Quam pulchra es et quam decora (Jacob Meiland)
Music files
ICON | SOURCE |
---|---|
Mp3 | |
MusicXML | |
Capella | |
File details | |
Help |
- Editor: Gerhard Weydt (submitted 2021-12-26). Score information: A4, 5 pages, 156 kB Copyright: CPDL
- Edition notes:
General Information
Title: Quam pulchra es et quam decora
Composer: Jacob Meiland
Lyricist:
Number of voices: 5vv Voicing: SATTB
Genre: Sacred, Motet
Language: Latin
Instruments: A cappella
First published: 1576 in Cantiones aliquot novae (Jacob Meiland), no. 1
Description:
External websites:
Original text and translations
Original text and translations may be found at Quam pulchra es a 6 (Orlando di Lasso).
These translations, though, sometimes disregard the Latin text, especially at the end, where "dentibus" is completely left out in all of them, and something like "sleeping" or "slumbering" is added, which is not found in the Latin text; which, at that time, was probably the only relevant source, regardless of anything a Hebrew or Greek text might reveal. There is some indication that Meiland understood "ruminate" in its strict, literal meaning, "rehashing", as bovines use to do, as he repeats that word as well as "dentibus" many times, (he uses "word painting" also with "ascendam in palmam", by ascending note sequences, or by slowing down the pace because of the difficulty to climb up). So here's an attempt at an alternative translation. Meiland also as some differences at the end of the text: "odor malorum" instead of simply "malorum" , and he moves "ruminandum" forward.
Latin text Quam pulchra es et quam decora, charissima, in delitiis, |
German translation Wie schön du bist und wie lieblich, Liebste, in deiner Wonne,
|
English translation How beautiful you are, and how pleasant, dearest, in your delight,
|