r/MedievalMusic

Here is an instrumental performance of the religious Leich "Got, aller saelden anevanc" (God, origin of all bliss) by the 13th-century Middle High German Spruchdichter known as Der Meißner (or Der Junge Meißner). These Spruchdichter were the religious equivalent of Minnesäng whose subject was courtly love. While many works of the Minnesang and Sangspruchdichtung traditions survive only as text, this piece is preserved with its original melody in the Jenaer Liederhandschrift (J), one of the most vital sources for German song of the late Middle Ages. The manuscript utilizes a specific form of Roman square notation often called Hufnagelschrift (horsenail notation). In the video I show examples of the musical manuscript as well as the Manesse manucript which has a picture of Der Meissner and some interestingly illuminated text.

"Ai vist lo lop" (I saw the wolf) is a medieval Occitan folk song (circa 13th century). It has a French variant titled "I saw the wolf, the fox, and the hare." It is sung in several European languages, including French, German, and Danish.

History: The first mention of the song dates back to the 12th-14th centuries in Provence. It has been transmitted as a bourrée in triple meter since the 16th century and has been part of the traditional musical repertoire of the Massif Central region of France since the beginning of the 19th century. With its duple meter structure, it was primarily disseminated as a children's song in Occitan-speaking areas. With the folk music revival of the 1970s, the song continues to be performed by numerous musical groups, in both triple and duple meter. It is still performed in France today by the duo Brotto Lopez (triple meter version). In Germany, it has been performed in concert by the German folk-metal group In Extremo in its binary version.

According to some sources, the wolf, the fox, and the hare/weasel represent the king, the lord, and the Church—authorities with the power to collect taxes while the peasant was left penniless.