Bakfark Problems I.

(Lasso-Bakfark "Veni in hortum meum")

Author(s): Daniel Benkő
Source: Studia Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, T. 17, Fasc. 1/4 (1975), pp. 297-
313
Published by: Akadémiai Kiadó
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 Bakfark
ProblemsI.
"Veniinhortum
(Lasso-Bakfark meum")'
by

Daniel BENK6

Someone who is familiar with Bakfark's purity, simplicity and

nobleness of style will, without much difficulty,recognise the master's
fingerprintsif ever he hears an unfamiliarfantasia or another lute piece
by Bakfark.2I think I could safely assume, that someone who has dealt
with the Bakfarkian style would not identifythe lute version of the
motet "Veni in hortum meum" as his work.
I am tryingto find traces of the Bakfarkian style in the tablature;
because by analysing the work in furtherdetail, we find embedded in
the musical material those traits which are so typical of Bakfark's inter-
pretivestyle. It is worthexaminingthose stylistictraitswhichdistinguish
Bakfark both as a composer and as a "renovator" fromthe rest of the
equally famous sixteenth-centurycomposers. Concisely one might say
that the style of his compositionis hall-markedby the noninstrumental
usage of the lute. While his contemporariesand predecessors tried to
fullyexploit the technical possibilities offeredby the instrument,he, on
the other hand, was investigatingits potential for musical expression;
when the rest were primarilyengaged in producingdance music,Bakfark
1 "Veni in hortum meum", a motet of five
parts composed by Lassus.
The lute version by Bakfark represents No. 25 of the book of lute-playing
written by Matheus Waisselius with the title "Intabulatura continens insignes et
selectissimas quasque Cantiones, Preambula, Phantasieae..." (Published by
Joannis Eichorn, 1573 ad. Oder.) Known surviving copies: Bruxelles: Bibl.
Royal de Belgique; Munich: Bayrische Staatsbibl.; Wolfenbiittel: Herzog
August Bibl.; Budapest: Orszagos Szechinyi K6nyvtir (National Szechenyi
Library), Music Dept.; Kassel: D.M.A.
The copy preserved in Budapest was transferred from the "BTrtfa-Collec-
tion" to the National Szechenyi Library. Cf. Ott6 Gombosi: "Die Musikalien
der Pfarrkirche zu St. Aegidien in Bartfa" (Festschrift fiir Johannes Wolf, 1929).
This lute-book is entered under No. 1573/3 into the Brown Bibliography.
2 Example for Bartalus' comment found in a Bakfarkian fantasia.
"Ertekezesek a nyelv 6s sziptudomany krebb6l" (Studies of Linguistics
and Aesthetics), Vol. X., No. 11 : Istvdn Bartalus:
"ljjabb adalikok a Magyar
zene t6rtinelmdhez" (New contributions to Hungarian Musical History). (Pub-
lishing House of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest 1882).

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298 D. Benk6: Bakfark Problems

