# A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Volkslied

​VOLKSLIED, or the early Song of the German people, has already been treated, with regard both to its development and its influence on the history of music, under the head of SONG. [See vol. iii. p. 617.] It remains, however, to mention the principal existing collections of Volkslieder, whether in manuscript or print, in public or private libraries; and a list of them is here appended. Some collections of Minnesingers' and Meistersingers' melodies, and likewise some collections of chorales must be included in the list; because, as the article referred to shows, these different forms of the Song are borrowed from one another and have melodies in common. Collections bearing the names of particular composers must also be mentioned, because many apparently original melodies of composers of the 16th and 17th centuries are in reality well-known Volkslieder, merely harmonised or treated with contrapuntal devices. The list cannot therefore be limited to collections of Volkslieder proper, but care has been taken to enumerate only such as offer examples of the pure Volkslied, melody or verse.
For convenience of reference, the best works on the subject will be included in the last section of the list, viz. Modern Collections of Volkslieder.
COLLECTIONS OF VOLKSLIEDER.
A. MSS. from the 10th to the 17th century.
1. The Wolfenbttttel MSS. (10th century); preserved in the Ducal Library of Wolfenbttttel, and containing some of the oldest secular songs in Germany. 2. The S. Gall Cod. Lat., No. 303 (11th century). 3. Nithart's Song-MSS. with melodies (13th century); in the possession of Prof, von der Hagen, and printed by him in his work on the Minnesingers. 4. The Limburg Chronicle (1347 to 1380); preserved in the Limburg Library. This MS. (which has been reprinted in 1617, 1720, 1826 and 1860) contains few real Volkslieder, but many knights' and monks' songs. ​5. The Jena Minnesinger Codex, with melodies (14th century); preserved in the University Library at Jena. 6. Spürl's Song-book (latter part of 14th and beginning of 15th cent.); Imperial Library, Vienna. 7. The Prague MS. (early in the 15th century); in the University Library, Prague; entitled 'Ein musikalischer Lehrcompendium des H. de Zeelandia.' Contains many fine Volkslieder of the 14th cent. 8. The Locheim Song-book (1452–60); in the Ducal Library, Wernigerode. Has been edited by Arnold and Bellerman, with a most interesting preface. 9. The Dresden Minnesinger MS. (15th century); in the Royal Public Library at Dresden. A miscellaneous volume, of which the more interesting portions are some mystical hymns to the Virgin by Michael Behaim. 10. The Vienna Song-book (1533); in the Imperial Library, Vienna. Consists of five part-books, with both sacred and secular words and music. 11. Werlin's Song-book of 1646; Royal State Library, Munich. Contains many thousand melodies to sacred and secular words; some are genuine Volkslieder of 15th and 16th cent., others later and more artificial.
B. Printed Collections.
I. Secular Song-books of the 16th and 17th centuries.
1. Johann Ott, 121 Songs, in 5 parts; Nuremberg, 1534. A perfect copy of this valuable song-book in the Libraries at Munich and Zwickau. 2. Heinrich Finck's Songs, in 4 parts; Nuremberg, 1536. Contains 55 sacred and secular songs, not all composed by Finck. Perfect copies in Munich and Zwickau Libraries; an imperfect one in British Museum. 3. Forster's Song-books; Nuremberg, 1539 to 1556. Five numbers, containing altogether about 380 songs in several parts. Many scattered copies in the Munich, Zwickau, Berlin, Leipzig, and Gottingen Libraries. In the B. M. an imperfect one, 1549. 4. Gr. Rhaw's 3-part Song Collection; Wittenberg, 1542. A copy at Göttingen. 5. G. Rhaw's 2-part Songs; Wittenberg, 1545. Copies in the Berlin and Vienna Libraries, and B. M. 6. Joh. Ott. 115 Songs, in 4, 5, and 6 parts; Nuremberg, 1544. Of this valuable collection only two copies known, one in the Berlin Library, and one in the B. M. 7. Orlando Lasso. Several collections of songs (dating respectively 1567, 1572, 1583, and 1590), in 4, 5, and 6 parts, in the Royal Library, Munich. 8. Jac Reynart's Villanelle; Nuremberg, 1574. 67 songs for three voices in Sonnet form, which were very popular and widely sung during Reynart's lifetime. Copies in Berlin and Munich Libraries. 9. Joh. Eccard. Two collections in 4 and 5 parts; Mulhausen and Königsperg, 1578 and 1589; an imperfect copy of the latter is in the B. M. 10. Hans Leo Hassler. Two collections of songs in 4, 5, 6, and 8 parts after Italian models, Nuremberg 1600, and Augsburg 1596. A copy 1596 is in the B. M. 11. MelchiorFranck's Song-collections. 16 in number, printed either at Nuremberg or Coburg between 1602 and 1623. Each collection contains a variety of songs for 4 or more voices. A copy in the Berlin Library. Another (Coburg, 1623) in the B. M.
II. Sacred Song-books of the 16th and 17th centuries.
(1) Lutheran.
