Guillaume Dufay:
Sacred music from Bologna Q15

The Clerks' Group
directed by Edward Wickham

Programme Notes

The manuscript Bologna, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale, MS Q15 is one of the great anthologies of 15th century music, without which our understanding of early Renaissance music would be hopelessly impaired. It is known as Q15 to its friends; and it has many friends, for contained within it are examples of almost every conceivable musical genre of the period—with a special emphasis on sacred polyphony—and works by a vast array of composers. And even if we choose to make a selection of works by a single composer, as we have done here, the variety of forms and styles on offer is bewildering.

This is partly because Q15 does not represent a snapshot of musical taste at one moment in time and at one place. Compiled in three stages, over a period of approximately fifteen years and in various parts of northern Italy, Q15 underwent a number of major revisions which reflect changing attitudes and trends. Margaret Bent's dedicated scholarly detective work on the manuscript has revealed how parts of the first version of the manuscript were cut up and the paper re-used for the second and third versions. By deciphering what the original manuscript contained and comparing it to the final version, we can appreciate how, in the space of fifteen years, musical sensibilities had altered. (See, for example, Margaret Bent, ‘A contemporary perception of early fifteenth-century style’ in Musica Disciplina 41 (1987).)

In our choice of works from Q15 by Guillaume Dufay, we hope to reflect the diversity of genre contained within the manuscript as well as presenting some of the earlier works—often neglected—of a composer who witnessed and contributed to most of the revolutionary changes to occur in music composition in the 15th century. On his deathbed, Dufay was apparently comforted by the strains of his motet Ave regina coelorum, but his earliest dateable work—also labelled a motet—is in an entirely different style, to the extent that one might hardly recognise it as the work of the same composer. Vasilissa, ergo gaude was written to celebrate the nuptials of Princess Cleofe—part of the Malatesta clan for whom Dufay worked—and Theodore Palaiologos II, the son of the Emperor of Constantinople. The year was 1420 and while the rulers of Eastern Christianity were desperately trying to shore up support from their Western co-religionists against the Ottoman threat, the Western church was involved in a council at Constance which aimed to resolve the long-standing schism in Roman Catholicism. By the time of Dufay's death, that schism would be resolved, but Constantinople would be in the hands of the infidel.

Vasilissa inhabits a different musical world as well. Composed in an isorhythmic format in which the rhythms of the second half of the motet exactly repeat those in the first half, the motet celebrates the techniques of the previous century as well as revealing a reverence for another Northern European composer working in Italy, Johannes Ciconia. The other three isorhythmic motets in this programme—O gemma, lux et speculum, Supremum est mortalibus bonum and O sancte Sebastiane—display varying degrees of enthusiasm for the technique, but what is so impressive about Dufay's handling of these pre-determined structures is his ability to balance the requirements of the form with the impulse to compose lyrical, free-flowing tunes. Naïve as it may sound in a discussion of sophisticated sacred polyphony, Dufay is ever the supreme melody-monger. His melodies may not always be held by a single voice: in the four-voice works the top voices often playfully exchange roles, one holding a coherent line while the other dances around it, frequently decorating and ornamenting the material. But in all his vocal polyphony there is a song-like quality to the writing which is entirely distinctive and beguiling.

What has already been said should not encourage the view that Dufay unquestioningly adopts the forms that he is given. Supremum est mortalibus bonum, composed to commemorate the signing of a peace treaty in 1433 between Pope Eugenius IV and King Sigismund (soon to be Holy Roman Emperor), is a wonderfully eclectic creation, combining isorhythm (in the tenor voice only) with solemn fauxbourdon and declamatory homophony. In other works which are categorised as ‘motets’, Dufay abandons the isorhythmic principle altogether. O beate Sebastiane is written in a free form, with a decorative upper voice accompanied by two lower voices with supporting roles. Inclita stella maris is a particular curiosity. The upper voices form a mensural canon: they sing the same melody but at slightly different speeds. Again, the lower voices in this work are unimportant and, according to the rubrics of the piece, one of them can even be abandoned without impairment.

In fact, this is not uncommon amongst the works contained in Q15 and other contemporary manuscripts. Extra contratenor parts were often added or taken away from three and four part works, presumably according to the taste and resources of the performers. Margaret Bent's work on Q15 has revealed how the scribe's preferences in terms of three and four part works changed, and it is generally—though not always—the case that later transmissions of works present works in four part versions. The Gloria and Credo pair included in this programme are likely to be examples of three voice originals which have had a fourth voice added, not always successfully. We cannot assume, however, that the fourth voice was not also by Dufay and, in the absence of any contrary evidence, we have recorded the four-voice versions. These are lively settings, linked by some eccentric harmonic twists in the opening ‘head motifs’ of each movement. As with the Sanctus and Agnus movements, these mass movement settings pre-date the time when the mass ordinary was routinely composed as a cycle of linked movements, composers preferring to pair Gloria with Credo, and Sanctus with Agnus Dei. Unrelated to other polyphonic settings, the Kyrie Fons bonitatis is instead affiliated to the chant now known in the Liber Usualis as Kyrie II. In our performance we have interspersed this chant with the polyphony to create a traditional nine-fold structure for the movement.