was exclusively absorbed in studying the problems of polyphonic con-

struction. While most lutenists popularized the instrument, it was
throughBakfark's work that the music gained popular acceptance inde-
pendent of the instrumentand as a resultproved the best way of popular-
izing the lute. Because his works are vocally orientated with strict
adherence to the rules of partwriting,Bakfark's compositions have
proved to be diagonally opposed to the lute's natural technical inclina-
tions. This is hardly surprising,since Bakfark was influenced,however
indirectly,by the great masters of vocal compositionand amongst these
essentiallyby Gombertand Clemens non Papa. The Bakfarkian "school"
pays little attention to the practicalities of the instrumentwhen tran-
scribinghis 4 -5 -6 part motets - thistranscriptionis called "intabula-
tion" - keeping as strictlyto the original as possible.
His intabulations appear to be simple, although not for the lack of
musical ideas nor for the inadequate masteringof the instrument.Any
lute player ofour day can tell you that to be able to performthis "simple",
even, polyphonic choral-like counterpoint requires a higher degree of
technical skill than a passage crammed with rapid scale movement. In
transcribingthe choral works,Bakfark was led by his tastefulmusician-
ship and by a deep respectforthe achievementsof past and contemporary
composers.
Before examining Bakfark's stylisticfeaturesin detail in the motet
"Veni in hortum meum", I would like to say a word or two about the
source material and its author.
Matheus Waisselius' "Intabulatura" is a collection typical of the
seventies and notated in the German system of lute tabulature. It is
a splendid collection of the most up-to-date and popular tunes. It con-
tains an excellentselectionof 52 pieces, includingones by such composers
as Senfl,Jannequin,Clemens non Papa, Arcadelt,Verdelot,etc. Amongst
the dance tunes then in vogue we can find "La Roche el fuso", "Chi
passa", and "Bel fiore" and a complete series of dance-tunes which
could be regarded as the forerunnersof the "suite" (Le Represe; Pass
e mezo; La sua Padoana; El suo Saltarello). M. P. Kosack3 completed
a thematic descriptionof the collection,while the comprehensivereview
of the lute manual has been given by H. Grim.4

3 Hans-Peter Kosack : "Geschichte der Laute und Lautenmusik in Preussen"

1935, pp. 104--107.
4 Heinrich Grimm: "Meister der Renaissancemusik an der Viadrana" 1942.

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 D. Benk6: Bakfark Problems 299

Waisselius' field of activity was centered around the border of the

cultural east and west of the time: Prussia and Poland. His collection
of lute music compositionswas published in the printingpress of Eichorn
in Frankfurta. d. Oder.5The printer'swork is clear, tidy and it contains
surprisinglyfew printingerrors.The rhythmicvalues are perhaps some-
what difficultto make out, but this is due to the nature of the German
lute tablature. (The rhythmicvalues are in groups and are not always
appropriatelyplaced over the notes -- i.e. letter or numeral.) Waisselius
composed for the six-stringedlute, tuned to G. There are no signs to be
found anywherein the book to suggest the use or existance of a seventh
string.
In this volume - his firstpublication, - he does not confinehim-
self to publishing only the popular music of the German-speakingterri-
tories, but in contrast to his later works, he includes quite a number of
French chansons, Italian madrigals and motets. The instrumentalist
presentationof these compositions must have been very attractive for
the amateur lutanists of the period.
Koczircz was the firstto publish Bakfark's transcriptionof "Veni
in hortummeum" in modern notation" but unfortunatelyhe mistakenly
interpretedthe tablature forthe A string,and gives no less than twenty
wrong notes.' Lets now have a look at the complete work, in G, and in
modern notation.8
VENI IN HORTUM MEUM

Example No. 1.

ANU JJ
-,'
,, .,, J

5 1573: "Tabulatura .. ."; 1591: "Tabulatura Allerley Kiinstlicher Pre-

ambulen.. ."; 1592: "Lautenbuch darinn von der tabulatur.. ." (The Polish
dances contained in the book just mentioned are available in modern publica-
tion as well: "Tance Polskie z tabulatur lutnowich" Vols. I-II, Editions de
Musique PWN. 1962, Zofia Steszewska.) In Brown's bibliography: 1573/13,
1592/12.
6 "Denkmiler der Tonkunst in ()sterreich", Vol. 37, p. 91.
1 Errors of notation occur in bars
8, 9, (2), 14, 16, 30, 31, (2), 32, 33, 45, (2),
50, 52, 53, 54, 56, 60, 67, and 68.
8For vocal copy, see Lassus-W. V. p. 120. It should be noted that move-
ment I (Kyrie) of the mass "Veni in hortum meum" is an elaboration of the first
theme of the motet and essentially does not differ in the first eight bars from
the ootet.

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300 D. Benko": Bakfark Problems

? I
-o
I

( )
r?
Is

I-

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 D. Benk6o Bakfark Problems 301

1r 1

01
9v0V012,v

- r
' if

I
' IJ /! "a7t
.j," .X5
30-1"-I =i '

IcaaM sclqc AaeieSinirm ugrce1,17

Studia
Musicologica
Scientiarum
Academiae 1975
Hungaricae
17,
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302 D. Benk": Bakfark Problems

1i j
mo-.7

SIJ - --
.I I. !

