Choralis Constantinus

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The Choralis Constantinus is a collection of over 375 Gregorian chant-based polyphonic motets for the proper of the mass composed by Heinrich Isaac and his pupil Ludwig Senfl. The genesis of the collection is a commission by the Constance Cathedral for Isaac, at that time the official court composer for the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, to compose a set of motets for the special holy days celebrated in the diocese of Constance. Isaac was in Constance at the time (April 1508) with the Imperial court as Maximilian had called a meeting of the German nobility (Reichstag) there. The music was delivered to the Constance Cathedral in late 1508 and early 1509.

Contents

After Isaac's death in 1517 his pupil Ludwig Senfl, who had been a member of the Imperial chapel choir, compiled music composed for Constance and for the Habsburg Imperial court into the collection which was published by Hieronymus Formschneider in Nuremberg in three volumes (1550–1555) and titled the Choralis Constantinus. Gerhard Pätzig, in his dissertation for the University of Tübingen in 1956, compared available manuscripts with the Formschneider print and determined that the music written for the Constance Cathedral was most of that contained in Volume II and parts of Volume III of the Formschneider publication. The remainder of the Choralis Constantinus is from Maximilian's court repertory.

A modern edition appeared in Volumes 10 and 32 of Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich , the latter edited by Anton Webern, the famous composer, who was a composition student of Arnold Schoenberg. He prepared this volume as part of his dissertation for the University of Vienna, where he received his PhD in 1906. Volume III, edited by Louise Cuyler, was published by the University of Michigan Press in 1950. The Formschneider edition was reprinted with short introductory essays by Edward R. Lerner (Peer: Alamire, 1990–1994).

Each Feast contains a polyphonic motet, based on the corresponding Gregorian chant for the Introit, Alleluia (or Tract) and Communion. Volume II contains most of the Solemn Feasts. Those Propers all include alternate verses of the Sequence hymn, set thus so as to allow for alternatim performance between the choir and the organist. The medieval Sequence was of particular interest to the Constance diocese, which included the monasteries of Reichenau and St. Gall where many Sequences originated.

Choralis Constantinus I(Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich , Volume 10):

Asperges me Domine/Gloria Patri
IntroitAlleluiaTractSequenceCommunion
De Sanctissima TrinitateBenedicta sit sancta TrinitasBenedictus es, DomineBenedicta semper sancta sit TrinitasBenedicite Deum
Domenica I p. PentecostenDomine in tuaDomine Deus salutisNarrabo omnia mirabili
Domenica II p. PentecostenFactus est DominusDeus judex justusCantabo Domino
Domenica III p. PentecostenRespice in meDiligam te virtusEgo clamavi
Domenica IV p. PentecostenDominus illuminatioDomine in virtu teDominus firmamentum
Domenica V p. PentecostenExaudi DomineIn te DomineUnam petii
Domenica VI p. PentecostenDominus fortitudoOmnes gentes plauditeCircuibo et immolabo
Domenica VII p. PentecostenOmnes gentes plauditeEripe me de inimicisInclina aurem
Domenica VIII p. PentecostenSuscepimus DeusTe decet hymnusGustate et videte
Domenica IX p. PentecostenEcce DeusAttendite populoPrimum regnum
Domenica X p. PentecostenDum clamarumExultate DeoAcceptabis sacrificium
Domenica XI p. PentecostenDeus in locoHonora de tua
Domenica XII p. PentecostenDeus meusDomine refugiumDe fructu saciabitur
Domenica XIII p. PentecostenRespice DomineVenite exultemusPanem dedisti
Domenica XIV p. PentecostenProtector et respiceQuoniam magnusPanis quem ego
Domenica XV p. PentecostenInclina DomineParatum corQui manducat
Domenica XVI p. PentecostenMiserere nostri DomineIn exituDomine memora
Domenica XVII p. PentecostenJustus es DomineDilexi quoniamVovete Domino
Domenica XVIII p. PentecostenDa pacem DomineLaudate DominumTollite et introite
Domenica XIX p. PentecostenSalus populiDextera DeiTu mandisti
Domenica XX p. PentecostenOmnia quaeDeus judexMemento servo tua
Domenica XXI p. PentecostenIn voluntateDe profundisIn salutari anima mea
Domenica XXII p. PentecostenSi iniquitatesConfiteor tibiDico vobis
Domenica XXIII p. PentecostenDixit DominumQui posuitAmen Dico vobis
Adventus IAd te levaviOstende nobisDominus dabit
Adventus IIPopule SionLaetatus SionJerusalem surge
Adventus IIIGaudete in DominoExcita DomineDicite confortamini
Adventus IVMemento nostriVeni DomineEcce virgo
Domenica intra oct. EpiphaniaeIn excelsoJubilate DeoFili quid ego
Domenica I p. EpiphaniaeOmnis terraLaudate DeumDicit Dominum
Domenica II p. EpiphaniaeAdorate DeumDominus regnavitMirabantur omnes
SeptuagesimaCircumdederunt meDe profundisIllumina faciem
SexagesimaExurge quareCommovisti DomineIntroibo adalta
QuinquagesimaEsto mihiJubilate DominoManducaverunt et
CinerumMisereris omniumDomine non secundumQui mediatur
InvocavitInvocabit et egoQui habitatScapulis suis
ReminiscereReminiscere miserationumDixit DominusIntelligite clamorem
OculiOculi meiAd te levaviPasser invenit
LaetareLaetare JerusalemQui confiduntJerusalem quae
JudicaJudica me DeusSaepe expugnaveruntHoc corpus
PalmarumDomine ne longaDeus meusPater si non
Quasimodo genitiQuasimodo genitiMitte manum
Misericordia DominiMisericordia DominiSurrexit pastorEgo sum pastor
JubilateJubilate omnis terraSurrexit ChristusModicum et non
CantateCantate DominoCum venerit
Vocem JucunditatisVocem jucunditatisBenedictus esCantate Domino
ExaudiExaudi DominePater cum

