The /badly damaged, but surviving!/ autograph score to Jan Dismas Zelenka's motet /Z. 60/, "Deus dux fortissime", translated to English as "God the most powerful leader". Composed in 1716, it is one of Zelenka's earliest surviving compositions, composed for the Jesuit grammar school in Prague's lesser town, composed also during the same time period and for the same Jesuit institution as the sister motets "Immisit Dominus pestilentiam" and "Attendite et videte", /Z. 58 and Z.59/ respectively. This music was usually played at the holy sepulchre, where following the Good Friday liturgy - which at the time took place in the morning - the holiest sacrament was placed. These motets were actually designated as a "cantata for the holy sepulchre", /as they are also stated in the old inventories of the Court Church of Dresden, dating from the middle of the 18th century/, or simply "sepolcri". It is not entirely clear what form these productions put on by the Klementinum Jesuits took, yet the music is likely to have been closely connected with the adornment of the holy sepulchre, which was paid great attention to every year. The Jesuits usually printed out a sort of "guide" to this decoration, as well as synopses and librettos containing the compositions lyrics. However, these sources are not available from the year when Zelenka's three sepolcri were performed /1709-12-16/. The text on the title-page of the autograph preserved in Dresden not only provide information pertaining to the date, place of origin and assignment of the compositions but also reveal that they were written to be commissioned for none other than Count Hartig - that the first performance of the seplocro in 1709 was conducted by Zelenka himself, and that at the time Zelenka was in Hartig's services. The title-pages of the two later sepolcri disclose which of the Hartig brothers was in question, since they mention his office of imperial vice-regent. This makes it evident that Zelenka's Prague patron and the man who commissioned the sepolcri was Knight, /later Baron and from 1725 Count,/ Johann Hubert Hartig /1671-1741/. We do not know whether Zelenka's sepolcri were also performed in Dresden. However, the fact that they were well-known and disseminated throughout Bohemia is documented by the copy of the aria "Recordare, Domine" from /Z. 58/, which has been preserved in the collection of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Mělník. In 1729 it was acquired by the composer Šimon Brixi, whose interest in the work of his older colleague comes as no surprise. Zelenka's three sepolcri are truly remarkable pieces, embodying all the traits of their creator's magnificent compositional style.
Latin text with English translation: 1. Deus, dux fortissime, nostros exercitus robora virtutibus. Hostium sic machine, robor et insidiae fractal erunt et perditae. 2. Solare, Christiadum turba, vexilla Regis prodeunt, fulget crucis mysterium et super crucis triumphum jam gloriosum fulget victoriae signum. 3. Ave crucis, ave lignum, certum triumphi signum. 4. Tu nostra es vera, tu gloria; spes, eris et certa victoria; spes. In cruce est salus, in cruce est pax, in cruce sic fulget Christiadum fax. Hoc signo vincuntur, qui hoc persequuntur, hoc ligno frangitur, hoc hostis angitur. 5. Ave, crucis, ave, lignum, certum triumphi signum. 6. In ilia die gentes deprecabuntur eum, qui stat in signum populorum. Et erit sepulchrum ejus gloriosum, Adjiciet Dominus secundum manum suam ad possidendum residuum populi sui. 7. O, salutaris hostia, quae coeli pandis ostium, bella premunt hostilia, da robur, fer auxilium. ----- ✞ ----- 1. Oh God, the mightiest commander, Give strength and courage To our armies, Crushed and destroyed Shall then be the machines of our enemies, Their force and wiles. 2. Comfort, ye host of Christians, The banners of the King advance, The mystery of the cross shines And above the triumph of the cross Shines the glorious Sign of victory. 3. Ave, cross, Ave, wood, The clear sign of victory. 4. You are our real hope for glory, You shall be the certain hope for victory. In the cross lies salvation, in the cross lies peace, In the cross shines the light of Christians. This sign vanquishes those Who pursue them. This wood shall break and Flatten the enemy. 5. Ave, cross, Ave, wood, The clear sign of victory. 6. On that day the breeds shall invoke he Who stands as a sign for peoples. And his sepulchre shall be glorious. For the second time shall the Lord lay his hand, To embrace the rest of his people. 7. O, salutary sacrifice, You that open the gates of heaven, Hostilities rage, Give us the strength, come to our aid.
Other Works for Holy Week (Z. 53-63) > ua-cam.com/play/PLBbL1YJd7_Wou6fX0pxDit1tfkQmi8cDr.html
Zelanka is my favorite composer hardly anyone has heard of. Thank you for posting this.
