Reformation#

Wolfgang Schmeltzl: Da trunken sie, Quodlibet#

Liederbuch "Guter seltzsamer und kunstreicher teutscher Gesang"

Wolfgang Schmeltzl's (um 1505 Kemnath/Oberpfalz - 1564 St. Lorenzen bei Neunkirchen/Lower Austria) songbook (Liederbuch) Guter seltzsamer und kunstreicher teutscher Gesang (Nuremberg 1544) differs greatly from other printed songbooks of the period in terms of its contents. Beyond that he wanted to help spread the forms of chanson and madrigal - or at least their musical style - in Germany. This collection consists mainly of anonymous (and therefore probably by Schmeltzl himself) works which can be divided mainly into two groups. Based on their compositional techniques, these are the so-called Quodlibet - a term that Schmeltzl used for the first time - and the Priameln. The Quodlibet is a polyphonic song that Schmeltzl hoped would replace the German Cantus-firmus-song. The Priameln are humorous catalogue songs in a homophonic setting. This collection stands as an important indication of the desire to renew German popular music in the middle of the 16th c. (E. Stadler)

Sound Clip#