Annotated Bibliography for Heinrich Isaac
Heinrich Isaac was a great music composer. His influence was primarily felt in German. Although born in Italy, his musical influence has been cherished by many generations. Through the research, I have done, and with relevant sources, I have established that Isaac musical life has provided a research point for many scholars. More so, his influence in music is still visible in our modern era.
According to research, the early life of Heinrich Isaac is obscure. There has never been sufficient information regarding his past life. However, similar studies have indicated that he was born ten years after Josquin Isaac, who was a music composer. Isaac’s was in Florence, and his services at Lorenzo are unforgettable. In that time, Medic was a powerful ruling family. Isaac was appointed as the organizer of the cathedrals, through the influence of the Medici family. After the downfall of the Medici family, he was appointed as the chief composer for the emperor Maximilian. Nevertheless, Isaac’s heart was stuck with Florence. Sources show that he made a frequent visit there before his death. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
“Heinrich Isaac | Flemish Composer”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Heinrich-Isaac.
Isaac’s music represents a unique blend of Franco-Flemish music age. He was very fond of travelling, especially to and from Italy. His compositions usually reflected a significant event in his life. His fascination for the city he resided formed a considerable motivation for him. His music was simple in style and had a predominantly homophonic composition and an elegant melancholic rhythm that often symbolized a celebration for the era of the madrigal.
Robins, Brian. “Artist Biographies |”. Biography Online, 2020, https://www.biographyonline.net/artists.html.
Isaac composed a wide variety of music. He did German, Italian songs, motets as well as instrumental music. He was a prolific composer of his time. However, his work has always been neglected. Individuals often favour music by Josquin. Nevertheless, Isaac had several songs in different genres. Among those genres, the motet genre was not sharply defined as other genres. That did not hold Isaac back. Among the motets he composed, they can be singled out to learn which one is liturgical and which is not. He made his composition based on several factors. His music had a secular and religious appeal at the same time. It could have been construed as ambiguity, but that’s what gave his music a taste of uniqueness.
“Heinrich Isaac (Composer) – Short Biography”. Bach-Cantatas.Com, 2020, http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Isaac-Heinrich.htm.
The usage of tenor melody was used mainly in Europe during Isaac’s lifetime. However, his German songs had the most outstanding tenor melody. His composition could have been equated to the French song arrangement. This was his way of arranging the layout of the German songs. Apart from being a music composer, Isaac was also a writer. During his time, he is said to have written over 40 mass ordinaries. Recent studies have indicated that Isaac left so much of his work uncompleted at his death.
Cumming, Julie E. “Composing Imitative Counterpoint around a Cantus Firmus: Two Motets by Heinrich Isaac.” (2011): 231-288.
Isaac was the first master of franco-flemish style. This explains why Isaac’s influence was significant in German. His music was widely distributed in German. The polyphonic art practised in the Netherlands was accepted in Germany due to the influence Isaac had. Most of the German music composers and scholars say that he is widely cherished in German. There have been recent studies that have indicated some truth about his early life. However, still, scholars have been keen on doing profound researches around his life.
Burn, David J., Blake Wilson, and Giovanni Zanovello. “Absorbing Heinrich Isaac.” The Journal of Musicology 28.1 (2011): 1-8.
Overly, the life of Isaac has given a basis for prolific studies. Many scholars have harnessed their energies into researching about him. Music composers of the modern era have their music foundation based on the compositions of Isaac. This shows that Isaac’s influence is still felt.