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 D. Benk6o":Bakfark Problems 303

(56)F
I , /I- /
,,I

--. 1:wOd-Mir

of " _'A -d
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Sflf Lggf
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IP i I t
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StuiaMuscoogcacaemie cintiru
1,097 Hugaice

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304 D. Benko5:Bakfark Problems

A bM I

Otto Gombosi himselfcan only find the slightesttraces of the Bak-

farkianmethod of transcriptionin this piece.9 Although the piece is not
exempt fromthe figurationscharacteristicof Waisselius' lute technique,
those decorations are now present in a somewhat differentmanner than
in the rest of the book: he applies his own taste and sense of balance
to the otherwisetypically Bakfarkian cadences, deprivingthem of their
most desired functionsas effectivecadences because of their over fre-
quent use (especially frombar 40).

Example No.2. (A typicalBakfarkclose)

Bakfark tends to use this figurationonly at the end of the more

important musical sections, preferablytowards the end of the com-
position,10and instead increasinglyornamentingthe 4-3 cadences, but
always leaving out the passing seventh.

9 Ott6
Gombosi: "Bakfark Balint 6lete 6s mfivei" (The life and Works of
BAlint Bakfark). Published by the National Szech6nyi Library, Budapest 1935,
p. 27.
10 For instance, once in Lute Phantasy I, and thrice in Lute Phantasy III.

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 D. Benk6: Bakfark Problems 305

examplesof Bakfarkscloses)
ExampleNa3. (Some further

(Fantasy No.1.-120-121.bar)

,,CzarnaKrouva". Bar:50-51

,,Czarna Krouva". Bar:67 -68

(Fantasy No.2. bar 162-163)

J J J J J , I ..
.

(Fantasy No. IV. bar 202 -203)

20 Studia MusicologicaAcademiaeScientiarumHungaricae17, 1975

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306 D. Benk6o:Bakfark Problems

(Fantasy No. V. bar 28-29)

c
r)
(Fantasy No.Vm. bar:22)

There is a fundamental differencebetween the two composers:

Waisselius being representativeofthe fluent, keyboard-music manner,
while Bakfark prefers to build up the melismatic complexities more
gradually. (Bakfark has also applied the Waisselian technique to
some of his own intabulations, when the melisma is no longer simply
a decorative figure but each note has a special and distinct meaning
and was, consequently,regarded not as mere figurationbut as a melodic
line with a definitemeaning; e.g. "D'amour me plains".)

Example No.4.

(Veni in hortum meum: bar 23)

(D'amour me plains:bar 37-38)

AV" od ::F
i i
','

NoIX.bar26)
(Fantas

Academiae
Musicologica 1975
aricae
Scientiarum17,
S.udi . Hu.I
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 D. Benk6: Bakfark Problems 307

Let us resume the line of examination of the Bakfarkian cadences,

with their seemingly inexhaustable mine of musical inventions. Above
I mentioneda few of the more frequentBakfarkian cadential practices.
However, the followingvariant is novwhere else to be found in the Bak-
farkian oeuvre, whereas in "Veni in hortum meum" alone it appears
seven times.This suspensiontechniqueofV4 -31 is typical of the Waisselian
technique.

Example No.5.

(Veni in hortum meum:bar 16)

Let us compare the last two bars of the composition,as transcribed

firstlyby Bakfark and then by Waisselius, both ending with the S-T
(subdominant-tonic) cadence.

Example No. 6.

(Veni in hortum meum:bar 7(0)

(Bakfark- II cieleherado:hr96)
(Arcadelt):

(Ilakfark -(lRogier):1)'amoullrme plains:hbar137-8)

20* Studia MusicologicaAcademiaeScientiarum

Hungaricae17, 1975

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308 D. Benk6: Bakfark Problems

but:
I

(Waisselius:,,La Traditora'":bar 28)

The method of transcriptionused by Bakfark is characterized by an

economical use of the decorations in the initial bars of the piece tran-
scribed; this characteristicfeaturecan be recognisedin "Veni in hortum
meum", and what is more, the ornamentationused is also a very typi-
cally Bakfarkian figuration.
ExampleNao.7.

