THE LAMENT OF MARY
The grief and mourning of Mary, Mother of God, under the cross of her
son has been portrayed in medieval "Laments of Mary" (Planctus
Mariæ) numerous times. These laments – often embedded in
one of the great Passion plays – are usually played and sung
during Holy Week. The point behind these laments is to arouse the
believer's sympathy for Mary, "Compassio Mariæ"; by rendering her
mourning when she sees her tortured son in such an expressive manner
that the believer himself is personally affected as well by Christ's
suffering. As in numerous late medieval portrayals of the Crucifixion,
whose origins are closely connected with the Passion plays, the
importance here is placed on actually feeling and sympathizing with the
man Jesus and His mother and what they suffered through and not on a
detached, rather aloof theological contemplation of this suffering as a
pathway to resurrection and thus to the salvation of mankind.
Essentially, it has to do with momentary scenes of a mother deeply
afflicted at seeing her son die.
Heinz Schwamm
Translation: Susan Herpichböhm
1. Kyrie Rondello • (Rom, Biblioteca Vaticana, Ms. Urb.
Fat. 1419, 15. Jh.)
A three-part Kyrie, Italy (15th c)
The expression "Rondello"; indicated in all of the three voices,
apparently refers to the fact that the composition is divided into two
parts and could possibly mean that it was modelled after a French type
of polyphonic composition (Rondeau). As of yet, however, there has been
no proof of the existence of any such material that could have served
as a model for a contrafact.
2. Enmitten unsers lebens zeit – Media vita in morte sumus
(St. Peter in Salzburg, c. 1450-1480, Michaelbeuern, Stiftbibl., cod.
Ms. cart. 1)
A one-part antiphonal song and troped antiphon, Germany / Austria (15th
c)
The Latin antiphon "Media vita in morte sumus" had been widespread
throughout Europe since the 11th century and was sung during Advent,
Lent and Holy Week. Aside from the existence of various translations in
German prose, the Latin text was transformed in the 15th century into a
German song – without, however, direct use of the antiphonal
melody. The Michaelbeuren Manuscript, the one we have used, comes from
St. Peter's in Salzburg. Together with the song "Enmitten unsers lebens
zeit"; it contains the Latin antiphon "Media vita in morte sumus" and
also the rhymed trope 'Ach homo perpende fragilis', which is known from
other South German manuscripts as well.
3. Oswald von WOLKENSTEIN (c. 1377-1445): Compassio Beate virginis
Marie
(Wolkenstein Handschrift B, Innsbruck, Universitätsbibliothek,
ohne Sign.)
A one-part song
Oswald von Wolkenstein deals with the events of the Passion in his
songs two times: one of these was his comprehensive "Passio domini Jesu
Christi"; which is dated 1436 in Manuscript B and included in
Manuscript A as the very last entry – a manuscript compiled at an
earlier date. His "Compassio Beate virginis Marie" (not in Manuscript
A) was composed in the same year (both songs are thus attributed to
Oswald's later works). In this composition, Oswald, using the four
Gospels as a basis, makes "Mitleiden der seligen Jungfrau Maria" into a
song with a very personal touch.
4. Planctus Mariæ Magdalenæ • (Padua, Bibl.
Capitorale, ms. C 56, 14. Jh.)
One-part song, Italy (14th c)
The lament of Mary Magdalene is part of a liturgical celebration, the
so-called "Visitatio sepulchri" (the three Marys at the sepulchre and
the dialogue with the angel at Christ's empty tomb), which was acted
out and performed, has its origins in the Easter liturgy and which,
since the early Middle Ages, had been widely spread throughout all of
Europe.
5. Und dann begann die Folterung • aus dem
Johannes-Evangelium
6. Planctus beatae virginis • (Benediktinerkloster
Tegernsee, 15. Jh., München, Bayer. Staatsbibl. cgm 716)
One-part planctus mariæ, Germany (15th c)
The lamentation called the "Munich Planctus Mariæ" and named
after the present location of the manuscript was written down in the
15th century, most likely at the Lake Tegern Monastery, (there are some
researchers, however, who have reason to believe that the manuscript
actually comes from Bohemia) and perhaps dates back to an original
manuscript
from the 13th century. It comprises a monologue by the deeply afflicted
Mary, which portrays the suffering and death of Christ without,
however, a comforting reference to His act of redemption. This
particular lament as well as other lamentations of the Virgin Mary (the
Passion plays included) stem from the German adaption of the Latin
sequence "Planctus ante nescia" by Gottfried von St. Viktor (Gottfried
von Breteuil, c. 1125/30 until shortly before 1200), which is quoted
above and whose planctus had also originally been conceived as a
monologue by Mary. The "Munich Planctus Mariæ" version, however
– due to the fact that it was written a tone lower (that is, down
from g to f with the accidental b flat) – has another and more
modern type of tonality. Aside from the sequence mentioned above, there
is another in Latin which originated in the early 13th century and
which is, in part, quoted: "Mi Johanne(s) planctum move" is a versicle
from "Flete fideles animæ"– once again, a monologue by the
Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross.
7. Mönch von SALZBURG (Ende 14. Jh.): Von unnser vrawen
mitleiden
(Benediktinerkloster Tegernsee, 15. Jh., München, Bayer.
Staatsbibl. cgm 715) • A German translation of the one-part
sequence "Stabat mater dolorosa"
This song by the Mönch von Salzburg (Monk of Salzburg), who wrote
and composed during the late 14th century, is a German adaption of the
Latin strophic sequence "Stabat mater dolorosa". This particular
sequence dates back to the 13th century and has Franciscan roots; it
cannot, however, with certainty be ascribed to either St. Bonaventura
(1221-1274) or Jacopone da Todi (c. 1230-1306), which has so often been
the case. In his German adaption the Mönch von Salzburg not only
retained the strophic form of the Latin sequence, but also used its
melody.
8. Planctus Mariae et aliorum in die Parasceven
(Benediktinerinnenkloster Santa Maria in Valle, Cividale, um 1400,
Cividale, Museo Archeologico, Ms. Cl)
A one-part lament
The dialogue form of the Virgin Mary laments came about through the
introduction of other speakers and singers (John, Mary Magdalene). The
inclusion of others is even indicated in the title ("... et aliorum").
The Mother of God (called "Maria major" here) is joined by John, Mary
Jacobi (= Mary Cleophas) and Mary Magdalene. The text of the lament is,
for the most part, a collage compromising parts of the sequence "Flete
fideles animæ" from the "Munich Planctus Mariæ" manuscript
mentioned above and parts borrowed from the sequence De compassione
Beate Mariae Virginis "Qui per viam pergitis"; from Dialogus de
passione Domini "O vos omnes, qui transitis" (a quotation from the Lamentationes
Jeremiæ), and from the sequence "Stabat mater dolorosa". What
is particularly striking about the written text of the planctus from
Cividale is the numerous stage directions that have been added in
smaller handwriting above the melody of almost every verse. There is,
throughout the performance of this piece, a prevalence of expressive
gestures: salutory gestures, bowing, kneeling, throwing oneself to the
ground, embracing and a large variety of other gestures ranging from
those which express mourning and lamenting to those of excessive
lamentation, grief and helplessness. The spectator's attention is, in
this way, drawn to Christ's suffering and, in particular, to Mary's
grief and sorrow; "compassio" is thus aroused here as well (on the one
hand, that of Mother Mary's, and on the other, that of all of the
believers' who are present).
Translation: Susan Herpichböhm
