Melchior Borchgrevinck
Encyclopedia
Melchior Borchgrevinck (ca. 1570 - 20 December 1632) was a Dutch-Danish musician
, composer
, and court Kapellmeister
. He was born to Bonaventura Borchgrevinck, a Dutch-Danish musician and court Kapellmeister. He was one of four children two sisters and a brother Heinrich.
On January 1, 1587 Frederick II
appointed Dutchman Bonaventura Borchgrevinck as conductor
for his musicians and singers, because a large contingent were Dutch nationals. The orchestra was composed of 15 trumpeters, 9 instrumentalists (strings and woodwinds) and 20 singers. In July of the same year, Bonaventura Borchgrevinck was fired for reasons unknown, but son Melchior, an instrumentalist, was in the king's service the rest of his life.
A year later, in 1588, the king died and his minor son Christian became King Christian IV
. From then until his coronation in 1596, his regents cut back on expenses at court. After his coronation the king improved upon the Royal Music Corps, turning it in to on of the finest in Europe. In time Melchior Borchgrevinck was recognized as a leader amongst his fellow musicians. The number of instrumentalists was increased to 15. 23 singers and 33 trumpeters were added. A fanfare
from the coronation feast called "Melchers Musica" may have been written by Melchior Borchgrevinck.
Borchgrevinck was repeatedly sent on foreign travel in the music service to Danzig and London
to buy instruments and to Venice
in particular to learn from Giovanni Gabrieli
. He was the leader of a group which was composed of singers Wilhelm Egbertsen (1596–1599) and Andreas Aagesen
(1596–1621) and instrumentalists Hans Nielsen
(1599–1624) and Mogens Pedersøn
(about 1585-1623).
Over the years his salary increased several times and in 1601 he became canon of Roskilde
. Canonry, at that time, was a sort of lifetime wage or pension and related housing that was awarded to the King's officers instead of or in addition to actual wages. From 1611 he was the de facto leader of music and from 1618 he held the title of court Kapellmeister. In 1627, because of the high cost of warfare the king had to reduce domestic spending and he fired Borchgrevinck at which time he moved to Roskilde and lived there. He was reinstated in March 1631 but died in 1632. His great-grandson Leonard Christian Borchgrevinck founded the Norwegian branch of the family whose descendants can still be found in Norway
as well as the United States
.
very little of his music survived to this day. Borchgrevinck published a madrigal
collection in 2 volumes: "Giardino di nuovo bellissimo varii fiori musicali scieltissimi" (Copenhagen 1605-06). Most numbers are by other composers, but a few are by him. The following year he published: "IX Psalms of David, with four votes rimvis exposed" (Copenhagen
1607). This work is probably lost. A dance for 5 Instruments was published in the Paduanen and Galliarden Collection, volume 1 (Hamburg
1607).
(1594–1596, 1599–1606 and 1620–1622), John Dowland
(1598–1606), Jan Tollius (1601–1603), Vincentius Bertholusius (1607–1608) and later Heinrich Schütz
(1633–35 and 1642–1644).
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, and court Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
. He was born to Bonaventura Borchgrevinck, a Dutch-Danish musician and court Kapellmeister. He was one of four children two sisters and a brother Heinrich.
On January 1, 1587 Frederick II
Frederick II of Denmark
Frederick II was King of Denmark and Norway and duke of Schleswig from 1559 until his death.-King of Denmark:Frederick II was the son of King Christian III of Denmark and Norway and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg. Frederick II stands as the typical renaissance ruler of Denmark. Unlike his father, he...
appointed Dutchman Bonaventura Borchgrevinck as conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
for his musicians and singers, because a large contingent were Dutch nationals. The orchestra was composed of 15 trumpeters, 9 instrumentalists (strings and woodwinds) and 20 singers. In July of the same year, Bonaventura Borchgrevinck was fired for reasons unknown, but son Melchior, an instrumentalist, was in the king's service the rest of his life.
A year later, in 1588, the king died and his minor son Christian became King Christian IV
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
. From then until his coronation in 1596, his regents cut back on expenses at court. After his coronation the king improved upon the Royal Music Corps, turning it in to on of the finest in Europe. In time Melchior Borchgrevinck was recognized as a leader amongst his fellow musicians. The number of instrumentalists was increased to 15. 23 singers and 33 trumpeters were added. A fanfare
Fanfare
A Fanfare is a relatively short piece of music that is typically played by trumpets and other brass instruments often accompanied by percussion...
from the coronation feast called "Melchers Musica" may have been written by Melchior Borchgrevinck.
