Schlick 1512: Description

Thematic Index

(f. 1r) Tabulaturen Etlicher lobgesang und lidlein uff die orgeln und lauten, ein theil mit zweien stimen zü zwicken und die drit dartzu singen, etlich on gesangk mit dreien, von Arnolt Schlicken Pfaltzgravischem Chürfürstlichem Organisten Tabulirt, und in den truck in der ursprungklichen stat der truckerei zü Maintz wie hienach volgt verordent.

(p. 83): Getruckt zü Mentz durch Peter Schöffern. Uff sant Matheis abent. Anno. M.d.xii.

There are two introductory letters at the front of this tablature: the first is by Schlick's son and the second is by Schlick himself. Both letters make reference to Virdung 1511, in which Schlick had been attacked for his use of the term musica ficta in a previous publication. Schlick and Virdung had known each other several years earlier, but had now obviously grown quite bitter towards one another. Schlick criticizes Virdung's one lute intabulation as "inartistic, unidiomatic, impossible, and corrupt." He points out 16 errors in the relatively short piece and even demeans the use of woodcuts as not in the "true art of printing" (i.e., movable type).

While it has been suggested that the piece intabulated by Virdung represents four individual parts, each played separately, Schlick does not interpret the piece in this way. Most of the errors that he points out involve the use of two or more notes on one course or impossible stretches evident only when one plays all four voices on one lute. Unlike Virdung, Schlick uses only one row of rhythm signs--written directly above a symbol if used alone or above the highest-pitched note if in a chord. Even though two or sometimes three voices are used, only one lute is needed. The indications "Ein stim zü singen die andern zwicken" ("One voice to sing and the others plucked") and "Zwicken mit dreien" ("Plucked with three") imply the use of two and three right-hand fingers (the thumb and forefinger, and the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger respectively).

Otherwise, Schlick follows the same basic German lute tablature given by Virdung, but without a chart. The following indicates the approximate shape of the letters (which varies considerably from this more modern font) that are found in Schlick's lute pieces:

The lowest course is indicated by a "1" with a slash through it, to differentiate it from the next course. The lower-case "a" is not used in these particular pieces. Schlick does not use barlines.

[Numbers 1-12 are for solo voice and lute; 13-15 are for solo lute. There are also 14 pieces for solo keyboard.]

"Hienach fahet an Tabulatur uff die Lauten. Ein stim zü singen die andern zwicken."

1. Mein M. ich hab (p. 57)
2. Cupido hat (p. 59)
3. Hertzliebstes pild (p. 61)
4. Nachlust (p. 62)
5. Vil hinderlist (p. 64)
6. Möcht es gesein (p. 65)
7. Mein lieb ist weg (p. 66)
8. Ich schrei und rieff (p. 67)
9. Metzkin isack (p. 68)
10. Philips zwolffpot auss not hilff mir (p. 71)
11. Nun hab ich all mein tag gehört (p. 73)
12. Maria zart (p. 75; misnumbered as p. 74)
13. All ding mit radt. Zwicken mit dreien (p. 79)
14. Wer gnad durch klaff. Den ersten kor den thon ab gelassen zwicken mit dreien (p. 81; misnumbered as p. 80)
15. Weg wart dein art zwicken mit dreien (p. 81; misnumbered as p. 80)

RISM lists three extant copies of this book: in D:B (imperfect), D:LEm (copy used for the facsimile), and F:Pn (imperfect).

Bullard, Beth. "Musical Instruments in the Early Sixteenth Century: A Translation and Historical Study of Sebastian Virdung's Music getutscht (Basel, 1511)." Ph.D. dissertation, University of Pennsylvania, 1987.

Keyl, Stephen. "Arnolt Schlick and Instrumental Music circa 1500." Ph.D. dissertation, Duke University, 1989.

Facsimile: 

Tabulaturen etlicher Lobgesang und Lidlein. (Leipzig : Zentralantiquariat der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, 1979). 

Thematic Index

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