Ein' Feste Burg -- In German and the first English translation

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 6:57 PM

    Of all the myths that surround the story of Martin Luther, the one that he nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg is the most pervasive.  There is no record of the story of the nailing until after Luther’s death.  What really happened on Halloween in 1517 is he sent a copy of this text to his superior.  Other stories about Luther deal with his music.  It is safe to say that his hymn “A Mighty Fortress” is the most famous hymn to have come out of Germany from the time of the Reformation.  The account of its creation was forcefully recorded by the author Heinrich Heine, who converted to Lutheranism as a young man, when he wrote
"A battle hymn was this defiant song, with which he and his comrades entered Worms [April 16, 1521]. The old cathedral trembled at these new notes, and the ravens were startled in their hidden nests in the towers. This hymn, the Marseillaise Hymn of the Reformation, has preserved its potent spell even to our days, and we may yet soon use again in similar conflicts the old mailed words.

Heine was wrong.  It was not written at the time of the Diet of Worms in 1521, but 8 or 9 years later.  We will now perform Luther’s original version of the hymn, based on his own manuscript, which has been reproduced on the cover of your program.  The printed English translation is by the British author Thomas Carlyle, and dates from the beginning of the 19th century.
In 1539, Miles Coverdale published a collection of hymns called “Ghostly Psalms and Spiritual Songs.”  This book contained the first translation into English of Luther’s Ein’ Feste Burg.  However, due to the government’s attempts to stifle Lutheran ideas, only one copy of this book has survived.  It is now in a library at Oxford University, and we are grateful that they provided a copy of the hymn, so we could perform it.     
Ein Feste Burg……………......................................................Martin Luther
*Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott,                        *A safe stronghold our God is still,
ein gute Wehr und Waffen.                             A trusty shield and weapon;
Er hilft uns frei aus aller Not,                          He’ll keep us clear from all the ill
die uns jetzt hat betroffen.                              That hat us now o’ertaken.
Der alt böse Feind                                           The ancient prince of hell
mit Ernst er’s jetzt meint,                                Hath risen with purpose fell;
groß Macht und viel List                                 Strong mail of craft and power
sein grausam Rüstung ist,                              He weareth in this hour;
auf Erd ist nicht seinsgleichen.                       On earth is not his fellow.
*Mit unsrer Macht ist nichts getan,                 *With force of arms we nothing can,
wir sind gar bald verloren;                               Full soon were we down-ridden;
es streit’ für uns der rechte Mann,                  But for us fights the proper Man
den Gott hat selbst erkoren.                           Whom God himself hat bidden.
Fragst du, wer der ist?                                    Ask you who is this same?
Er heißt Jesus Christ,                                     Christ Jesus is his name,
der Herr Zebaoth,                                           The Lord Sabaoth’s Son;
und ist kein andrer Gott,                                 He, and no other one,
das Feld muss er behalten.                             Shall conquer in the battle.
*Und wenn die Welt voll Teufel wär               *And were this world all devils o’er;
und wollt uns gar verschlingen,                      All watching to devour us,
so fürchten wir uns nicht so sehr,                   We lay it not to heart so sore;
es soll uns doch gelingen.                               They cannot overpower us.
Der Fürst dieser Welt,                                     And let the prince of ill
wie sau’r er sich stellt,                                     Look grim as e’er he will,
tut er uns doch nicht;                                      He harms us not a whit;
das macht, er ist gericht’:                                For why? His doom is writ;
ein Wörtlein kann ihn fällen.                            A word shall swiftly slay him.
*Das Wort sie sollen lassen stahn                   8God’s word, for all their craft and force,
und kein’ Dank dazu haben;                           One moment will not linger,
er ist bei uns wohl auf dem Plan                     But, spite of hell, shall haves its course;
mit seinem Geist und Gaben.                         ‘Tis written by his finger.
Nehmen sie den Leib,                                     And though they take our life,
Gut, Ehr, Kind und Weib:                                Goods, honour, children, wife,
lass fahren dahin,                                            Yet is their profit small;
sie haben’s kein’ Gewinn,                               These things shall vanish all:
das Reich muss uns doch bleiben.                 The city of God remaineth.





