Johannes Mittner (d. c. 1530): Looking for some information.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    I am looking for some biographical information about Johannes Mittner, a little-known composer from the 16th century. The Sanctus from his 'Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae' is on YouTube, though no other movements from this Mass seem to be available. I am assuming that he is Flemish, and probably had contacts with Josquin, who also wrote a 'Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae' (in Solmization: Re Ut Re Ut Re Fa Mi Re). Google turns up nothing except links to the aforementioned Sanctus and a Belgian telephone directory. Thanks.
  • smvanroodesmvanroode
    Posts: 966
    Here are some references I could find. Ammendola has some biography of Mittner, but it's very sparse.

    David Hiley, ‘Das Chorbuch Regensburg, Staatliche Bibliothek, 2° Liturg. 18 aus dem
    Jahre 1543. Chorbuch S im Kapell-Inventar des Pfalzgrafen Ottheinrich, 1544’, Musik
    in Bayern     59 (2000), pp. 11–52

    Andrea Pietro Ammendola, ‘Zur Rezeption Josquin Desprez’ am kurpfälzischen Hof Ottheinrichs: Johannes Mittlers Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae’ in: A. Ammendola, D. Glowotz, J. Heidrich (ed.), Polyphone Messen im 15. und 16. Jahrhundert. Funktion, Kontext, Symbol. Göttingen 2012, pp. 233-249
    The volume also includes a disc with a recording of the Mass by the ensemble Weser Renaissance (dir. Manfred Cordes)

    Jordan Alexander Key, 'Johannes Mittner (d. c. 1530): Sanctus from Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae'
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen Salieri
  • Skladach
    Posts: 19
    J. Mittner's "Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae" is discussed in German on pp. 7-8 of this concert program booklet: https://www.uni-muenster.de/imperia/md/content/musikwissenschaft/pdf/konzertprogrammscreen3.pdf The notes (by Ammendola) mention the uncertain dating, speculate on who commissioned the Mass (or whether it was the composer's gift), and explain the rare form of the Osanna movement: a 5-voice *Mensurkanon* (canon at equal intervals?).
    Thanked by 1Salieri
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    A 'Mesurkanon', or Mensuration or Prolation Canon, refers to a canon by which each voice, while starting simultaneously, sings the same music at different speeds. Bach's canons in augmentation and diminution in the Musikalisches Opfer are late examples of Mensuration canon. In the renaissance system of notation, things are more complicated that simply the 2:1 correspondence of note values, since in the mensural system some notes can be perfect (3:1) or imperfect (2:1). Mittner's canon has five voice singing the same music in different timings: here is a video of the Sanctus: the canon starts at 2:37.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCe7WGoJVLI
    Thanked by 1Skladach
Add a Comment