Stephane cum totum volitet tua fama per orbem (Pierre de Villiers)

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• (Posted 2025-01-07)  CPDL #83305:     

Editor: Mick Swithinbank (submitted 2025-01-07).   Score information: A4, 17 pages, 145 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Stephane cum totum volitet tua fama per orbem
Composer: Pierre de Villiers
Lyricist:
Number of voices: 7vv   Voicing: SAATTBB, part 1; SSAATBB, part 2
Genre: Secular, Motet

Language: Latin
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1542 in Quintus liber mottetorum ad quinque et sex et septem voces (Lyon: Moderne), no. 27
Description: Published by Moderne, Lyon, 1542. There are seven voice parts throughout, but in the first section this includes two tenor parts whereas in the second it is the sopranos who are divided instead. Despite the words of the cantus firmus – ‘St Stephen, pray for us’ – the text sung by the other six voices makes it clear that this is an occasional motet in praise of an unidentified ‘Stephen’ associated with Augsburg (although the composer himself was associated primarily with Lyon, the place of publication). The author of the poem is anonymous, but was presumably not the composer. In Moderne’s edition, the punctuation is unreliable, which in itself was not uncommon in 16th-century partbooks, in this case however with the text of nearly every musical phrase concluding with a full stop, although this is contrary to the sentence structure. The cpdl edition, and particularly the punctuation used in it, is based on advice received by the editor. The composer seems not to have understood the text in detail, especially because he finishes the motet with repetitions of the final two words, which as a compositional procedure may be thought unexceptional, but for the fact that, with the application of corrected punctuation, those words apparently do not even belong to the same sentence.

Original text and translations

Latin text Stephane, cum totum volitet tua fama per orbem,  virtute, officio, religione, fide, cum tua sit cunctis pietas spes ampla beatis  civibus Augustae gloria Vindelice, nescimus quales tibi decernamus honores,  omnia sunt meritis inferiora tuis. At, cum nulla tuas industria dicere laudes,  Stephane, te digna conditione queat, unus erit nobis, qui te super ethera tollet:  Villierus studiis carminibusque suis. Hic te immortalem reddet mortalis et omni  maiorem laudis posteritate. Vale!

German translation Stephanus, obwohl dein Ruhm durch die ganze Welt eilt,  durch Tugend, Pflichteifer, Gottesfurcht, Glauben, obwohl deine Frömmigkeit allen glücklichen Bürgern Augsburgs glänzende Hoffnung und Stolz ist, wissen wir nicht, welche Ehrungen wir dir beschließen sollen,  alles ist allzu gering angesichts deiner Verdienste. Aber, auch wenn kein Fleiß, dein Lob zu verkünden,  Stephanus, dir in angemessener Weise gerecht wird, werden wir einen haben, der dich in den Himmel erhebt:  Villiers mit seiner Ergebenheit und seinen Gesängen. Dieser Sterbliche wird dich unsterblich machen und hochgelobt in aller Zukunft. Lebe wohl!

English translation Stephen, although your fame is spreading throughout the world  thanks to your virtues, devotion to duty and religion and your faith, although your devoutness is the great hope and pride of all the fortunate citizens of Augsburg, we know not how we should honour you:  anything we could devise would fail to do justice to your merits. But, even if no effort to convey your reputation,  Stephen, can sufficiently mirror your deserts, we will have one person who can raise you to the heavens:  Villiers with his devotion and his songs. This mortal will render you immortal and highly praised for ever. Fare well!