Anonymous (Polish)

Angelus ad virginem

Hieronim Feicht edited a large collection of ‘Old Polish Music’ in 1966 that includes this rather jolly recounting of the Annunciation.  It is found in a late 15th century ms. from Poznan . . . for three voices.

Text:

Angelus ad Virginem missus dum intravit,

Reverenter inclinans eum salutavit.

“Ave”, inquit, “Maria, gracia plena

Estque tecum Dominus, O Virgo serena”.

Translation:

Having been sent to the Virgin.

The angel entered bowing reverently

and greeted her:

“Hail”, he said, “Mary, full of grace

The Lord is with thee, O Virgin serene.”

Archangiol Gabriel

Another lively Annunciation song, this one in Polish.  Transcribed in Heronim Feicht’s ‘Old Polish Music’ from a manuscript at the Benedictine monastery at Staniatki dated 1586.  This is the first of seven stanzas, a4 . . . the tenor reconstructed from the accompaniment.

Text:

Archaniol Gabriel z nieba wysokiego

Poslan byl do Panny  z rzadzenia  Bozego:

Tam w miescie zydowskim

Nazaret mieszkala,

A Josefa meza poslubnego miala.

Translation:

The archangel Gabriel was sent

from on high by God’s command. 

There, in the Jewish town of Nazareth

she lived, and her husband, Joseph,

with her.

Co chcesz mnimac

Sigismund II of Poland married his mistress, Barbara Radziwill, in 1547; she was Queen until her death in 1551.  The words of this song are from the epitaph on her grave.  The music is contained in the Zamosc Song Book of c. 1558.  Perhaps one reason the lyrics are so “assertive” is that many of the Court were against the marriage including Sigismund’s mother.  (Barbara was actually Sigismund’s second wife!)

Text:

Co Chcesz mnimac postoj malo

a dowiedzsie, co za cialo

tu lezy w tym malym grobie,

wszak tym malo zmieszkasz sobie.

Jam ci to Barbara ona,


pirwsza Gasztoltowa zona,

ktora Pan Bog tak byl prezjrzal,

krolowa mie wielka miec chcial.

Wyszlam z rodu dosye cnego,

domu Radziwillowego,

dziewka wielkiego hetmana,

zawidy poczciwie chowana.

Krolowam wielka zostala,

kronym zacnej dostala

slawnego Panstwa Polskiego

I tez Ksiestwa Litewskiego.

Translation:

You that would know what body

rests in this narrow tomb

Pause a while;

it needs a little time.

I am the renowned Barbara,

first wife to Gasztolt.

God bore me in mind—he destined me

to become a great queen.

I came from a princely clan,

from the house of Radziwill,

The daughter of a great captain,

well educated for my destiny.

I became a great queen,

attained the crown, a great prize

of the famous state of Poland

together with the Duchy of Lithuania.

Duma

This unusual instrumental piece was to be found in a manuscript at the Krasinski Library in Warsaw, but was destroyed in 1944.  Heronim Feicht edited and published it in ‘Editions of Ancient Polish Music No. 8’.  The manuscript was from the mid-16th century. 

Keyboard hymn

Oczy me mile

Judging from the surviving sources the proliferation of secular love song in western Europe–madrigal, chanson, villancico–did not transfer to Poland.  “Oczy me mile” found in a Cracow Lute Tablature is a notable exception.

Text:

Oczy me mile, dokad nie ujrzycie wesela swego,
Nie chciejcie sie smecic.
Nei chciejcie mie w zalosci mej wydawac.
Wszakoz nadzieja niech was smutne cieszy w waszej zalosci
A zapewne wiecie, iz wrychle ogladacie swoja mila.

Translation:

My “lovely-eyes”, do not be sad, for let us hope there is consolation for your melancholy. You know that shortly you will see your beloved. Wait until your wedding day and do not give me your hand with any bad feeling about my absence.

O Maria dulcor florum

Text:

O Maria, dulcor florum,
Virtus mirti, arx cedrorum,
Vis malorum, Punicorum,
Teca fragrans unguentorum
cellaque vinaria.

Translation:

O Mary, sweetness of the flowers:
Strength of the Myrtle, Fortress of the Cedars,
Power of the Pomegrate,
Sweet smelling cask of perfumes,
Wine of Life.

Pavan

Polish dance

Described as “a good Polish dance” in the Loeffelholz Organ Tablature of 1585, this wild dance certainly lives up to its billing once Daryl Peterson’s rauschpfeife is done with it.

Salve sancta parens

Text:

Salve, sancta parens,
Omni nevo carens,
Virga nunquam arens,
O Virgo Maria!

Tuum nobis natum
Jesum vulneratum
Ostende placatum
O Virgo Maria!

Translation:

Hail, Holy Mother
Free of every stain,
Branch never dry,
O virgin Mary!

Show us your Son,
Jesus, wounded
And placated.
O Virgin Mary!