Andreas Hakenberger (* c. 1574 in Kremmin Kr. Saatzig in Pomerania; † June 5, 1627 in Danzig) was a German composer and Kapellmeister.
The birthplace of Köslin which was assumed by Rudolf Schwartz in 1907 is not attested by written sources; however, Andreas Hakenberger describes himself as Pomeeanian on a print from the year 1610. Little is known about Hakenberger's youthful years. The first reference is his enrollment in the winter semester of 1587 at the Viadrina in Frankfurt an der Oder (Andreas Hackenbergh Cremensis 7). Hakenberger was able to pay the regular enrollment fee and by studying at the Viadrina, followed the usual path of training as a cantor in the Mark Brandenburg region. Historians suggest that he received his musical training from Johann Wanning in Danzig. From 1602 to 1607 he was probably a composer, lute player and singer in the royal court chapel in Krakow. In 1606 the post of Kapellmeister of St. Mary's Church in Gdansk, which had become Lutheran soon after the Reformation, had become vacant. Hakenberger applied twice by 1607, but the city council initially left the position vacant for two years. In 1608, Hakenberger was appointed, although there had also been two competitors; one of the two was Philipp Dulichius, the council cantor from Stettin.
Hakenberger increased the staff of the council chapel to the stately number of 14 singers and 11 instrumentalists by 1614. He had thus created the conditions for the performance of his large scale sacred works, which were published shortly thereafter in two collections of 1615 and 1617. He created mainly sacred works with Latin text, but also wrote secular pieces with German text. Most of his pieces use the polychoral cori spezzati (Ital. for 'separate choirs'), which was in vogue at the time for sacred alternate chants. He was one of the most important composers of his time. At the end of his life Hakenberger was in financial difficulties. He died in Gdansk on June 5, 1627. He was interred in the Church of St. Nicholas in Gdansk.
Wikipedia
Note: Translated from the German version of Wikipedia into English.
