This programme is dedicated to songs from the German Minnesänger, the Minnesingers.
Minnesänger is the name of the poet-singers, similar to the French troubadours and trouvères. They wrote about all kinds of subjects, not just about love but also about political and social subjects and morality. Some songs are of a more sacral nature. The most famous Minnesänger must be Walther von der Vogelweide, though very little of the melodies accompanying his texts were passed down. Musicians that want to perform his songs must look for fitting musical material themselves, which can result in very different performances.
Before we listen to some of his work, we’ll first play you some other Minnesänger songs. The two songs from Frauenlob, the artist name of Heinrich von Meissen, belong to a type of lyrics also called Spruchdichtung, which often have a moral, instructive or religious content, as is the case with these two songs.
Frauenlob (ca 1260-1318)
1. Gar starc bekannt ist der helffant
Albrecht Lesch (?-1393)
2. Zuch durch die wolken (instrumental)
Frauenlob
3. Lucas vns melt im anderen capitel
Bruder Wernher (active 1225-1250)
4. Ich buwe eyn hus
Ensemble Céladon conducted by Paulin Bündgen
(CD: “Under der Linden – Gesänge der Minnesänger” – Ricercar RIC 447, 2022)
Walther von der Vogelweide (active ca. 1200)
5. Vil wunder wol gemachet wîp
6. Muget ir schowen
7. Nû alrêst leb ich mir werde (Palästinalied)
8. Frô Welt, ir sult dem wirte sagen
Ensemble Phoenix Munich conducted by Joel Frederiksen
(CD: “Walther von der Vogelweide” – deutsche harmonia mundi 19658725032, 2023)
In addition:
Walther von der Vogelweide
9. Ich saz ûf einem steine
Vincent Kibildis, harp
(CD: zie 5-8)
Image: Sängerkrieg op de Wartburg, 1207 (from Codex Manesse) (source: Wikipedia)