You and me too
The /badly damaged, but surviving!/ autograph score to Jan Dismas Zelenka's motet /Z. 60/, "Deus dux fortissime", translated to English as "God the most powerful leader".
Composed in 1716, it is one of Zelenka's earliest surviving compositions, composed for the Jesuit grammar school in Prague's lesser town, composed also during the same time period and for the same Jesuit institution as the sister motets "Immisit Dominus pestilentiam" and "Attendite et videte", /Z. 58 and Z.59/ respectively.
This music was usually played at the holy sepulchre, where following the Good Friday liturgy - which at the time took place in the morning - the holiest sacrament was placed. These motets were actually designated as a "cantata for the holy sepulchre", /as they are also stated in the old inventories of the Court Church of Dresden, dating from the middle of the 18th century/, or simply "sepolcri".
It is not entirely clear what form these productions put on by the Klementinum Jesuits took, yet the music is likely to have been closely connected with the adornment of the holy sepulchre, which was paid great attention to every year.
The Jesuits usually printed out a sort of "guide" to this decoration, as well as synopses and librettos containing the compositions lyrics. However, these sources are not available from the year when Zelenka's three sepolcri were performed /1709-12-16/.
The text on the title-page of the autograph preserved in Dresden not only provide information pertaining to the date, place of origin and assignment of the compositions but also reveal that they were written to be commissioned for none other than Count Hartig - that the first performance of the seplocro in 1709 was conducted by Zelenka himself, and that at the time Zelenka was in Hartig's services.
The title-pages of the two later sepolcri disclose which of the Hartig brothers was in question, since they mention his office of imperial vice-regent. This makes it evident that Zelenka's Prague patron and the man who commissioned the sepolcri was Knight, /later Baron and from 1725 Count,/ Johann Hubert Hartig /1671-1741/.
We do not know whether Zelenka's sepolcri were also performed in Dresden. However, the fact that they were well-known and disseminated throughout Bohemia is documented by the copy of the aria "Recordare, Domine" from /Z. 58/, which has been preserved in the collection of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Mělník. In 1729 it was acquired by the composer Šimon Brixi, whose interest in the work of his older colleague comes as no surprise. Zelenka's three sepolcri are truly remarkable pieces, embodying all the traits of their creator's magnificent compositional style.
Splendido!
Latin text with English translation:
1. Deus, dux fortissime,
nostros exercitus
robora virtutibus.
Hostium sic machine,
robor et insidiae
fractal erunt et perditae.
2. Solare, Christiadum turba,
vexilla Regis prodeunt,
fulget crucis mysterium
et super crucis triumphum
jam gloriosum fulget
victoriae signum.
3. Ave crucis, ave lignum,
certum triumphi signum.
4. Tu nostra es vera, tu gloria; spes,
eris et certa victoria; spes.
In cruce est salus, in cruce est pax,
in cruce sic fulget Christiadum fax.
Hoc signo vincuntur,
qui hoc persequuntur,
hoc ligno frangitur,
hoc hostis angitur.
5. Ave, crucis, ave, lignum,
certum triumphi signum.
6. In ilia die gentes deprecabuntur eum,
qui stat in signum populorum.
Et erit sepulchrum ejus gloriosum,
Adjiciet Dominus secundum manum suam
ad possidendum residuum populi sui.
7. O, salutaris hostia,
quae coeli pandis ostium,
bella premunt hostilia,
da robur, fer auxilium.
----- ✞ -----
1. Oh God, the mightiest commander,
Give strength and courage
To our armies,
Crushed and destroyed
Shall then be the machines of our enemies,
Their force and wiles.
2. Comfort, ye host of Christians,
The banners of the King advance,
The mystery of the cross shines
And above the triumph of the cross
Shines the glorious
Sign of victory.
3. Ave, cross, Ave, wood,
The clear sign of victory.
4. You are our real hope for glory,
You shall be the certain hope for victory.
In the cross lies salvation, in the cross lies peace,
In the cross shines the light of Christians.
This sign vanquishes those
Who pursue them. This wood shall break
and Flatten the enemy.
5. Ave, cross, Ave, wood,
The clear sign of victory.
6. On that day the breeds shall invoke he
Who stands as a sign for peoples.
And his sepulchre shall be glorious.
For the second time shall the Lord lay his hand,
To embrace the rest of his people.
7. O, salutary sacrifice,
You that open the gates of heaven,
Hostilities rage,
Give us the strength, come to our aid.
THANKS FOR TRANSLATION
excellent motet，seems that the 1st aria ‘deus dex fortissime’ has somewhat resemblance to the “quoniam tu solus sancto’ of the Missa 1724 …