Choralis Constantinus II ( Denkmäler der Tonkunst in Österreich , Volume 32):

IntroitAlleluiaSequenceCommunionOther
Natalis DominiPuer natusDies sanctificatusNatus ante saeculaViderunt omnes
CircumcisionisVultum tuumPost partumLaetabundus exsultetSimile homini
Epiphanie (6 Jan.)Ecce advenitVidimus stellamFesta ChristiVidimus stellam
Purificationis Mariae (2 Feb.)Suscepimus DeusPost partumConcentu parilliResponsum SimeonGaude Maria (tract)
Anunciationis Mariae (25 Mar.)Rorate coeliEcce virgoAve Maria (tract)
Resurrectione DominiResurrexi et adhucPascha nostrumLaudes SalvatoriPascha nostrumHaec Dies (gradual)
Ascensionis DominiViri GalileiDominus in sinaSummi TriumphumPsallite qui ascendit
Sancto SpiritusSpiritus DominiVeni sancte SpiritusSancti SpiritusFactus est
Corpore ChristiCibavit eosCaro meaLauda SionQui manducat
Johannis BaptistaeDe ventreInternatos mulierumSancti baptistaeTu puer propheta
Johannes et PauliMultae et dehisIsti suntHaec die venerandaEt sicoram tormenta
Petri et PauliNunc scioTu es PetrusPetre summi ChristiTu es Petrus
Visitationis Mariae (31 May, formerly July)Gaudeamus omnesMagnificatLauda sponsaBeata viscera
Mariae MagdalenaGaudeamus omnesMaria haecLaus tibi ChristeDico vobis
Assumptio Mariae (15 August)Gaudeamus omnesAssumpta est MariaCongaudent angelorumDilexisti justi
Sancto GeberhardoSacerdotes DomineO GeberhardoSancti Spiritus assist nobisBeatus servus
Sancta PelagioLaetabitur justusO PelagioOmnes devota menteQui vult ab neget
Nativitatis Mariae (8 Sep.)Gaudeamus omnesNativitatis gloriosaeStirpe Maria regisDiffusa est
Dedicatione TempliTerribilis estVox exultationisEcclesiae desponsatoDomus mea
Sancta CruceNos autemDulce lignumLaudes crucisNos autem
Omnia SanctorumGaudeamus omnesVox exultationisOmnes sancti SeraphimAmen dico vobis
Sancto MartinoSacerdotesMartinus episcobusSacerdotem ChristiBeatus servus
Presentationis MariaeGaudeamus omnesFelix virgoAltissima providenteBeata viscera
Sancto Conrado (26 Nov.)SacerdotesEcce sacerdosAdornata laudibusBeatus servus
Conceptionis Mariae (8 Dec.)Gaudeamus omnesConceptionis gloriosaeConceptio Mariae virginisDiffusa est

