34th SEASON 16th Century Polish Music

Corina Marti harpsichord

In recognition and appreciation of EMSI Members, Subscribers, Donors, and Volunteers whose contributions enrich the Society

24 February 2019 St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church UpcomingConcerts

Quartets of Haydn, Beethoven, and Schubert 9 March 2019 Saturday 8pm Alix Goolden Hall Chiaroscuro String Quartet (EUROPE)

Victoria’s and Penitential 23 March 2019 Saturday 8pm co-presented by Christ Church Cathedral Choir of Clare College Cambridge (UK)

Gate to the East 6 April 2019 Saturday 8pm Alix Goolden Hall Marco Beasley tenor (ITALY) Constantinople (MONTREAL) Kiya Tabassian setar and direction Programme Notes

TABVLATVRA IOANNIS DE LYVBLYN CANONIC. composing a four-part work based on a melody taken from REGLARIV. DE CRASNYK 1540 These are the words plainchant (). The text is illustrated with many embossed on the cover of the manuscript preserved in musical examples, and also refers to the Fundamentum Kraków, regarded as the largest collection of keyboard – counterpoint patterns useful in composing. These are music from sixteenth-century Europe. This inscription scattered at various points of the manuscript. On the last gave this collection its common name: the ‘tablature of two pages of the book, we find tuning instructions for the Jan of Lublin.’ The words on the cover tell us that the organ, the manner of achieving the most satisfactory sound book belonged to the monastery of Canons Regular in of various intervals. The two treatises are an invaluable Kraśnik near Lublin (‘canonic[orum] reg[u]lariu[m] de source of knowledge about organ music in the first half Crasnyk’) and was bound in 1540. Within these boards of the sixteenth century, allowing us to learn its governing covered in brown leather, now somewhat worn, we find principles – in many details so very different from the 260 paper folios with the dimensions 320 by 205 mm. The principles of vocal music. We assume that the author of manuscript contains more than 230 compositions, two these texts is Jan of Lublin. theoretical treatises, and over 250 music examples with a The tablature was thus a compendium of theoretical didactic purpose. The musical content is in the so-called knowledge useful for teaching organists, but its contents German tablature notation, a combination of music notes mostly deal with matters that are very practical. We find and letters. Changes in the handwriting indicate that a there an extensive choice of repertory to be played during number of people were involved in the book’s creation, the liturgy. These are largely arrangements for the organ of and the dates which appear next to some compositions various vocal works, both polyphonic (e.g., mass sections suggest that its compilation took longer than a decade and motets) and monophonic (plainchant melodies (1537‒1548). There is no doubt that the main scribe and and religious songs). However, the set of compositions owner of the book was Jan of Lublin, whose name stands entered here is much richer. There are also intabulations out on the cover. (instrumental versions) of secular polyphonic songs, as well Who created this impressive collection? It is difficult to as pieces originally composed for a keyboard instrument establish the facts of his biography, since we cannot always – above all, preambula and dances. The richness of this be sure that all the references to Joannes de Lublin concern repertory is truly impressive in terms of the musical the person of interest to us (it was quite a common name). genres and composers represented and the instrumental We assume that the owner of the tablature was educated techniques employed. We find here works of Polish, at the university in Kraków, where he was awarded his German, Italian, and French origin, including older ones baccalaureate in 1508. From 1528, he was probably an from as far back as the end of the fifteenth century as well altarist at the Marian church in Kraków where he was as new ones. also a member of the masonry brotherhood. He probably Studying the contents of the tablature is a journey worked as an organist there until at least 1535, when his into the unknown without a guide or a compass since the name appears in documents for the last time. By 1540, compilers entered compositions without any apparent when the tablature was being bound, he must have already plan or order. Liturgical pieces are intertwined with secular been in Kraśnik, but we know nothing about his life at the ones, short and simple pieces with more complex ones. monastery. We only know that Jan of Lublin died on 14 Some compositions break off, only to be continued many November 1552, a fact diligently noted in the monastic pages later. We find the same melodies arranged in many obituaries. This is a life reduced to a few facts with the different ways and different pieces with the same titles. A manuscript bearing his name at the centre. detailed analysis leads us to the conclusion that the oldest On the first pages of Jan of Lublin’s tablature, we find part of the manuscript was written prior to 1540, perhaps a theoretical treatise which discusses the instrumental in Kraków, and here some of the compositions are grouped counterpoint for organists. It contains a set of rules for thematically. However, most of the pages were filled in

