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Emperor Maximilians I's court composer, Heinrich Isaac (1450 Flanders - 1517 Florence), was not only famous and appreciated throughout Europe but was also one of the main represntatives of the new kind of German song, the Gesellschaftslied. That explains why his song Insbruck ich muß dich lassen (Innsbruck, I must leave thee) became so popular in such a short time that new texts were set to the melody making it both a religious song ( O Welt ich muß dich lassen O world, I must leave thee) as well as folksong( Nun ruhen alle Wälder Now all the woods are quiet). Even Isaac himself created a Discant song version that employs the melody as the cantus firmus of a Tenorlied. The musical example presents a section of the original version; the notated examples include a) the music of the original and b) an instrumental version composed by Isaac. (E. Stadler)
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