Four oldest czech  songs



žFor sacred songs were permitted to be sung in the church by the prague synod in 1408: Hospodine,
pomiluj ny; Buoh všemohúcí, Svatý Václave a Jezu Kriste, ščedrý kněže.
ž
C:\Users\Vlada\Pictures\VLÁĎOVO\Brno sv. Jakub\graduál\IMG_0671 - Kopie.JPG

žHospodine, pomiluj ny (Lord, have mercy)
The earliest major relic
of musical culture in Czech
lands, originated in
the second half of the 10th
century. As early as in
the 11th century became
carmen patrium
(national and state anthem).
Earliest notation dating 1397.
žExample: bishop Vojtěch
presents the song invented
by himself to the duke
of Bohemia
(baroque engraving).
žhttp://www.antologiehudby.cz/autori.php?jazyk=EN
ž
C:\Users\Vlada\Documents\VÝUKA\codex\Adalbertus.jpg

žBuoh všemohúcí (God almighty is risen from the dead awaited)
žEaster song, originated in the 12th century (Christ ist erstanden), sung at the end of an Easter
play,
žThe melody is derived from easter sequence Victimae paschali laudes
žIn the 14th century it was sung paralelly in latin, czech and german.
žLater version (15th or 16th century)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2crSmi7PF7k&feature=related (scores)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o_gmO1M-1o (with instruments)
žSee renaissance motet with the melody in tenor line (cantus firmus)
ž

G:\VÝUKA\PŘEDMĚTY\HČD\václav\ChristusIstErstanden_1.jpg



žSvatý Václave
(Saint Wenceslas)
ž„the oldest preserved piece of evidence documenting  the use of the Czech language as a poetic
vehicle, dates from the 1280s or rather earlier… The song eulogizes St. Wenceslas as the eternal
sovereign leader of the Bohemians.“
G:\VÝUKA\PŘEDMĚTY\HČD\václav\Vera effigies-Rosa bohemica 1668.jpg

žEarliest notated version (1473)
02-SvatyVaclave1473.jpg


žLater and nowadays more vivid version (melody) of the hymn, first documented by the hymnal book
from 1864.
žThe church feast of St. Wenceslas the martyrer (28th of september) is also a state feast.
ž
G:\VÝUKA\PŘEDMĚTY\HČD\václav\08-SvatyVaclave1864a.jpg

C:\Users\Vlada\Documents\VÝUKA\václav\09-SvatyVaclave1864b.jpg



žVerse nr. 6 lists the saint patrons of Czech lands , among them also St. Vojtěch (Adalbertus),
prague bishop, to whom the St. Wenceslas hymn was traditionally attributed(see the engraving
above).

žJosef Suk: Meditation on the St. Wenceslas hymn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DbS3qAxv6g
žA song – tributing St. Wenceslas, created in the late 80s of 20th century during the reign of
communist party in Czech lands by Petr Skoumal
(somehow similar to the music of Peter Gabriel)
ž
žhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIZQ4JQV9A4&feature=related