Surge aquilo (Benedictus Appenzeller)

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• (Posted 2020-10-17)  CPDL #60912:     

Editor: Mick Swithinbank (submitted 2020-10-17).   Score information: A4, 14 pages, 133 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Surge aquilo
Composer: Benedictus Appenzeller
Lyricist:

Number of voices: 5vv   Voicing: SATTB
Genre: Sacred, Motet

Language: Latin
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1553 in Liber quartus cantionum sacrarum, no. 8
Description: Source: Phalèse, Liber quartus cantionum sacrarum ... 5 et 6 vocum ex optimis quibusque musicis selectarum, 1554. A particularly memorable motet by this prolific composer. The top voice has a key signature of one flat, whereas the other voices have two flats, but it is not always clear which Es should be flattened and which should be naturals, as what appears in the source in this respect cannot always be taken at face value. The text is a selection of extracts from the Song of Songs, but whereas many motets which draw on this source express devotion to the Virgin Mary, there is a possibility here that 'our beloved' may be intended to refer to Jesus Christ. In bars 39-46, 'fluent' is an error in the source, and should be replaced with the standard 'fluant'.

Original text and translations

Latin text

Surge aquilo et veni auster
perfla hortum meum et fluant aromata illius
quia dilectus noster venit et ad me conversio eius.

Soror mea veni in hortum meum commoremur in villis
mane surgamus ad vineam
et videamus si flores dederunt odorem suum in portis nostris
quia dilectus noster venit et ad me conversio eius.

English translation

Awake, north wind, and come, south wind!
Blow on my garden, that its fragrance may spread everywhere,
because our beloved has come, and his desire is for me.

My sister, come into my garden, let us dwell in the villages,
let us go early to the vineyards
to see if the flowers are giving forth their fragrance at our door,
because our beloved has come, and his desire is for me.

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