Anonymous (Latin)
Vulnerasti cor meum
In 1514 Ottaviano Petrucci printed Part I of his ‘Motteti de la corona’, which contains this unattributed motet in 2 partes. The text is a short excerpt from the Song of Songs, which, being scripture, provided an excuse for passionate love songs to be introduced into religious services. This motet is a superb example of how by the early 1500s vocal polyphony had acquired a fluency of technique unsurpassed to this day. Since nine of the motets in the collection are by Jean Mouton speculation has it that the only anonymous motet might also be by him. Strange that so fine a piece would be anonymous.
Anon (Latin) "Vulnerasti cor meum"
Text:
Vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea, sponsa dilecta mea: Vulnerasti cor meum in uno oculorum tuorum. Pulchriora sunt ubera tua vino, et odor unguentorum tuorum super omnia aromata.
Veni in hortum meum, soror, sponsa mea, quia vulnerasti cor meum. Pulchra est, amica mea, suavis et decora, veni, tu desiderata, tu amata, veni coronaberis, columba mea, formosa mea, veni coronaberis.
Translation:
You have ravished my heart, sister, my
bride,with but one glance of your eyes,
my dearest. Your breasts are more
beautiful than wine, and your perfumes
more excellent than all spices.
Come into my garden, sister, my bride,
how you have ravished my heart!
You are beautiful, my love, sweet and
graceful, come, my love, my desire, come,
my dove, my beauty and be my queen.