Borchgrevinck was repeatedly sent on foreign travel in the music service to Danzig and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to buy instruments and to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
in particular to learn from Giovanni Gabrieli
Giovanni Gabrieli
Giovanni Gabrieli was an Italian composer and organist. He was one of the most influential musicians of his time, and represents the culmination of the style of the Venetian School, at the time of the shift from Renaissance to Baroque idioms.-Biography:Gabrieli was born in Venice...
. He was the leader of a group which was composed of singers Wilhelm Egbertsen (1596–1599) and Andreas Aagesen
Andreas Aagesen
Andreas Aagesen was a Danish jurist.-Biography:Aagesen was educated for the law at Christiania and Copenhagen, and interrupted his studies in 1848 to take part in the First Schleswig War, in which he served as the leader of a reserve battalion.In 1855 Aagesen became a professor of jurisprudence...
(1596–1621) and instrumentalists Hans Nielsen
Hans Nielsen
Hans Nielsen may refer to:* Hans Nielsen , German actor who starred in the 1943 Nazi propaganda film Titanic* Hans Nielsen , Danish boxer who won a gold medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics...
(1599–1624) and Mogens Pedersøn
Mogens Pedersøn
Mogens Pedersøn was a Danish instrumentalist and composer. He is considered the most important Danish-born composer before Buxtehude.-Life:Early in his career he entered the service of the Danish monarch, Christian IV...
(about 1585-1623).
Over the years his salary increased several times and in 1601 he became canon of Roskilde
Roskilde
Roskilde is the main city in Roskilde Municipality, Denmark on the island of Zealand. It is an ancient city, dating from the Viking Age and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network....
. Canonry, at that time, was a sort of lifetime wage or pension and related housing that was awarded to the King's officers instead of or in addition to actual wages. From 1611 he was the de facto leader of music and from 1618 he held the title of court Kapellmeister. In 1627, because of the high cost of warfare the king had to reduce domestic spending and he fired Borchgrevinck at which time he moved to Roskilde and lived there. He was reinstated in March 1631 but died in 1632. His great-grandson Leonard Christian Borchgrevinck founded the Norwegian branch of the family whose descendants can still be found in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
as well as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Music
As is typical for composers from this period in the History of DenmarkHistory of Denmark
The history of Denmark dates back about 12,000 years, to the end of the last ice age, with the earliest evidence of human inhabitation. The Danes were first documented in written sources around 500 AD, including in the writings of Jordanes and Procopius. With the Christianization of the Danes c...
very little of his music survived to this day. Borchgrevinck published a madrigal
Madrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
collection in 2 volumes: "Giardino di nuovo bellissimo varii fiori musicali scieltissimi" (Copenhagen 1605-06). Most numbers are by other composers, but a few are by him. The following year he published: "IX Psalms of David, with four votes rimvis exposed" (Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
1607). This work is probably lost. A dance for 5 Instruments was published in the Paduanen and Galliarden Collection, volume 1 (Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
1607).
Other Musicians with Christian IV
William BradeWilliam Brade
William Brade was an English composer, violinist, and viol player of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras, mainly active in northern Germany. He was the first Englishman to write a canzona, an Italian form, and probably the first to write a piece for solo violin.-Biography:Little is known...
(1594–1596, 1599–1606 and 1620–1622), John Dowland
John Dowland
John Dowland was an English Renaissance composer, singer, and lutenist. He is best known today for his melancholy songs such as "Come, heavy sleep" , "Come again", "Flow my tears", "I saw my Lady weepe" and "In darkness let me dwell", but his instrumental music has undergone a major revival, and has...
(1598–1606), Jan Tollius (1601–1603), Vincentius Bertholusius (1607–1608) and later Heinrich Schütz
Heinrich Schütz
Heinrich Schütz was a German composer and organist, generally regarded as the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian Bach and often considered to be one of the most important composers of the 17th century along with Claudio Monteverdi...
(1633–35 and 1642–1644).