Music by Conrad Rein

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 6:50 PM

       This is a recording of several works by Conrad Rein, an almost-unknown but incredibly talented composer, who began his career as a Roman priest in Nuremberg, where one of his students was Hans Sachs, and, after his conversion to Lutheranism, ended up as a singer in the court of the King of Denmark.  Only around 20 works by Rein have survived, all of them with Latin texts.
    Crucifixus……………………….………….……………………………….Conrad Rein
Crucifíxus étiam pro nobis: sub Póntio Piláto             He was crucified for us under Pontius
passus, et sepúltus est.                                               Pilate; suffered and was buried.
Benedicta sit Sancta Trinitas………………………………………….Conrad Rein
Benedicta sit Sancta Trinitas atque indivisa Unitas,   Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity,
Confitebimur ei quia fecit nobiscum,                          Thanks to him because he made us,
Miseracordiam suum.  Benedicamus patrem            Of his own mercy.  Blessed be the Father
et filium cum sancto spiritu.                                        and the Son with the Holy Spirit.
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto                          Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper                   the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is
Et in saecula saeculorum.  Amen                               Now and ever shall be, through all ages. 
Agnus Dei……………………………………………………………………Conrad Rein
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta mundi:                           Lamb of God, who takes away the
miserére nobis.  Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccáta.           world’s sin,  have mercy on us
mundi: dona nobis pacem.                                         Lamb of God…grant us peace.    






Two pieces from the English Reformation

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 6:43 PM

1  Ecce carissimi…………………………………………………………….John Taverner
Ecce mater nostra Hierusalem cum                          Behold our mother Jerusalem with
magno affect clamat ad nos et dicet,                         great compassion cries out to us and says
“Venite, filii mei dilectissimi,                                        “Come, my most beloved sons,
Venite ad me.”                                                            Come to me.”

T   The first piece is  a rare work by John Taverner, one of the most gifted of English composers from any time period.  He was arrested early in his career for his association with Lutherans, but was let go because he was only a musician.  This is a processional in two parts, intended to be sung as priests entered the church.
 O Lord God, the Heathen are Come into Thine Inheritance…William Child
O Lord God, the heathen come into thine inheritance: Thy holy temple have they defiled, and made Jerusalem an heap of stones.  We are become an open shame to our enemies: a very scorn and derision unto them that are round about us.  Lord, how long wilt thou be angry: shall thy jealousy burn like fire forever?  O remember not, our old sins, but have mercy upon us;
For thou art the Lord our God, and thou, O Lord, will we praise for evermore
2    As the Reformation progressed in England, the puritan faction labored to take over both the church and the government.  This they accomplished in 1642 and began to eliminate all choral singing and organ playing in churches throughout Great Britain.  The composer William Child set these words from Psalm 79 to be performed at the final choral service at Windsor Castle in 1644, not knowing if he would ever again write music for the church.  As it turns out, Child lived to be 91 and lasted most of the 17th century and went on to compose music for future coronations.


Meisterlieder by Hans Sachs

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 5:51 PM


For a shoemaker, the 16th century Meistersinger Hans Sachs is notable for two reasons—he wrote an extremely large number of works—poems, songs, plays, tracts, etc.—estimated by some to be around 6000.  He also had two operas written about him.  Albert Lortzing composed his opera, simply called Hans Sachs, in 1840, and, of course, Sachs is the central Meistersinger in Wagner’s opera celebrating that artistic movement, which dates from 1868.  Not too many of his melodies have survived, but this one was copied down by one of his students, and is so preserved.   It is based on the 94th Psalm.  

