Musiklivet vid de svenska Vasahoven med fokus på Erik XIV:s hov (1560-68)

Sammanfattning: The general scope of this thesis is music life at the Vasa courts in Sweden, with the court of King Erik XIV as focal point. The primary aim is to present a critical study of courtly musical activities during this period, giving specific attention to musicians and other relevant persons, and to the repertory performed, considered in its European context. The following questions are discussed: Who were the active figures in courtly musical life? What were the avenues of contact between these persons and the courts, and with the world outside the courts? How did music life at the Vasa courts compare with that of contemporary courts in other countries? The information presented was drawn mainly from primary sources, especially the court accounts. This extremely rich source material has hitherto been used only fragmentarily in music research. The present thesis, in making a critical analysis and assessment of these primary sources, intends to provide a solid foundation for further investigation.The music life at the Vasa courts are studied from different angles. Chapter One’s presentation of court musicians and other persons involved in music activities is based on sources from the period 1521-77. Chapter Two, which deals with the repertory, builds on an examination of surviving printed and hand-written music from the Vasa period found principally in the collection preserved in the German Church in Stockholm, known as Tyska kyrkans samling. Chapter Three, taking as its starting-point the results set forth in the two preceding chapters, discusses certain crucial and over-arching issues.The present thesis has formulated the conclusion that the Swedish Vasa courts were conscious of European musical fashions, and that they made active efforts to take part in European music life.