Wacław z Szamotuł

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Wacław z Szamotuł

Wacław z Szamotuł (* around 1520 in Szamotuły near Poznań , † around 1560 in Pińczów ), German: Wenzel von Samter (sometimes also led by Wacław Szamotulski or Latinized Venceslaus Samotulinus ) was a Polish composer of sacred works .

Wenzel von Samter was an educated man of the Renaissance : he studied law, mathematics and philosophy at the University of Cracow . In addition to music, he also devoted himself to poetry, writing works in his native Polish as well as in Latin. Either in 1547 or 1548 - the sources are not clear here - he was appointed court composer by Sigismund II August .

Since Wenzel von Samter died an early death, only a few of his works - all of them sacred - have survived to this day. The following saying comes from Szymon Starowolski , the composer's first biographer:

" If the gods had given him a longer life, the Poles would not envy the Italians their famous composers such as Palestrina , Lappi , and Vedana ."

His motets In te Domine speravi and Ego sum pastor bonus are the first Polish compositions ever to be published outside Poland - in this case even in the German city of Nuremberg . The former was the model for a parody mass by his compatriot Jan Fabrycy .

Among his lost compositions are a mass and the first double-choir work in Poland.

Preserved works

  • Alleluia, Chwalcie Pana Alleluia ( Sing a Hallelujah to the Lord )
  • In te, Domine, speravi ( In you, Lord, I have set hope - published in Nuremberg in 1554 )
  • Nakłoń, Panie, ku mnie ucho Twoje ( O Lord, bow your ear to me )
  • Ego sum pastor bonus ( I am the good shepherd - published in Nuremberg in 1564 )
  • Kryste dniu naszej światłości ( O Christ, who is the light and the day )
  • Błogosławiony człowiek ( Blessed is the man who does not go away )
  • Nunc scio vere ( Now I know the real thing )
  • Modlitwa, gdy dziatki spać idą or Już się zmierzka ( prayer for the children going to bed )
  • Pieśń o narodzeniu Pańskim or Pochwalmyż wszytcy społem ( Song of the Birth of the Lord )
  • Powszechna spowiedź ( General Confession )

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Szamotuł, Wacław z
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Samter, Wenzel von; Szamotulski, Waclaw; Samotulinus, Venceslaus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Polish composer
DATE OF BIRTH around 1520
PLACE OF BIRTH Szamotuły near Poznań
DATE OF DEATH around 1560
Place of death Pińczów