Description
The Schedelsche Liederbuch marks a milestone in the history of music, as one of the first song collections to herald the beginning of the new musical era of the Renaissance in the German-speaking world. Created in Nuremberg, the home town of the renowned physician and humanist historian Hartmann Schedel, this collection is a valuable treasure that offers a deep insight into the musical past of this flourishing city.
Historical significance
The creation of this work in Nuremberg, presumably during Schedel’s time as a student in Leipzig, and his comprehensive collection of a total of 150 songs are a testimony to the rich musical culture of the Renaissance in Germany. This special selection of one- and two-part tenor songs of German provenance illuminates a fascinating section of the complete works and illustrates Schedel’s contribution to the preservation of the early music of this epoch.
Selection and content
The carefully curated selection of this edition is based on the facsimile edition from the series “Das Erbe deutscher Musik”. It focuses on one- and two-part tenor songs and offers a musical journey through the Renaissance. Particularly noteworthy are the monophonic German-language songs “Ach scheiden bitter ist dein art” and “Ach scheiden wie gar betrubstu mich”, which are supplemented by harmonization suggestions, as well as polyphonic movements that reflect the musical diversity of the time.
Transmission and musical subtleties
The transfer of the songs into this edition of “Das Schedelsche Liederbuch” was carried out with meticulous care in order to preserve the integrity of the original compositions. Particularly noteworthy is the consideration of the “alternating rhythm” that characterizes the musical pieces and challenges traditional time signatures. The mensural time signature merely serves as a guide to convey the original musical intention as authentically as possible.
The uniqueness of the collection
The Schedelsche Liederbuch is impressive not only because of its historical significance, but also because of Hartmann Schedel’s passion for collecting works that offer an incomparable insight into the musical landscape of Nuremberg during the Renaissance. This collection is an invaluable resource for musicians, historians and music enthusiasts alike.
Additions and further insights
This edition of “Das Schedelsche Liederbuch” is enriched by an appendix with additional songs, notes and acknowledgements, which offer further insights into the musical practice of the time. A particular highlight is the piece by Conrad Paumann, which gives an impression of the three-part song movements in the collection and further emphasizes the musical diversity of this period.
Conclusion
The Schedelsche Liederbuch is an indispensable addition to any musical collection that not only preserves the musical heritage but also invites the study and performance of early Renaissance music. With its special focus on one- and two-part tenor songs, it opens up a unique perspective on the musical diversity and cultural richness of this important era.
Foreword
The Schedelsche Liederbuch is one of the first collections of songs of the new music of the Renaissance that began in the German-speaking world. These collections include the Glogauer Liederbuch (around 1480), the Rostocker Liederbuch (around 1470) and the Lochamer Liederbuch (around 1460). The Schedelsche Liederbuch is closest to the latter collection both in terms of space and time. The Locham songbook was most probably written in Nuremberg.
The physician and humanist historian Hartmann Schedel was also born there on February 13, 1440. From 1456 to 1461, he studied medicine in Leipzig and then continued his education with legal studies. From 1463 to 1466, he completed his medical studies in Padua and graduated with a doctorate. From 1467 he was back in Germany as a town doctor, first in Nördlin gen and Amberg, then from 1481 permanently in his home town of Nuremberg. Hartmann Schedel was a passionate collector of manuscripts and books.
This passion for collecting is one of the reasons for the existence of the songbook. His main work is the world chronicle he published in 1493, the largest book project to appear in Latin and German in Nuremberg before 1500. He died in his home town on November 28, 1514.
He compiled the songbook during his time as a student in Leipzig. He had largely completed it before his stay in Italy and created a register. After his return from Italy, he added a few more songs until 1467.
The song corpus consists of a total of 150 pieces. Only the lyrics of 23 songs are recorded. Among the remaining 127 pieces, the proportion of three-part movements predominates. 15 numbers are in Latin, 35 works are mostly of French origin or from Burgundy or Italy. The remaining 77 compositions are either German song movements or pieces of music.
The selection of German provenance presented here is limited to the one- and two-part tenor songs, which make up only a small part of the complete works.
The facsimile edition from the series “Das Erbe deutscher Musik” volume 84, Das Liederbuch des Dr. Hartmann Schedel, edited by Bettina Wackernagel, Kassel 1978, served as a model for the transcription.
Only clear errors and distortions are conjured up in the reproduction of the lyrics. Ellisions are provided with a subitem. In the case of shortened text lines, the omitted lines are
Syllables marked with a + in front of the line.
Author:in
Frank S. Wunderlich
Frank S. Wunderlich is a fascinating personality who has immersed himself deeply in the world of medieval music. Born in Giessen/Upper Hesse in 1960, he began his musical journey as a boy soprano with the “Pueri Cantores St. Bonifatius” in Giessen. This experience laid the foundation for his later love of medieval music.
Frank spent a year in a Cistercian monastery, where the daily care of the time-honored Cistercian choir awakened his passion for medieval music. After graduating from high school, he studied philosophy, musicology and theology in Frankfurt am Main and Würzburg. He successfully completed his studies in Catholic theology in 1986.
Frank has lived on the Lower Main since 1988, first in Großheubach and now in Lützelbach. His love of medieval music remained unbroken and he deepened his knowledge in special courses. Frank is not only a lover of medieval music, but also an active part of this scene.
He co-founded the group “Vogelfrey und unvuortzaget” in 1995 and played in smaller groups such as “Bluomenrot” and “Vrouwenheide” from 2001 onwards. He also published various song cycles by minstrels, including that of the 13th century minstrel Von Obernburg.
Frank’s discography is impressive and reflects his dedication to medieval music. He has taken part in numerous recordings and was named Minstrel of the Year in 2005. His musical journey took him to various locations, including Spangenberg Castle, Falkenstein Castle in the Harz Mountains and Trifels Castle in the Palatinate, where he celebrated the beauty of medieval music.
However, his deep connection to medieval music goes far beyond his career. Frank is the deanery representative for liturgy and church music and leads a choral choir. Medieval music is not only a professional aspect, but also a personal balance to his other tasks.
Frank S. Wunderlich finds an inner power in medieval music that is inherent in the old melodies. His passionate dedication and deep respect for this musical tradition make him an important figure in the world of medieval music.
