Buchner, Hans (EN)

Buchner, Puchner, Buschner, Hans, Hans von Constanz, *26 October 1483 Ravensburg (Württemberg), †1538 Zurich (?), Constance (?), German composer, organist, and theorist. Son of Johannes Buchner, organist and organ builder, he was a student of P. Hofhaimer; he probably stayed at the court of Emperor Maximilian in Vienna during the time when Isaac and Senfl were Kapellmeisters. Between 1506 and 1526, he was first an organist and then also a member of the cantorate at Constance Cathedral, where he met S. Virdung, Heinrich Finck, and H. Kotter, among others. In 1526, he left Constance due to religious strife and went with the bishop’s court to Meersburg, and later to Überlingen, where he worked as an organist for the next few years.

Fundamentum is the oldest known textbook for organists. It contains guidelines on composition, improvisation, and performance, as well as introductory information on mensural and tablature notation. The main theme, organ arrangements of cantus firmus, coincides with the theme of the slightly later treatise from the Tablature by Jan from Lublin. According to Apel, the works in Fundamentum are clearly didactic in nature, while his other compositions are more highly regarded in musical terms.

Literature: C. Paesler Das Fundamentbuch von Hans von Constanz. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des Orgelspiels im 16. Jahrhundert, “Vierteljahrsschrift für Musikwissenschaft” V, 1889; J. Richter Johann Buchner und Hans von Constanz, “Monatshefte für Musik-Geschichte” XXI, 1889; W. Nagel Fundamentum Authore Johanne Buchnero, “Monatshefte für Musik-Geschichte” XXIII, 1891; G. Frotscher Geschichte des Orgelspiels und der Orgelkomposition, vol. 1, Berlin 1935, 2nd ed. 1959, 3rd ed. 1966, 4th ed. 1978; J. H. Schmidt Johannes Buchner. Leben und Werk. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der liturgischen Orgelmusik des späten Mittelalters, thesis, Universität Freiburg, 1957; P. Léonard Le Fundamentum de Hans Buchner, “Musica sacra” LXIV, 1963; W. Apel Geschichte der Orgel- und Klaviermusik bis 1700, Kassel 1967; M. Schuler Ein Beitrag zur Biographie Hans Kotters, “Die Musikforschung” XXII, 1969;  F. Brusniak Zum Doppelmeisterproblem Johann Bucherus/Buchner – Johann Buchmayer, “Neues Musiwissenschaftliches Jahrbuch” I, 1992; M. Schuler Zur Orgelkunst am Hof Kaiser Maximilians I., in: Musik und Tanz zur Zeit Maximilians I., ed. W. Salmen, Innsbruck 1992; J. Butt Germany and the Netherlands, in: Keyboard Music before 1700, ed. A. Silbiger, New York 2004; E. Witkowska-Zaremba, preface to: Tabulatura Joannis de Lublin. Ad faciendum cantum choralem. Fundamentum. Ad faciendam correcturam, «Monumenta Musicae in Polonia» C, Warsaw 2015; A.V. Rabe Hans Buchners Fundamentum? Vorschläge für eine historiografische Neubewertung, “Acta Musicologica” XC, 2018.