Choralis Constantinus III (University of Michigan Press, 1950)

IntroitAlleluiaSequenceCommunionOther
In Vigilia un. ApostoliEgo autem sicutDorsa eorumPlausu chorus laetabundoEgo vos elegiJustus et palma (gradual)
Commune ApostolorumMihi autem honoratiNon vos me elegisti
Per manus autem
Iam no estis
Clare sanctorumVos qui secuti
Amen dico ego
Commune MartyrumMultae tribulationis
Induant sancti tui
Justi epulentur
Sancti tui Domine
Sapientiam sanctorum
Salus autem justorum
Intret in conspectu
Corpora sanctorum
Justi autem
Justi epulentur
Te martirum
Stabunt justi
Gaudete justi
Laetamini in Domino
Sancti tui Domine
O beata beatorum
Agone triumphali
Multitudo languentium
Justorum animae
Et si coram
Posuerunt mortalia
Anima nostra
Amen dico vobis
Gaudete justi
Commune un. MartyrisLaetabitur justus
In virtute tua
Gloria et honore
Protexisti me Deus
Justus non conturbabitur
Justus ut palma
Laetabitur justus
Beatus vir
Justus germinabit
Justus ut palma
Spe mercedis et coronae
Haec est sancta
Laetabitur justus
Qui mihi ministrat
Posuisti Domine
Qui vult venire
Magna est gloria
Commune ConfessoribusStauit ei Dominus
Os justi
Sacerdotes Dei
Sacerdotes ejus
Juravit Dominus
Elegit te
Inveni David
Iste est qui ante
Amavit eum
Fulgebunt
Dilectus Deo
Ad laudes salvatoris
Beatus servus
Domine quinque talenta
Fidelis servus
Commune VirginibusGaudeamus omnes
Me exspectaverunt
Loquaebar de testimonis
Dilexisti justitiam
Diffus est
Specie tua
Omnis gloria
Exultent filiae SionSimile est regnum
Quinque prudentes
Diffusa est gratia
Dilexisti justitiam
Commune Apostolis(tracts)
Qui seminant
Desiderium animae
Beatus vir
Audi filia
Audi filia
Annunciatiatione beate VirginisRorate coeliProphetae sanctiMittet ad Virginem
Beata Virgine p. Nativitatis ChristiVultum tuumPost partumRegem regnum
Commune de Beata VirgineSalva sanctaSancta DeiVerbum bonumBeata viscera
Philippi et JacobiExclamaveruntTanto tempore
Sancta CruceNos autemDulce lignumLaudes crucisNos autem
In Vigilia Johannis BaptistaeNe timeas
Natalis Johannis BaptistaeDe ventre matrisErat JohannisSancti BaptistaeTu puer propheta
Vigilia Petri et PauliDicit DominusSimon Johannis
Festo de Petri et PauliNunc scio vereTu es PetrusTu es Petrus
Sancti PauliScio cui credidiTu es vas electionis
Visitationis Mariae VirginisIn Maria benignitasVeni praecelsa
In Divisione ApostolorumCoeli enarrant
Maria MagdalenaeLaus tibi ChristiDico vobis
Vigilia Sancta LaurentiiDispersit dedit
Sancta Laurentii MartyrisConfessio et pulchritudoLevita LaurentiusLaurentii, David
Assumptio Maria VirgineAssumpta est MariaCongaudent Angelorum
Navitatis MariaeNativitatis gloriosaeStirpe Maria
Sancta MichaeleBenedicite omnesConcussum est mareAd celebres RexBenedicite omnes
S. Ursula ac Sociarum VirginumVirginalis turma sexus
Kyrie solemne[Gloria][Credo][Sanctus][Agnus]
Kyrie Paschale[Gloria][Credo][Sanctus][Agnus]
Kyrie Magne Deus[Gloria][Credo][Sanctus][Agnus]
De MartyribusKyrie[Gloria][Credo][Sanctus][Agnus]
De ConfessoribusKyrie[Gloria][Credo][Sanctus][Agnus]

Recordings

Margaretha-Maximilian I, Capilla Flamenca together with La Caccia, Schola Cantorum Cantate Domino, Schola Gregoriana Lovaniensis and Joris Verdin, 2001 (Orf CD 265). Contains proper chants from the Choralis Constantinus along with several pieces of secular music.

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