Born: March 21, 1527 - Pirna, Germany
Died: December 29, 1558 - Wittenberg

Hermann Finck was a German theorist, composer, teacher and organist. The great-nephew of composer Heinrich Finck, Hermann was born in Pirna, and died at Wittenberg. After 1553 he lived at Wittenherg, where he was organist, and there, in 1555, was published his collection of wedding songs. Few details of his life have been preserved.

Hermann Finck's theoretical writing was good, particularly his observations on the art of singing and of making ornamentations in song. His most celebrated work is entitled Practica musica, exemplavariorum signorum, proportionum, et canonum, judicium de louis ac quaedam de arle suaviter et arlificiose cantandi conhinens (Wittenberg, 1556). It is of great historic value, but very rare.

Source: Wikipedia Website (incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica)
Contributed by Thomas Braatz (February 2006)