Under der Linden (Walther von der Vogelweide)

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(Posted 2021-04-23) CPDL #64182:

Editor: Richard Mix (submitted 2021-04-23). Score information: Letter, 1 page, 34 kB Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes: The rhythmic mode i (and "tandaradei" solution) is suggested in Marrocco & Sandon: The Oxford Anthology of Medieval Music (1977), whose underlay I have revised. Duple subdivision is of course also viable.

General Information

Title: Under der Linden
Larger work: (En mai au douz tens nouvel)
Composer: Walther von der Vogelweide
Lyricist: Walther von der Vogelweide
Number of voices: 1v Voicing: solo voice
Genre: Secular, Chanson, Minneliede

Languages: Middle High German, French
Instruments: A cappella

Description: No tune has been transmitted with Walther's text, but its parallels with the anonymous En Mai au douz tens nouvel are suggestive of a contrafact, even if the "tandaradei"'s appear to have been omitted.

External websites:

Original text and translations

Visit the external website(s) listed above for the original text and/or translations.

En mai au douz tens nouvel

French text

En mai au douz tens nouvel,
Que raverdissent prael,
Oï sor un arbroisel,
chanter le rosignolet:
Saderaladon! tant bon fet
dormir lez le buissonet.

Si com g’estoie pensis,
Lez le buissonet m’assis:
Un petit m’i endormi
au douz chant de l’oiselet.
Saderaladon! tant bon fet
dormir lez le buissonet.

Au resveillier que je fis
A l’oisel criai merci
Qu’il me doint joie de li:
s’en serai plus jolivet.
Saderaladon! tant bon fet
dormir lez le buissonet.

Et quant je fui sus levez,
Si conmenz a citoler
Et fis l’oiselet chanter
devant moi el praelet.
Saderaladon! tant bon fet
dormir lez le buissonet.

Li rosignolez disoit:
par un pou qu’il n’enrajoit,
du grant duel que il avoit,
que vilains l’avoit oï.
Saderaladon! tant bon fet
dormir lez le buissonet.

English translation

In May at the sweet new season
When the meadows renew their green,
I heard upon a tree
The Nightingale sing:
Saderladon! So good it is
To sleep beside the bushes.

As I sat in thought
near the bush
I slept a little while
to the little bird's sweet song.

When I awoke
I cried thanks to the bird
for the joy I had of him
which I meant to improve upon.

And arising began
to play on the citern
and made the bird sing
Before me in the meadow

The Nightingale replied
that he certainly wasn't glad
about his great grief at having been
overheard by base people.