Hört ir Christen
Hört ir christen ein psalmenlit,                         Hear, O Christians, a sung psalm,
Das virundneuntzigst feine,                             the fine ninety-fourth,
O herr gott des die rache ist,                            O Lord, God of vengeance,
Des die rach ist alleine,                                                O God of vengeance, shine forth!
Erschine, du richter auff erden                                    Rise up, O judge of the earth;
Erhebe dich und richt.                                     repay to the proud
Vergilt dem hofferting unwert,                        what they deserve!
Nach seiner that o here,                                               O Lord, how long shall the wicked,
Wie lang solten sich in der frist,                                   how long shall the wicked exult?
All gotloss freien sere,                                     They pour out their arrogant words;
Und dere, halstarrig und ubeltetter reden entwicht.    all the evildoers boast.
Sich herre sie haben dein folck erschlagen,     They crush your people, O Lord, and
Dein erb gedemütiget hie.                                afflict your heritage.
Witwen fremdling wurgen sie in den tagen,     They kill the widow and the sojourner,
Dar zu die weisen dötten Sy,                           and murder the fatherless;
Al die der herr sicht es nicht deine feinde sagen, and they say, “The Lord does not see;
Und der got Jacob merck es nit,                                   the God of Jacob does not perceive.”
Hört ir narren auff erden,                                Understand,
Under dem folck ir thoren wist,                                   O dullest of the people!
Wan wolt ir witzig werden, mit garden,                        Fools, when will you be wise?
Der das Or hat gepflanzet solt                          He who planted the ear, does he         
der hören nicht.                                               not hear?

 In the 1950s, the musicologist Paul Nettl pointed out the similarities between Luther’s hymn and one of the Meisterlieder of Hans Sachs, who wrote two sets of words for his Silberwiese—one sacred and one secular.  This performance is of the latter.  
Silberweise………………………………..……………………………….Hans Sachs
Ich lob ein Brünnlein küle                                            I praise a cool little brook
Mit Ursprunges sufwühle                                            which starts in a bubbling spring,
Für ein gros Wasserhüle,                                            higher than a waterhole
Die keinen Urpsrung hat.                                            which has no spring of its own.
Sich allein muss beseschen                                       Such a waterhole must depend
mit zufliessenden Bechen                                           on flowing streams to fill it,
Der Brünnlein mag ich sprechen;                               I must tell you,
Die Hül nit lang bestat.                                               such a hole does not last long.
Wan von der Sunen grosser Hirz                               When the sun’s great heat
Im sumerlangen Tak                                                   in summer’s long days
Die Hül wirt faul und gar unnütz,                                the hole becomes foul and very useless
Gewint bosen geschmak;                                           and it smells.
Sie trucknet ein, wirt grün un gelb.                             It dries up and becomes green and yellow.
So frischer sich das Brunnlein selb                            But the little brook remains fresh
Mit seinem Urseprunge,                                             refreshed by its spring,
Beleibet unbezwunge von der Sune scheinuge,        Unaffected by the sun

Wirt nit faul noch mat.                                                 It does not become foul or stagnant.

Medieval harp music performed by Christopher Preston Thompson

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 5:47 PM


Three chorus by Arthur Sullivan

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 5:46 PM


When Love and Beauty

“In the Catacombs” and “Brother, Thou Art Gone Before Us” from THE MARTYR OF ANTIOCH



I Will Sing of Thy Power, O God:




