Editing Conrad Paumann (section)

==Life==
He was born in [[Nuremberg]] to a family of craftsmen. His musical ability must have become apparent early, for he received an excellent training with the support of aristocratic patrons. In 1447 he became the official town organist of Nuremberg, and the councilors even issued orders for him not to leave without their permission.

As rebellious as he was talented, Paumann left what was probably a stifling environment, traveling secretly to [[Munich]] in 1450 where he was immediately employed by [[Albert III, Duke of Bavaria|Duke Albrecht III]] as court organist, who also gave him a house. Munich was officially his home for the remainder of his life, although he began to travel extensively.

While exact records of his travels do not remain, they were clearly extensive, and everywhere he went he was greeted with astonishment; his renown as a performer and composer grew. [[Milan]] and [[Naples]] both made him attractive job offers. His travels in [[Italy]] were probably around 1470, when the Milanese [[Sforza]] family was beginning to build their chapel into the most impressive singing and composition establishment in Europe: [[Josquin des Prez]], [[Loyset Compère]], [[Alexander Agricola]] and others were all there; some of them may have heard him play, and may have exchanged musical ideas with him.  In [[Mantua]] he was knighted; in [[Landshut]] he performed for the Burgundian duke [[Philip the Good]]; in [[Ratisbon]] he performed for [[Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Frederick III]]. During this time he also had numerous students. Unquestionably his influence had much to do with the subsequent development of a culture of organ-playing and composition in Germany, a tradition which culminated in the 18th century with the work of [[Johann Sebastian Bach|J.S. Bach]].

[[File:Paumann Epitaph.jpg|thumb|Relief of Paumann with the epitaph]]
Paumann's epitaph in the [[Munich Frauenkirche]] reads:  
{{cquote|Anno 1473, on the evening of St. Paul's conversion died and was here buried the most ingenious master of all instruments and music, Cunrad Pauman [sic], knight, born blind at Nuremberg, God have mercy upon him.<ref>"Conrad Paumann", in ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', ed. Stanley Sadie.  20 vol.  London, Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 1980.  {{ISBN|1-56159-174-2}}</ref>}}

Paumann's gift, his disability, his instrument, and his influence are all reminiscent of [[Francesco Landini]], the great [[Italy|Italian]] composer of a hundred years before.