Texts

[1] Vasilissa, ergo gaude

Vasilissa, ergo gaude, quia es digna omni laude,
Cleophe, clara gestis a tuis de Malatestis,
in Italia principibus magnis et nobilibus.

Ex tuo viro clarior, quia cunctis est nobilior:
Romaeorum est despotus, quem colit mundus totus;
in prophyro est genitus a deo missus coelitus.

Juvenili aetate pollens et formositate volens,
multum genio fecunda et utraque lingua facunda
ac clarior es virtutibus prae aliis his omnibus.

Tenor: Concupivit rex decorem tuum quoniam
ipse est dominus tuus.

Empress, therefore rejoice, for thou art are worthy of all praise, Cleofe, glorious from the deeds of thy Malatesta kin, leading men in Italy, great and noble,

More glorious from thy husband, for he is nobler than all; he is despot of the Rhomaioi, he whom all the world reveres; he was born in the purple, sent by God from heaven.

Strong in youth and pleasing in beauty, very fertile in wits and eloquent in both tongues,
and thou art more glorious for thy virtues above all others in these things.

Tenor: The King hath conceived desire for thy beauty; for he is thy lord.

[2] Kyrie Fons bonitatis

Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.

Lord have mercy upon us.
Christ have mercy upon us.
Lord have mercy upon us.

[3] O beate Sebastiane

O beate Sebastiane, magna est fides tua: intercede pro nobis ad dominum Jesum Christum ut a peste epidemie et morbo liberemur. Amen.

O blessed Sebastian, great is thy faith. Intercede for us with our Lord Jesus Christ that we may be freed from the plague and sickness of the Epidemic. Amen.

[4] Gloria

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bone voluntatis.
Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te.
Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
Domine Deus, rex celestis, Deus pater omnipotens.
Domine fili unigenite, Jesu Christe.
Domine Deus, agnus Dei, filius patris.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.
Qui sedes ad dexteram patris, miserere nobis.
Quoniam tu solus sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. Tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe. Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei patris. Amen.

Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace towards men of goodwill.
We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory,
O Lord God, heavenly king, God the father almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten son Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, lamb of God, son of the father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the father, have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord, thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the father. Amen.

[5] O gemma, lux et speculum

Triplum

O gemma, lux et speculum
totum perlustrans seculum,
vas almum Italie,
modo presens oraculum
tuum trahat spectaculum
nostro in levamine.

Sponte relinquens Greciam
duceris in Apuliam
Barinam gubernando.
Ab hoste tuens patriam
celestem tu per gloriam
inhabitas letando.
Pro expulsis langoribus
fugatisque demonibus
populus en iubilat.

Exaltatis clamoribus
manat liquor marmoribus:
liniti gradiuntur,
priscis dantur fervoribus;
qui carebant iam motibus
salutem sorciuntur.

Motetus

Sacer pastor Barensium,
regula pontificium,
Nicolae presul, audi
has voces supplicantium
conferendo presidium,
ut hiscant tue laudi.

Abstulisti opprobria
talenti fulvi gratia,
duplicata redidisti
et Deo celi serviens;
et populo subveniens,
cereres impartisti.

In marisque naufragio
plebis in te devocio
succrescit, et collata
habet vires oracio,
ac per te fraudis actio
discedit inse data.

Triplum

O jewel, light, and mirror,
shining over all the world,
life-giving vessel of Italy,
if our present prayer
may but draw thy gaze
to our relief.

Leaving Greece of thine own will
thou art led to Apulia,
governing Bari.
Protecting the land from the enemy
in heavenly glory
thou dwellest there rejoicing.
For thy driving out of disease
and putting of devils to flight
lo! the people cry out for joy.

Shouts are raised,
a fluid flows from the marble;
they are anointed and walk,
they are restored to their former warmth;
those who could no longer move
obtain health.

Motetus

Holy shepherd of the Baresi,
rule for prelates,
Bishop Nicholas, hear
these voices of thy suppliants,
and grant thy protection,
that they may open their mouths in thy praise.

Thou tookest away their shame
with the grace of the golden talent,
and didst return them double,
serving the God of heaven;
and coming to the people's aid,
thou didst share out the corn supplies.

And in the shipwreck at sea
the people's devotion
to thee increaseth,
and their prayer hath force conferred on it,
and through thee
the action of fraud departeth.