Two pieces by Josquin des Prez

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 5:39 PM

Tu Pauperum Refugium
El Grillo


Return, O My Love

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 5:37 PM

Of all of Wagner’s works, the details behind The Flying Dutchman are the trickiest to sort out.  He wrote it very quickly when he was staying in Paris, and did not explain its genesis until he dictated his autobiography many years later, by which time he jumbled fact and fiction together in what one musicologist has called “retrospective myth-making.”  The plot is set in a more recent time than most of his operas, and the story of the Flying Dutchman itself was relatively recent, having travelled from Holland to the rest of Europe only at the end of the 18th century.  We know Wagner got the idea for his opera from a very short story by Heinrich Heine, which describes a play version of the story taking place in a theatre in Amsterdam.  Now, here’s where this gets interesting, because there was a play version that Heine could have seen when he was in London in 1827.  Heine made a trip to London that year, and he could have caught one of the last performances of the run of The Flying Dutchman; or, the Phantom Ship by Edward Fitzball, one of the most successful authors of melodramas of the time.  The problem with this theory is that Fitzball’s melodrama is a terrible play.  It is amazingly complex, filled with demons and opportunities for stage magic, and part of the plot revolves around a man wearing a bear costume.  In the second scene of act 2, the heroine, here named Lestelle, sings a song while staring at a painting of the Flying Dutchman, who is here and in other contemporary sources named Vanderdecken.   This obviously has a similarity with Wagner’s opera.  The stage directions tell us she accompanies herself on the lute.  Now, it is possible that it wasn’t really played on the lute, much as performances today do not use the lute to accompany Beckmesser’s song in Die Meistersinger.  But, today, we are going to perform it with a lute.  The music to this song is by George Herbert Rodwell, who was an author and impresario in addition to being a composer.  This song long outlasted the composer, who lived from 1800 to 1852.  It was published in many editions on both sides of the Atlantic starting at the time of the show’s premiere, and was last published in 1890, when it was included in a British publication of the 100 Standard Songs of the century.  

Two pieces by Christopher Tye

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 5:33 PM


Two Pieces…………………………………………………………………Christopher Tye
            Unde nostris, eia, fave votis
            Alleluia

From the edition of Tye's Latin Church Music by John Satterfield, former president of Wagner College.

Two selections from Rienzi

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 5:32 PM

Wagner's Rienzi takes place in the Middle Ages, and Collectio Musicorum performed two choruses from this early work as a compliment to our performance of medieval music related to Wagner's operas.



Wolfram von Eschenbach

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 5:28 PM




Jamer is mir entprungen ach mein lait is veste.   Grief as a river rushes, pain I cannot still
Owe clag hat betwungen                                      overwhelms me and crushes
Mein sentes herrz ouf dirre linden este.               my longing heart upon this pleasant hill.
Hoher mut trost vreude mus sich decken,            Comfort, peace, and happiness take flight;
Suftzen trauren waine,                                          sighs and tears and sorrow
Wil ich han um disen werden recken.                   shall I have because of this fair knight.

