1, which it is interesting to compare with that composed by Heinrich Finck at a much earlier date. The score was carefully reconstructed by Otto Kade from a very defective MS. Chorbuch in the Pirna Stadtkirche Bibl. Codex VII. (date, 1556); the last two movements of the motet were almost entirely destroyed.
5Compositions:—
71. Melodia epithalamii … Johanno Friderico II Ducis Saxoniae … composita ab Hermanno Finck Pyrnensi. Quinque vocum. Vitebergae excuss typis haeredum Georgii Rhaw. 1555. Five part-books, obl. 4to. Text: 'Amore flagrantissimo sponsam,' and—Melodia epithalamii … Henrico Paxmanno … composita ab Herm. Finck Pirnensi. Quatuor vocum. Vitebergae. 1555. Four part-books obl. 4to. Text: 'Pectus ut in sponso' by Philip Melanchthon. In the Liegnitz königl. Ritter-Academie Bibl. (Pfudel's Cat.).
82. Melodia epithalamii … Johannis Schrammii … composita ab Herm. Finck. Quinque vocum. Vitembergae. Haeredes G. Rhaw. 1557. Text: 'Semper honorabile.' Five part-books, obl. 4to. in the Brieg Gymnasialbibl. (Kuhn's Cat.).
93. Ein schöner geistlicher Text: 'Was mein Gott wil: das geschicht allzeit,' etc. von … Albrechten Marggraven zu Brandenburg … selber gemacht. Und, wie folget, auff viererley Art componiret durch Herm. Finck Musicum. Discantus primus, anno 1558. 4to. This is, so far as is known, the only voice part in existence; it is in a miscellaneous volume in the Weimar grossherzögl. Bibl. The Dedication is signed by Finck, Musicus, 'Wittenberg, den 25 Dec. anno 1557.' (Eitner, Publikation.)
11Eitner mentions that in the Proske bischöfl. Bibl. MS. 940 (1557), four part-books, obl. 4to, there is a student's drinking-song for four voices by Herm. Finck, No. 169, 'Sauff aus und machs nit lang,' etc.
13FINE (Ital. 'end') is generally placed above the stave at the point where the movement ceases after a 'Da Capo' repetition. Its place is occasionally taken by a pause (see FERMATA). It is often found, too, at the end of works which finish on the right-hand page (recto), and is placed there, apparently, in order to warn imperfectly trained musicians that it is not worth while to turn over the last page.
15FINGER, GOTTFRIED or GODFREY, a native of Olmütz in Moravia, came to England about 1685, and enjoyed the patronage of James II. In 1688 he published 'Sonatae XII. pro Diversis Instrumentis. Opus Primum,' and in 1690 'Six Sonatas or Solos, three for a violin and three for a flute.' In 1691, in conjunction with John Banister, he published 'Ayres, Chacones, Divisions and Sonatas for Violins and Flutes,' and shortly after joined Godfrey Keller in producing 'A Set of Sonatas in five parts for flutes and hautboys.' He subsequently published other sonatas for violins and flutes. In 1693 Finger composed the music for Theophilus Parsons' Ode for the annual celebration of St. Cecilia's Day. In 1696, in conjunction with John Eccles, he composed the music for Motteux's masque, 'The Loves of Mars and Venus,' and in the same year the music for Motteux's comedy,
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.