The so-called Political Testament, written by Charles Eusebius the Prince of Liechtenstein for his son and heir around 1680 includes, among other things, a substantial, detailed passage dedicated to music at the prince's court. Music is not just one element of court representation here. This key aspect, in the text of the instruction, comes with a detailed insight to possible problems with a music ensemble, as well as with the use and character of individual instruments. This study focuses primarily on the status of musical ensembles and musicians within the structure of the aristocratic court, beginning with Charles I (d. 1627), through a partial analysis of the situation at the court of his son Charles Eusebius (d. 1686) and finally brings an outline of the role of musicians and musical life with the third generation of princes from Liechtenstein. Certain continuity can be assumed, in particular, in attempting to adapt its own court to princely habits (for example, as regards the minimum number of trumpeters etc). In general, however, it must be stressed that the trumpeters or the trumpeter ensemble constituted an essential part of the princely court, whereas the existence of a musical ensemble always depended on the actual needs, preferences and economic possibilities of a particular prince.
Na počátku stála kniha Alaina Corbina Na stopě neznámému a nezvyklá krása Zangiových pozapomenutých skladeb. Publikace mikrohistorickým způsobem sleduje osudy a dílo Nicolause Zangia (cca 1568 až 1617), kapelníka v Iburgu, Gdaňsku, na Moravě i v Berlíně. Na dvoře císaře Rudolfa II. byl sice jen jedním z několika titulárních služebníků, ale v duchu literárního průvodcovství je právě on ideálním reprezentantem rudolfínské hudební kultury mimo vlastní centrum: jako kapelník moravského zemského hejtmana Karla z Lichtenštejna se podílel na vzniku, výcviku i vybavení lichtenštejnského dvorního souboru, takzvané muziky. Vzhledem k Zangiovým neutuchajícím aktivitám ve vydávání a dedikování především příležitostných děl představuje důležitý motiv knihy také symbolický význam daru v raném novověku. Součástí knihy je CD Nicolaus Zangius: Cantiones sacrae. ,Nicolaus Zangius (ca. 1568–1617) was a musician with a rather restless character, always seeking a more ideal patron. Zangius worked as a Kapellmeister in Iburg, Danzig, at the Liechtenstein court in Moravia and finally in Berlin, between 1602 and 1612 he also held the position of a servant at the Emperor's court in Prague. The book reflects Zangius' career and his position or social status in the society of the early seventeenth century. It includes a discussion on his printed (and yet not always published) works. The book deals closely with the life of Charles of Liechtenstein (1569–1627), one of the wealthiest Moravian aristocrats and the governor of Moravia in the years 1604 to 1607. As a part of his court, he established a music ensemble and appointed Nicolaus Zangius as its head. Enclosed CD Nicolaus Zangius: Cantiones sacrae.
The authors use the example of the personality of Tomáš Řehoř Wolny (1793–1871) to describe the development of historical topography in Moravia in the 19th century, following the founding work of František Josef Schwoy (1742–1806). Wolny, who upon his entrance to the Benedictine monastery in Rajhrad near Brno in 1817 adopted the order name Gregor, was also an avid researcher-historian. Although his life and professional destiny has already been examined in earlier Czech and Austrian historiography, his work has unfortunately not yet been comprehensively evaluated, not only in terms of the methodological procedures Wolny used, but also in reflecting on his monumental works dealing with general and ecclesiastical topography in contemporary research. The aim of the presented paper is to at least partially fill in this gap in current knowledge.