Anonymous (Czech)
Chorea
A lively dance from the Leutschauer Tabulaturbuch of 1676. Leutschau, the town of its origin is now called Levoča located in eastern Slovakia.
Anon (Czech) "Chorea"
Fuga duorum
This clever little canon is from an early 17th century ms. in Prague University Library.
Anon (Czech) "Fuga duorum"
Letamini in Domino
The tragedy of the religious schisms of the 15th-17th centuries in Europe is exemplified by this simple commemoration of the burning of John Hus at the Council of Constance in 1415.
Anon (Czech) "Letamini in Domino"
Letamini in Domino et exultate justi,
Sanctus Johannes Hus gaudet in coelis.
Rejoice in the Lord and let the just be glad,
Holy Johannes Hus rejoices in heaven.
Pisnicka prikladna
“Little song of good counsel” . . . like Polonius’ advice to Laertes set to music!. The original runs to ten stanzas . . . six are sung here. It is found in ‘Sbornik Dobrenskeho’, a collection printed in Prague, 1589.
Anon (Czech) "Pisnicka prikladna"
Text:
Kdo chce slidmi vesel byti,
Uziti hled casu,
Vsecky veci chto cas miti,
Utikej bez boznemu kvasu!
Za dobreho jmin byti chces,
Hled’ tez skutek miti
Sic poctivosti neduojdes
Utikej mezi zle choditi.
Pravdu miluj, ji pomahej,
Chces-li lasku miti,
Taz fales v nenavisti mej,
Utikej pochlebniken byti.
Spravedlnost ke vsem konej,
Neb tak Buh chce miti,
Za dary ji neprodavej,
Utikej proti ni ciniti.
Pratel dobrych sobe hledas,
Nad cez nic teszmo,
Snado je pak sobe zmrhas,
Utikej opilstvi mrzkeho.
To jest dvorak, to jest rytir.
Kdos v tom jiti umi,
Ten pak nebude nez cvikyr
Nemily, kdoz toho neumi.
Translation:
Who wants to be happy with others
make good use of your time
Everything takes time;
Beware of godless ale!
If you want to be considered good
show it in your deeds.
If you want to be honest,
Beware of bad company.
Love truth, enable truth,
if you want to be loved,
despise false sincerity and
beware flatterers.
Be just to everyone:
God wants it thus.
Do not sell justice for gifts,
beware, fight against it.
If you look for good friends,
nothing is harder to find.
Friendship is easily broken.
Beware an ugly drunkard.
Who knows all this
is truly wise;
but he who does not
is not welcome anywhere.
Vzdajmez chvalu
A decidedly protestant text set in a 3-voice Tenorlied displaying lots of Slavic soul . . . from a 16th century Hussite songbook.
Anon (Czech) "Vzdajmez chvalu"
Text:
Vzdaimez chvalu bohu, Asraelskemu,
nade vsecky bohy bohu nejvyssimu,
prozmez za dar, mir a pokoj lidu ceskemu.
Ustavicne jsuce bez rospaceni,
neb nam to pismo svedci i svate cteni:,
kdo se pokrti a veri, ten spasen bude.
Translation:
Let us praise the God of Israel,
pray for the gift of peace
and for tranquility in the Czech nation.
Not for a moment do we doubt
for the holy scriptures say:
he who is baptized and has faith will be saved.