Ich Lobe ein Wip

0 comments Posted by Collectio Musicorum at 5:32 PM

A Minnelied by the historic Tannhaeuser




Ich lobe ein wip

Ich lobe ein wip, diu ist noch bezzer danne guot,      I love a woman who is kinder than kind,
Sist schoene und ist noch schooner vil                       she’s fair and is very beautiful and
und hochgemuort,                                                       high minded,
Si hat vor allen valschen dingen sich behuot;             she’s kept herself from all false things
Ich hort nie wip so wol geloben,                                 I have not heard of any woman
Also man si tuot.                                                         equal to her praise.
Isalde wart so schoene nie,                                         Isolde was never so beautiful,
 noch Djone, diu ein gütin was.                                  Nor Trone, who was a goddess.
Medea swaz diu noch begie,                                       Medea also could not compare
Des half mit wisheit frou Pallas.                                 inspite of Pallas Athena’s wisdom.
Juno gap richheit durch die minne,                             Juno gave riches through her love,
Dido hete, daz wart geteilet überal.                            Dido had it all, I have heard. 
Latricia diu lie sich tougenlichen sehen.                     Latricia was seen secretly,
Palatrica den frouwen vil der kinde stal.                    Palatrica stole children from women.
Helen was eins küneges wip,                                      Helen was a king’s wife,
Zuo den kame in Discordia;                                        and she met Discordia;
Daz giene in beiden anden lip,                                    which was for both a deadly thing,
Des en galt ouch Amarodia.                                       as it was for Amarodia.
Ez schuof en wip, daz Troia wart zerstoeret,              A woman once caused Troy’s destruction,
Diu hiez Avenant.                                                       She was called Avenant.
Lunet diu was von hoher art,                                      Lunette was born into nobility,
Ir vater derhiez Willebrant.                                         her father was called Willebrant.
Venus ein apfel wart gegeben,                                    To Venus was an apple given,
Da von so huop sich michel not;                                 which brought distress to all;
Dar umbe gap Paris sin leben,                                     Paris was driven to death,
Da lac ouch Menelaus tot.                                          as was Menelaus.
Sibille was ein listic wip,                                             Sibyl was a wise woman,
Bider Amabilia;                                                           as was Amabilia;
Si riet uf senatoren lip;                                                they would advise senators,
Daz tet diu leide Invidia.                                            as did the unfortunate Invidia.
Frou Blaschiflur diu was                                             Frau Blanchiflor was
An allen dingen kluoc                                                 in all things wonderful
Dar umbe Walheis sit vil lange                                   and Walheis for a long time
Wart vertriben.                                                            was exiled.
Her Gawan der den anker                                           Gawain, who had an anchor
Werdecliche truoc,                                                      on his shield,
Der klagt, daz Iwein in dem                                       was upset that Iwein
Fores was beliben.                                                       did not leave the forest.
Sarmena klagt, groz ungemach,                                  Sarmena despaired, greatly,
Daz Gamuret als müezic saz;                                      that Gamuret was distant;
Ze Kuraz sim it zorne sprach:                                     To Kuraz she said,
“do Lanzelet sich des vermaz.                                    When Lancelot was courageous
Daz er mich raeche an Parzival,                                  he would exact revenge for me upon Parzival,
Der hector sine veste brach,                            who Hector his walls broke,
Er nam ze Karidol den gral,                            he took to Karidol the grail,
Do des Achilles niht enrach,                           and Achilles couldn’t stop him.
So richetz mir Kalogriant,                               So Kalogriant avenges me
Swaz Opris mirze leide tuot.”                         As Opris unfortunately could not do.”
Tispe was ein lion bekant,                               Thisbe was called Lione,
Gen Piramus so stuont ir muot.                       And she wanted Piramus.
Diu klare amie sprach zir massenie so:            This pretty woman addressed her followers:
“Min cumpenie sol der storje wessen fro.”     My friends, you’ll like what is planned.”
Ginover uz Britanjelant,                                  Guinevere from Britanny,
Die Artus het ze wibe erkorn,                         who became Arthur’s wife,
Die man in hoher tschoie ie vant,                    from a man received
Der brahte uz Provenze ein horn.                    a horn from Provence.
Von Portigal ein petschelier,                           From this Portuguese man
Daz was so wunderlicher art,                          came this wonderful thing,
Swer dar uz tranc, der wandel hete,               that whoever drank from it, and was not virtuous,
Er da mit begozzen wart.                                it spilled on him.
Porchtram diu was von Lunders                     Portharam who was in Lunders
So geboren her,                                               born there,
Daz schuof dem Wigol gegen                         and Wigol brought a spear