[6] Credo

Credo in unum Deum, patrem omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum filium Dei unigenitum. Et ex patre natum ante omnia saecula.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero. Genitum, non factum, consubstantialem patri: per quem omnia facta sunt.
Qui propter nos homines, et propter nostram salutem descendit de coelis. Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine: et homo factus est.
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis: sub Pontio Pilato passus, et sepultus est. Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum scripturas. Et ascendit in coelum: sedet ad dexteram patris.
Et iterum venturus est cum gloria, judicare vivos
et mortuos: cujus regni non erit finis.
Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem: qui ex patre filioque procedit. Qui cum patre et filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur: qui locutus est per prophetas.
Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam. Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum.
Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. Et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.

I believe in one God, the father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God, begotten of his father before all worlds.
God of God, light of light, very God of very God; begotten not made; being of one substance with the father; by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the father.
And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead: whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the father and the son, who with the father and the son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the prophets.
And I believe one catholic and apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
 

[7] Supremum est mortalibus

Supremum est mortalibus bonum
pax, optimum summi dei donum.
Pace vero legum praestantia
viget atque recti constantia;
pace dies solutus et laetus,
nocte somnus trahitur quietus;
pax docuit virginem ornare
auro comam crinesque nodare;
pace rivi psallentes et aves
patent laeti collesque suaves
pace dives pervadit viator,
tutus arva incolit arator.

O sancta pax, diu expectata,
mortalibus tam dulcis, tam grata,
sis eterna, firma, sine fraude,
fidem tecum semper esse gaude.
Et qui nobis, o pax, te dedere
possideant regnum sine fine:
sit noster hic pontifex eternus
Eugenius et rex Sigismundus.
Amen.

The highest good for mortals is peace,
the best gift of God on high.
In peacetime the supremacy of law
has force and constancy in right;
in peacetime the day is free and happy,
at night quiet sleep is prolonged;
peace taught the maiden to adorn her hair
with gold and tie it in a knot;
in peacetime the streams and singing birds
are seen to rejoice, and the pleasant hills;
in peacetime the wealthy traveller reaches his destination, and the ploughman cultivates the fields in safety.

O holy peace, long awaited,
so sweet and pleasing to mortals,
mayst thou be eternal, firm, inviolate,
and ever rejoice that good faith is with thee. And may they that have given us thee, O peace, possess their realms without end;
let Eugenius be our pope on earth for ever
and Sigismund our king.
Amen.

[8] Sanctus & Benedictus

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus sabaoth. Pleni sunt celi et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis.

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

[9] Inclita stella maris

Inclita stella maris, nescia virgo maris
alteriusque paris, quae sine labe paris
almifluo clamore, subveniendo more
nos revellens a ve per Gabrielis ave.

Verbigenamque solum, quem colit omne solum
in Sathanae collum tis acuendo colum,
per decus ingenuum proripis in genium
quo stupet ingenium, dum fluat in senium.

Schema novae legis disseris atque legis,
ut genitrix regis caelica summa regis
praecipiens superis atque sedens super hiis
daemoniis dominans, hiis inhibendo minans.

Quique throno parent, hinc tibi vota parent
tis adigenda seris, quae bona tanta seris.
Dum cinis eveniam, te precor inveniam,
ferre mihi veniam desuper, ut veniam.
Amen.

Renowned star of the sea, maid ignorant of man and of any other thy peer, that bearest without stain, in bounteous wise, with succour for our tarrying, relieving us from woe by Gabriel's "Hail",

the Only Word begotten, whom all earth worshippeth, sharpening thy distaff against Satan's neck, by modest beauty thou rushest into the spirit, whereat the mind is amazed, while it runneth to old age.

Thou declarest and expoundest the form of the New Law; as the King's mother thou rulest the heaven above, commanding the angels and sitting above them; coercing the demons, restraining them by threats.

And hence let thy throne's subjects ready their prayers for thee to be gathered by thy bolts, that strewest so much good. When I become ash, I pray I may find that thou art bringing me mercy from above, that I may come (to thee). Amen.

[10] Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: dona nobis pacem.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace.

[11] Gloria “Spiritus et alme”

Gloria in excelsis Deo. Et in terra pax hominibus bone voluntatis.
Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
Domine Deus, rex celestis, Deus pater omnipotens.
Domine fili unigenite, Jesu Christe.
Spiritus et alme orphanorum paraclite.
Domine Deus, agnus Dei, filius patris, primo genitus Mariae virginis matris, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram, ad Mariae gloriam.
Qui sedes ad dexteram patris, miserere nobis.
Quoniam tu solus sanctus, Mariam sanctificans.
Tu solus Dominus, Mariam gubernans.
Tu solus altissimus, Mariam coronans, Jesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei patris.
Amen.

Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace towards men of goodwill.
We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory,
O Lord God, heavenly king, God the father almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten son Jesus Christ.
O Spirit too, kindly consoler of the bereft.
O Lord God, lamb of God, son of the father, firstborn of Mary the virgin mother, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer, to the glory of Mary.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the father, have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy, hallowing Mary.
Thou only art the Lord, governing Mary.
Thou only art most high, crowning Mary, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Ghost in the glory of God the father. Amen.

[12] O sancte Sebastiane

Triplum

O sancte Sebastiane,
semper, vespere et mane,
horis cunctis et momentis,
dum adhuc sum sanis mentis
me protege et conserva
et a me, martyr, enerva
infirmitatem noxiam
vocatam epidemiam.
Tu de peste huiusmodi
me defende et custodi
et omnes amicos meos,
qui nos confitemur reos
Deo et sanctae Marie
et tibi, o martyr pie.

Tu Mediolanus civis
hanc pestilentiam, si vis,
potes facere cessare
et ad Deum impetrare,
quia a multis est scitum,
quod de hoc habes meritum.

Zoe mutam tu sanasti
et sanatam restaurasti
Nicostrato eius viro,
hoc faciens modo miro.

In agone consolabas
martyres et promittebas
eis sempiternam vitam
et martyribus debitam.
Amen.

Motetus

O martyr Sebastiane,
tu semper nobiscum mane
atque per tua merita
nos, qui sumus in hac vita,

custodi, sana et rege
et a peste nos protege
presentans nos trinitati
et virgini sanctae matri.

Et sic vitam finiamus,
quod mercedem habeamus
et martyrum consortium
et Deum videre pium.

Contra

O quam mire refulsit gratia
Sebastianus, martyr inclytus,
qui militis portans insignia,
sed de fratrum palma sollicitus
confortavit corda palentia
verbo sibi collato celitus.

Triplum

O Saint Sebastian,
always, evening and morning,
at all hours and moments,
while I am still of sound mind,
protect and preserve me
and, O martyr, break the power over me
of the harmful sickness
called Epidemic.
Do thou defend and guard
from such plague
me and all my friends,
who confess ourselves guilty
to God and holy Mary
and thee, merciful martyr.

Thou, a citizen of Milan,
hast the power, if thou hast the will,
to cause this pestilence to cease
and obtain a boon from God,
for it is well known to many
that thou hast earned merit with him.

Thou didst heal Zoe the dumb
and restore her healed
to her husband Nicostratus,
doing this in wondrous wise.

In the conflict thou didst console
the martyrs and promise them
life everlasting,
owed to martyrs.
Amen.

Motetus

O martyr Sebastian,
do thou ever remain with us
and by thy merits guard,
heal, and govern us who are in this life,

and protect us from the plague,
presenting us before the
Trinity and the holy Virgin Mother.

And may we end our lives
in such manner that we have as reward
both the company of the martyrs
and the sight of God the merciful.

Contra

O with what wondrous grace
did Sebastian, the renowned martyr, shine,
who wearing the uniform of a soldier,
but concerned for his brethren's palm of martyrdom, comforted their bloodless hearts
with the word bestowed on him by heaven.

Notes on Performance and Editions

The performing editions used in this recording take as a starting point the musical and literary texts as transcribed and edited by Heinrich Besseler in the Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae series. On occasions these versions have been changed after consultation with facsimiles of the manuscript Bologna Q15, while text underlay and musica ficta have been substantially altered during the rehearsal process. In particular, lower voices have been texted where possible and appropriate, Inclita stella maris being the only work in which the lower parts are entirely vocalised. We have thus rendered in sound the speculative comments of David Fallows about this work in his important study Dufay (London, 1982, p. 132).

I regret that the article by Leofranc Holford-Strevens on Dufay’s literary texts (in Early Music History, xvi—1997) did not come to my attention until after the recording had been made. This article suggests emendations to the texts of the motets which, though having no substantial impact upon the aural experience of these works, ought nevertheless to be incorporated in future editions and recordings of these works. It is hoped that those who use CD booklets as part of their research into these works will take note and not perpetuate these mistakes in the future.

In line with the suggestions of Charles W. Fox and, more recently, Timothy J. McGee (The Sound of Medieval Song, Oxford, 1998) we have interpreted the signs which in modern notation indicate pauses, as indications of the opportunity for ‘cantus coronatus’, or a form of improvised decoration. This ornamentation is somewhat experimental, but was influenced in part by the kind of ornamentation which is to be found in Italian vocal music of the early Baroque and which was presumably influenced by earlier Renaissance practice.

Edward Wickham, July 2001