(Veniin hortummeum:bar 3)

Bakfark oftencircumscribesa note, as illustrated,and in the mirror-

form as well.

ExampleNo.8.

(D'amour me plains:bar29)

The followingsection makes Bakfark's style plainly evident, though

not so much fromthe melodic arch of the figuration,but rather by the
rhythm.One may readily accept the firstten bars as identical to Bak-
fark's original composition,though disregardingbar 5, where a declining
passage of semiquavers was introduced too soon, thus recalling the
stylistic features of Waisselius.
Here we have reached a point where a typically Bakfarkian idea,
through a differentinterpretation,is transformedinto a typically non-
Bakfarkian conception, thus automatically becoming part of the Wais-
selian technique. This can be seen in bar 10, at the conclusion of the first
musical phrase. In the entire Bakfarkian oeuvre one would hardly find
a more typical use of the cadence than the one actually applied here in

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 D. Benk6: Bakfark Problems 309

the treble voice; at the same time, the preparation of the second melodic
line for the second tenor voice, notably with the same figurationas for
the sopranos, would seem inconceivable in any other Bakfarkian oeuvre.
Such continuationof the innerparts is used repeatedly in the Bakfarkian
oeuvre at the end of formalsections,though never in such a composition.

Example No.9.

P" I
I

".___._
'w

(Veni in hortum
meum:barl0)

(Bakfark-[Crecquillon]:,,Tn 26 -27)
gay bergier:hbar

vienVa vien":bar 79-80)

(Bakfark-[Jannequlin:,,Or

In Bakfark's Lute Phantasy IX we have a place analogous with

bar 13 of "Veni in hortum meum". We can find ornamentation by
melodic movement in quavers and by pedal notes, which were a great
Bakfarkian favourite.
Example No.10.

(Veniin hortummeum:bar 13-14)

(Fantasy No.IX.bar 12-13)

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310 D. Benko6:Bakfark Problems

Bakfark uses the ornamentation of a descending tenor line as a

recurrentcadential pattern,thus binding the rather static chords of the
original choral example. Bakfark tends to use this gradually unfolding
decorative figure (I-II-VI1-3-II) primarilyat modulations.

Example No.11.

:i i
-ir r
(Veni in hortum meum:bar 28)

o
I

(Bakfark - [Crequillon]:,O combien":bar 17-18) I

:II

(D'amour me plains:bar 72-73)

The basic rhythmicpattern of the composition certainly reflects
the style of Waisselius, precisely because of the application of the con-
tinuous decorations described above. But just as the melody is typical
,ofthe composer in the decorative passage, so the rhythmsare too, here
and there automatically betraying the Bakfarkian style.
Example No.12.
AI

TI

- F
(Veni in hortummetun:bar 47)

(Fantasy No. VIII. bar: 45-46)

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 D. Benko": Bakfark Problems 311

The rhythmicpatterns mentionedabove are frequentoccurences in

the Bakfarkian phantasies and transcriptions.The rhythmsfound in
bars 63 and 64 are absent fromBakfark's works,but occur all the more
frequentlyin the compositionsof Waisselius.

Example No. 13.

