De fructu vitae (Jean Maillard)

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(Posted 2020-10-03) CPDL #60768:

Editor: Adrian Wall (submitted 2020-10-03). Score information: A4, 4 pages, 667 kB Copyright: Personal

Edition notes: Transposed up a minor 3rd. Note values halved.

General Information

Title: De fructu vitae
Composer: Jean Maillard
Lyricist:

Number of voices: 5vv Voicing: SSATB
Genre: Sacred, Motet

Language: Latin
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1555 in Moteta quatuor, quinque, et sex vocum liber primus (Le Roy & Ballard, Paris), no. 9
2nd published: 1565 in Modulorum Ioannis Maillardi. Primum volumen. (Le Roy & Ballard, Paris)
Description: In the sources, the quinta pars has the inscription Canon. Tout vient a poinct qui scait attendre ("All things come on time to him who knows to wait"). The plainchant cantus firmus (an antiphon for St Cecilia's Day) is printed with (in the 1555 volume) numbers beneath, at the start and in each of the gaps between phrases. The resolution is in 2 parts: firstly a pun on à point – all the notes should be read as dotted; secondly, the singer should wait the given number of beats in each gap. In their 1565 volume of Maillard's motets, the publishers print this resolution in full.

External websites:

Original text and translations

Latin text

De fructu vitae non gustabit cor tuum
nec sub umbra alarum mearum protegeris in aeternum.
Nam virgineum decus futuro sponso
immaculatum custodiam in saeculum saeculi.

Cantus firmus: Fiat cor meum et corpus meum immactulatum ut non confundar.

English translation

Your heart will not taste the fruit of life
and you will be protected under the shadow of my wings in eternity.
For I will keep your virgin honour
immaculate from your future husband forever.

Cantus firmus: May my heart and my body be immaculate, that I not be confounded.