3 after the book had been bound, undoubtedly at Kraśnik. they belong to polyphonic repertory, where most frequently It was not necessary to introduce a systematic order into we have four simultaneous voices. Polyphonic artistry at this enormous anthology of organ music. Its scribes were its highest, with extensive use of imitation, can be heard also its users and navigating through the thicket of various in the motets Deus qui sedes super thronum by Johann compositions probably did not pose major problems Walter, Sicut lilium inter spinas by Antoine Brumel, and for them. Tribulatio et angustia attributed to Josquin. It is difficult to This diversity of chaotically-juxtaposed compositions assign some pieces to a particular genre. It is also unknown offers modern performers a myriad of interpretations. whether they were originally composed for an instrument The tablature of Jan of Lublin may be viewed as both a or the voice. For example, Pressa is one of the pieces which document of organ practice at a specific musical centre present such problems. and a source of music for keyboard instruments to be used The tablature of Jan of Lublin contains compositions in different contexts on different occasions. One might from various parts of Europe. However, what makes it be tempted to use these compositions to reconstruct a largely unique are its associations with the Polish culture. mass sung alternately with organ playing (the alternatim A number of dances are given Polish titles which point to technique), but one could also use it to highlight the songs as their possible source: Jeszcze Marczynye [Martin virtuosity of a musician, demonstrating the full range of again], Zaklolam szÿa tharnem [I pricked myself with a his talent outside the church. Multifunctionality was a thorn] and Schephczyk ÿdzÿe po ulÿczÿ schÿdelka noschacz feature of music collections at that time, as was freedom [A cobbler walks along the street carrying a crochet]. There of choice in instrument on which the compositions were are names or monograms of Polish musicians. Many of to be performed. In the case of the tablature of Jan of the intabulations were the work of Mikołaj of Kraków Lublin, we should consider not only the organ but also (Nicolaus Cracoviensis), while two compositions are the cembalo, the clavichord, and the claviorganum or the attributed to Seweryn Koń (Colenda Severini). At the time harpsichord, chosen as appropriate for the specific kind Jan’s tablature was written, musical culture in Poland was of repertory. truly blossoming. King Sigismund Augustus employed the Compositions which could be performed outside the outstanding Hungarian lutenist Valentin Greff Bakfark at church primarily included those without a clear connection his international court, which soon saw the appearance of to the liturgy. The tablature includes more than twenty a number of talented composers: Wacław of Szamotuły, preambula, in different keys, which could serve as short Marcin Leopolita, and Mikołaj Gomółka. introductions to larger compositions. Their character The tablature of Jan of Lublin is not an isolated is semi-improvisatory, with extensive use of typically- document relating to organ music in sixteenth-century instrumental figurations. Longer dance-like pieces carry Poland. Much evidence concludes that keyboard music specific titles or just the name ‘corea’. They are characterised was the subject of particular nurture. A tablature of the by clear rhythms and repeatability of short sections and, monastery of the Holy Spirit in Kraków, less voluminous in accordance with the old tradition, after a section in but with a similar repertory, was written during the same duple metre comes a section in triple metre (proportio). period (1548). Unfortunately, it was lost during the The melodic line for the right hand comes with chordal Second World War. This makes the pages filled with music accompaniment in the left hand. The other pieces are that are held within the covers inscribed TABVLATVRA intabulations of vocal compositions. We find among them IOANNIS DE LYVBLYN even more precious. by such composers as , Claudin de Sermisy, and Pierre Sandrin as well as numerous motets. Paweł Gancarczyk In contrast to homophonic, instrumental compositions, Translated by Zofia Weaver

4 The Artist

Corina Marti ensembles and orchestras including Hespèrion XXI, Coro Harpsichordist and recorder player Corina Marti is della Radiotelevisione Svizzera Italiana, and Helsinki internationally recognized for her "strikingly superior" Baroque Orchestra. She is artistic co-director and founding and "expressive" interpretations (Toccata), and “infallible” member of La Morra, an award-winning Late Medieval (Diapason) technique. and Early music ensemble which, “never fails Her extensive discography of repertoire ranges from to keep the listener’s attention alive” (Gramophone). the fourteenth-century istanpitte and intabulations to the Marti’s ongoing research into repertoire and chamber music and solo concertos of the High Baroque, reconstruction of Late Medieval and Early Renaissance reflecting the breadth of her musical interests and technical keyboard instruments and recorders has contributed skills. substantially to the present-day revival of these instruments. Soloist, chamber musician, and teacher, Marti performs She teaches the next generation of performers regularly across Europe, both Americas, and the Middle at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland, and Far East. She has appeared with numerous early music and in masterclasses worldwide.

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