(Veni in hortum meum: bar 63-64)

(Waisselius:Doilce 'nemoire:bar19-20)
II I

(Waisselius: Ung gay bergier:bar 63 -64)

Afterthis lengthyanalysis, the followingquestion begs to be asked:

how could a work of Bakfark's sufferso many alterations?
Let us bear two things in mind: firstly,a study of Bakfark's style
can be safely based on the two lute books published under his super-
vision (1553 Lyon; 1568 Cracow). I have been able to detect very few
errorsin the lute book of Lyon while transcribingthe contents,and even
these are printing errors. Besides, the accuracy with which Bakfark
puts pen to paper is evident fromhis letters - but the Lyon publication
is perhaps the best proof of his precision.
The second approach is based on the fact that Bakfark was a resident
of Padua at the same time as the lute book of Waisselius was published.
Since the concepts of copywrightand plagiarismwere not known in those
days, Waisselius could adapt the compositions of any contemporary

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312 D. Benk6o:Bakfark Problems

musician, making any arbitrarymodificationhe wished. Contemporary

practice shows that if a lute book came to be printed fully or in part,
there would hardly be any deviation fromthe original, even if the new
edition was issued by a differentpublisher, perhaps in a transcribed
tablature.11
It is a differentmatter,however,when only selected fragments,by
certain popular lutanist composers are included in the publication. In
such instancesthe compositioninvolved is altered almost beyond recogni-
tion, and leaves an uncharacteristic,thus unrecognisablestyle by which
to identifythe transcriber.So, in the case of "Veni in hortum meum",
I was justifiedin asking myselfwhetherBakfark was really the original
transcriber.But it appeared during the course of this analytical study
that there is no question that the most characteristictraits of the Bak-
farkian compositions are safely demonstrable in the motet analysed.
How did the music of "Veni in hortum meum" get into Eichorn's
printing press?
We know that the spheres of activity of the two composers over-
lapped. Waisselius was very interestedin the Polish dances, while Bak-
fark used to serve in the Polish Court. It is not unlikely that they also
knew each other personally, and this is how Bakfark's manuscripts
could have got into the hands of Waisselius.
In his encyclopedia,Fetis mentionsthe second volume of the Cracow
collectionthat may have been published and then perished in the course
of time. This volume should then be the a thirdbook by Bakfark. Admit-
tedly, the title page of the book by Cracow indicates "Tomus primus"
and also the Preface to the book speaks about plans fora second volume,
so the possibilityis worthconsidering; yet at the presentthe hypothesis
brought forewardby Fetis does not seem to be adequately supported.
There is some food for thought in Fetis' argument:12 apart from
the two lute books by Bakfark, and the moreor less correctlyreprinted
copies, a whole collections'worthhas survived in the half-finishedstages.
The compositionslisted below are not to be found in either the firstor
the second lute books:

1. Phantasy VIII
2. Phantasy IX MS. of Berlin
3. PhantasyX
4. Josquin: Stabat Mater
5. Yvo: Pace non Trovo

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 D. Benk6: Bakfark Problems 313

6. Czarna Krowa MS. of Kdnigsberg

7. Albo juss dalei (Kaliningrad)
8. Passomezzo
9. Jannequin: Je prens engre
10. Non dite mai (Gagliard) MS. of Lwow
11. Veni in hortum meum Waisselius lute book
12. Passo'e mezo Primo detto bachffant Barbetta: "Novae tabulae"
1582/1
13. Gagliarda-B6fart Hainhofer 1603 (MS)
14. Sch6ner deutsche danz J
How can one explain the dispersion of so many compositions of
Bakfark, if not by that second, hypothetical Cracow volume, con-
temporarilyavailable to the various publishers? Bakfark was never in
the habit of letting manuscripts out of his hands, and in fact, he even
burnt his compositions before his death, claiming that nobody would
be able to performthem properly (hypothetical). It seems plausible
that the planned volume was under publication in early 1568, as dated
by Fetis, but Bakfark did not allow the published works to appear and
the hand-writtenmanuscriptswere subsequently scattered.
Thus we are faced with numerous assumptions, facts and questions
connected with the possible one-time existance of a third Bakfarkian
lute collection. The discussion of these problems,however,would neces-
sitate another study.

11 For instance, the Crocow book of Bakfark (Italian lute tablature), re-
printed in Antwerp (French tablature). The reprints, disregarding printing errors
and a few alterations at cadences, faithfully follows the original.
12
Fran9ois Fetis: "Biographie universelle des musiciens" (1860-1-865).

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