Arnold von Bruck
Arnold von Bruck was born in Bruges around 1500 and became a choirboy in the Burgundian Ducal Chapel around 1512. The Chapel continued to maintain its superior status with members such as Pierre de la Rue and Mabrianus de Orto, despite the death of Duke Philip the Fair in Spain in 1506. This excellence, no doubt ,was the work of Regent, Marguerite of Austria, who re-established the Court in Malines during Duke, Charles’ minority; he was about the same age as his choirboy, Arnold. In 1515 Charles proclaimed his majority and moved the Court to Brussels, in 1516 he became King of Spain (through his mother, Juana of Castile) on the death of Ferdinand of Aragon, and in 1519 Charles was elected Holy Roman Emperor as Charles V, age 19, on the death of his grandfather, Maximilian I.
About this time we lose sight of Arnold until in the mid-1520s, newly-ordained, he appeared as a member of the Chapel of Ferdinand I, Archduke of Austria, Charles V’s younger brother. There in Vienna Arnold’s ability was recognized and he became Court Chapelmaster on the death of Heinrich Finck in 1527. As priest and Ducal Chapelmaster, Arnold von Bruck, aquired a number of benefices . . . canonries at Ljubljana, Zagreb, Linz, etc . . . and retired after 20 years of service in 1545. He remained in Vienna serving as priest and composing at St. Stephen’s Cathedral before moving to a prosperous living at Linz in1548, He died there in 1554.
Alls von Gott
This is the more polyphonic/imitative of the two settings of a striking melody (folk-song?) that the composer made. A Tenorlied, it is first played on the sackbutt, then sung by Fred Schenk, of blessed memory. The same sources as “O almechtiger Gott” apply to this beautiful setting.
Arnold von Bruck "Alls von Gott"
All’s von Gott, Glück und Not
aus seiner Krafft beschaffen ist,
Der hats gmacht, ich betracht
durch solich Gnad mir sein bewisst.
Zu rufen an, sunst gar nicht kan,
berüren mich, derhalb um sich
auff gleiche wag, verbringen das,
solich vermag.
Elend ich rief
Arnold von Bruck "Elend ich rief"
Elend ich rief und seufzt so tief,
Das ich Herzlieb soll meiden.
Dein schön Gestalt ganz mannigfalt
Bringt mich in sehnlichs Leiden.
Das schafft, das ich dir nicht freundlich
Beiwohnen mag in Freuden,
Und also muss mit schwerer Buss
Von dir, mein Trost, sein g’scheiden.
Sorrowful I cried and deeply sighed
That I must leave my hearts-love.
Your lovely form in every way
Brings me such sentient pain,
It means that I can no longer
Live with you in joyfulness,
And thus with heavy heart
From you, my solace, must depart.
Grates nunc omnes
Arnold von Bruck "Grates nunc omnes"
O almechtiger Gott
This six-part “German motet” was first printed in 1534 by Hans Ott in Nuremberg, and edited in modern notation by Othmar Wessely in ‘Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Osterreich, vol. 99′ of 1961. It takes the form of two choirs a3 employing successive points of imitation. There are 3 verses, each sung to the same music, one for each of the Trinity . . . Vs 1 (‘To the Father”) is sung here.
Arnold von Bruck "O almechtiger Gott"
O almechtiger Gott,
dich lobt den Christenrott,
Vater in Ewigkeit,
vel aller G’rechtigkeit.
Teil uns dein Gnade mit,
auff dass der Christen Strit
Zu Einigkeit pracht werd
bestendiglich auff Erdt
Unter uns deinen Kindern,
wiewol ellenden Sündern.
So trinken wir alle
Printed in 1536 this lively drinking song may belong to the composer’s student days, or Archduke Ferdinand wanted something to accompany an evening of carousing. A Tenorlied a5 with lots of clever contrapuntal writing, it’s a step up from a lot of the drinking songs published in Germany around this time . . . and there were a lot!
Arnold von Bruck "So trinken wir alle"
So trinken wir alle
diesen Wein mit Schalle,
dieser Wein für ander Wein
ist aller Wein ein Fürste.
Trink mein lieber Dieterlein,
so wird dich nimmer dürsten.
Trinks gar aus, trinks gar aus . . .
Ein Neiglein noch drin ist,
du ein fauler Zecher bist,
heb hint’n über sich das Glas,
so läuft es dir mehr und bass.
Trink, mein lieber Dieterlein,
lass dir schmecken den kühlen Wein.
Trinks gar aus! . . .
Das Glas soll umher gahn,
lass keiner lang vor ihm stahn,
Dieser Wein triebt weg als Leid:
Dieterlein, tu mir Bescheid!
Er schon in den Zügen leit,
er gar ein guten Zecher geit:
Trinks gar aus! . . .