Dem Provenzal ein sper.                                against the Provencals.
Her Wigamur vor Kamvoleis                          Sir Wigamur at Kamvoleis,
Wol tet erz, als wirz han vernomen;                we have heard, did well there;
Gen dem so heilt der Wigoleis,                       He was opposed by Wigoleis
Der was den froun ze dienste komen.            who came to serve the ladies.
Tristran erwarp die künegin von Maroch,       Tristan won the queen of Morocco,
Als wir hoeren sage,                                        as we have heard said,
Ein moerin was diu heidenin,                         a Moorish heathen,
Der alden suln wir hie gedagen.                     Let’s say no more of it.
Und logen mine guoten,                                 And praise my love,
Die reinen, wolgemuoten,                               who is full of fun,
Swa si get an dem tanze                                 who is ready to dance
Mit ir rosenkranze,                                          wearing her crown of roses,
Dar obe ein ander krenzel,                              and with the crown
Ein wiz gevalden swenzel;                              a white shawl;
Ir har gelich dem golde,                                  her hair is like gold,
Als ez got wünschen solde,                            as ever God would have wished,
Krus alsam die siden:                                      her curls are like silk:
Man mehte si wol liden;                                  one must adore her;
Swa minne waer genaeme,                              wherever love is,
Diu liebe da wol zaeme.                                  she should be.
Von Oriende unz z’Occidende                       From the Orient or Occident
Wart nie schoener wip geborn            a more beautiful woman was never born
Ich han die guoten, wolgemuoten                  I have the good one picked
Iemer mer ze troste erkorn.                             Always to be my comfort.
Des ensol ich melden,                                     I shouldn’t say
Seht daz zaeme niht,                                                   it wouldn’t be good,
Wan der sim it minen ougen ane siht,                         but when I look at her with my eyes,
Dem muoz si wol gevallen                                          I find she is the best
Ze wunsche vor in allen.                                             compared to the others.
Ich lobe ir zuht, ir güete,                                             I praise her goodness and looks,
Ir staete, ir hochgemüete.                                            her state, her station.
Ir lip der ist so wolgestalt:                                          Her shape is so lovely:
Swer bi ir solde warden alt,                                        whoever grows old around her,
Der hat der werlte lop vil gar,                                     will have the world’s praise,
An ir ist niht vergezzen,                                              and she will not be overlooked,
Ze wunche is si gemezzen.                                          she is perfect.
Uf ir hüfel überal,                                                       About her hips,
Da sol ein borte ligen smal,                                         hangs a small piece of cloth,
Vil wol gesenket hin ze tal,                                         like a sash,
Da man ir reitet an dem sal.                                        that waves when she dances in the hall.
Da ist ir lip gedrollen,                                                 She is as shapely
Ze wunsche wol die vollen.                                        as one could wish.
Volge mir, sam tuon ich dir,                                       Follow me, and I will do,
Herzeliebiu reine,                                                        your every desire,
Du guote du süeze!                                                     Good and sweet!
Tuost du daz, so wirt mir baz,                                    Whatever you want, it will please me,
Daz dich got fristen müeze!                                        And you God has blessed!
Wolgemuoten, lat die guoten iu behagen!                  All of you happy people, she deserves your praise!
Si solvon rehter arte der eren krone tragen.                She has earned the crown of honor.
Swa si get zuo der linden mit wolgemuoten kinden,  When in the linden tree’s shade with nice youth,
Da zimt ir wol daz reien, si zieret wol den meien.      she likes to dance in the May.
Ir zimet wol daz lachen, daz kan si suoze machen.    She laughs so sweetly.
Nu dar! Nemet war, was diu liebe springet,               Now there, see where the lovely one dances,
Vor mir, nach mir, swie der seite erklinget.                In front of me, behind me, however the string sounds.
Gestricket wol ze prise, ze licken also lise.                 She should earn a prize, she is so beautiful.
Hie nimt der tanz ein ende,                                         Here the dance shall end,
Swer uns die fröude wende                                        whoever would take away our joy,
Den vermiden rosen un alle zite losen                        dislikes roses and other flowers
Und aller vogelline sanc!                                            as well as birdsongs!
Mich twinget, daz mich e da twanc.                           My pain has returned,
Nu singe ich aber hei!                                                 but I still sing “hei,”
Hei a nu hei!                                                                “Hei” and now “hei”
Nu ist dem videlaere                                                   Now the fiddler stops
Sin videlbogen zwei!                                                  because his bow has broken!



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