Die Kunst des Intavolierens: Gebundenheit und Freiheit

Abstract

A big part of 16^th century keyboard repertory was intabulated vocal music; arrangements of motets, sets of masses and chansons. Marcant and sometimes little known examples show the different functions of intabulations: repertoire for the organists (liturgical function), music of delight and pedagogical functions. As a part of Ars Organistum intabulations were the basis of professional musical studies, learning to improvise organ music and to compose music. Masters like H. Scheidemann, the both Gabrielis, J. de Lublin, P. Philips, the both Cabezóns, some English and French anonym composers demonstrate that intabulations are much more than keyboard reductions - artful arrangements with their own life and character on the way to artful paraphrases. The intentions of the composers / arrangers in connection with the possibilities of the keyboard instruments definite the character and the step of transforming a vocal set in a (new) piece of keyboard music.