Hofhaimer, Paul

1459-1539

Organist, and one of the oldest German composers of importance. He was born at Radstadt. While Court organist and composer in Vienna, Maximilian I. promoted him to the rank of nobleman. He was also made Knight of the Golden Spur by the King of Hungary, and was later given the freedom of Augsburg, showing the popularity and esteem in which he was held. Hofhaimer was a successful teacher. Some of his pupils were Argentin, Von Bern, Büchner, Conrad and Wolfgang. Part of his music has been preserved in manuscript in the Vienna Library. It includes chorals, lute music and settings of odes of Horace and other Latin poets. A set of his organ pieces is in the Royal Library in Berlin. Hofhaimer died in Salzburg, where during his last years he had been in the service of the Archbishop as Cathedral organist.