Sacrae cantiones quinque vocum, liber primus (Andrea Gabrieli)

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Title: Sacrae Cantiones (Vulgo Motecta Appellatae), Quinque Vocum, Liber Primus.
Composer: Andrea Gabrieli

Genre: SacredMotet

Language: Latin

Printed and published in the studio of Antonio Gardano in Venice in 1565, this is the first published collection of Andrea Gabrieli's compositions and shows his early style. 1565 is an interesting date as Gabrieli's star was just rising in Venice - he had travelled to Munich in 1562, befriending Orlandus Lassus, and then he became organist at San Marco in 1566. Quite possibly this collection, dedicated to Prince Albert, Duke of Bavaria and probably at least partially composed while in Munich, helped Gabrieli to gain the post.

All items in this collection are motets in Latin, scored for five voices. The exact disposition of parts varies; usually the fifth voice is a tenor but often a cantus and occasionally a bassus. Many motets are in more than one section (indicated in brackets in the table below); these often have some musically unifying feature - for exampe both sections sometimes end with the same music - but in some cases it may be possible to perform only one of the sections.

Stylistically these motets are noticeably earlier than the polychoral works for which the Gabrielis are nowadays known, however Andrea Gabrieli revised and reissued these motets more than once in his life so they seem to have been in some demand. The motets make extensive use of imitative polyphony, though tempered with strong cadential formulae and madrigalian touches particularly where colourful psalm texts call for them.

The texts are split between full Psalms (typically psalms for Vespers, though never including the Gloria Patri) and prayers from the missal propers. The latter are presumably intended to be used in generic devotional contexts, for example penitence, Marian devotions or exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

As suggested on the 1565 title page, instrumental support or substitution is optional but worth considering.



Contents of the Sacrae Cantiones Publication in the order they appear in the publication:

No. Title
1 Laudate dominum omnes gentes
2 Domine dominus noster quam admirabile (ii: Minuisti eum paulominus)
3 Deus Noster refugium et virtus (ii: Fluminis impetus laetificat civitatem dei)
4 Levavi Oculus meos in montes (ii: Ecce non dormitabit; iii: Per diem sol non uret te)
5 Verba mea auribus percipe domine (ii: Mane astabo tibit et videbo)
6 Cantate domino canticum novum (ii: Annunciate inter gentes gloriam eius)
7 Bonum est confiteri domino (ii: In dechachordo psalterio cum canticu in cithara)
8 Domine quid multiplicati sunt qui tribulant me (ii: Ego dormivi et soporatus sum)
9 Libera me domine de viis inferni
10 Spiritus meus attenuabitur (ii: Libera me domine et pone me)
11 Heu mihi domine
12 Sic deus dilexit mundum
13 Sancta et immaculata virginitas
14 O sacrum convivium
15 O lux beata trinitas
16 Exaudi deus orationem meam (ii: Cor meum conturbatum est in me)
17 Pater peccavi in celum et coram te (ii: Quanti mercenarii in domo patris mei)
18 Beata es Maria
19 Voce mea ad dominum clamavi (ii: In die tribulationis mee)
20 Quare fremuerunt gentes (ii: Qui habitat in celis irredebit eos)
21 Ave sanctissima Maria
22 Confitebor tibi domine
23 Laetare Hierusalem et conventum
24 O rex gloriae