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.
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