1. Walther's Hymn-book, 1524. The first hymn-book written in parts. Contains 32 German and 5 Latin hymns. Copies in Vienna, Berlin, Munich, and Zwickau Libraries. 2. Souterliedekens; Antwerp, 1540. Free metrical versions of the Psalms, set to secular melodies, chiefly North German and Flemish Volkslieder, and French Chansons. A copy in the Royal Library, Dresden. 3. Luc. Lossius Psalmodia; Wittenberg, 1552. Several later editions of this work have appeared, and a copy of the 1569 edition is in the Library at Wernigerode. It contains 429 Latin and 9 German hymns in 4 and 5 parts. Copies of 1553, 1561, 1569, and 1571 in B. M. 4. Triller's Song-book; Breslau, 1559. Contains many Volkslieder in their earliest form, but arranged for several voices. Copies in the Berlin and Wernigerode Libraries. 5. Keuchenthal's Hymn-book; Wittenberg, 1573. The richest collection of the 16th century in melodies. Copy in Berlin Library. 6. Mich. Prcetorius, 'Musae Sionise; for 4 to 8 voices in 9 numbers, 1605 to 1610. A perfect copy in Royal Library, Berlin. Nos. from 1605 to 1609 in B. M.
(2) Roman Catholic.
1. Beuttner's Hymn-book; Gratz, 1602 and 1660. 154 hymns and 89 tunes. A copy in University Library, Breslau. 2. Corner's Hymn-book of 1631; Nuremberg. Melodies partly collected from previous song-books and partly taken down from the mouths of the Austrian peasants. Copies in the Wurzburg and Vienna Libraries.
C. Modern Collections of Volkslieder and Chorales, and Works relating to them, alphabetically arranged.
1. W. Arnold: 'Deutsche Volkslieder.' Elberfeld. (In ten numbers with a well-arranged PF. part.) 2. C. F. Becker: 'Lieder und Weisen vergängener Jahrhunderte.' Leipzig, 1843–58. (A small collection of early Volkslieder; words and melodies taken from the original, but the melodies in modern notation.) 3. C. F. Becker: 'Die Tonwerke des 16ten und 17ten Jahrhundert.' Leipzig, 1854. 4. Franz M. Bohme: 'Altdeutsches Liederbuch aus dem 12ten bis zum 17ten Jahrhundert.' Leipzig, 1876. The best work existing on the Volkslied. Has an invaluable preface on the form and the history of the Volkslied, and a very large collection of old melodies, with words, and trustworthy history of each. 5. Franz M. Bohme: 'Volkslieder f. Männerstimmen.' 6. E. de Coussemaker: 'Chants populaires de Flamands de France.' Ghent, 1856. (Many N. German and Flemish Volkslieder being identical, this collection is named.) 7. F. W. Ditfurth: ' Volks- und Gesellschaftslieder des 16ten, 17ten und 18ten Jahrhundert.' Stuttgart, 1874. (Many songs in this collection contain no music.) 8. R. Eitner: 'Das deutsche Lied des 15ten und 16ten Jahrhundert in Wort, Melodie, und mehrstimmigen Tonsatz.' Berlin, 1876. (A trustworthy collection.) 9. Ludwig Erk: 'Die deutschen Volkslieder mit ihren Singweisen.' Berlin, 1838–45. 10. L. Erk: 'Deutsches Liederhort.' Berlin, 1856. 11. L. Erk: 'Deutschen Volksgesangbuch:Germania.' Berlin, 1868. (Erk's collections are not always genuine.) 12. G. W. Fink: 'Musikalischer Hausschatz der Deutschen.' Leipzig, 1843, 1862, and 1878. (Contains more 'Volksthumliche Lieder' than real Volkslieder.) 13. Prof. von der Hagen: 'Die Minnesinger.' (In 4 volumes, the last containing the melodies in old and modern notation. A standard work.) 14 Hoffmann von Fallersleben and Ernst Richter: 'Schlesische Volkslieder mit Melodien aus dem Munde des Volkes gesammelt.' Leipzig, 1842. 15. W. Irmer: 'Die deutschen Volkslieder mit ihren Singweisen.' Berlin, 1842. 16. 'Leipziger Commers-Buch.' Leipzig, 1860. (This volume contains a large number of Students' songs.) 17. R. von Liliencron and W. Stade: 'Lieder und Sprüche aus der letzten Zeit des Minnesanges.' Weimar, 1854. (Melodies arranged for 4 voices.) 18. R. von Liliencron: 'Die historischen Volkslieder der Deutschen vom 13ten bis 16ten Jahrhundert, gesammelt und erläutert.' Leipzig, 1865–69. (An admirable work. The melodies are given in an appendix.) 19. Severin Meister: 'Das katholische deutsche Kirchenlied in seinen Singweisen von frühester Zeit bis gegen Ende des 17ten Jahrhundert.' Freiburg, 1852. (A useful collection.) 20. F. L. Mittler: 'Deutsche Volkslieder.' Frankfurt-on-the-Main, 1865. 21. Aug. Reissmann: 'Das deutsche Lied in seiner historischen Entwickelung.' Also: 22. 'Geschichte des deutschen Liedes.' Berlin, 1874. (See especially the early chapters in both works.) 23. Aug. Saran: 'Robert Franz und das deutsche Volkslied.' Leipzig. (Contains interesting information on the formal structure of the Volkslied.) 24. K. Schneider: 'Das musikalische Lied in geschichtlicher Entwickelung.' Leipzig, 1863. (See especially vols. 1 and 2.) 25. F. L. Schubert: 'Concordia; Anthologie ​Klassischer Volkslieder mit Clavierbegleitung.' Leipzig, 1863—67. (A very large but untrustworthy collection.) 28. F. Silcher: 'Deutsche Volkslieder.' Tubingen 1827–40. (Many of these Silcher composed himself; but they are now considered regular Volkslieder.) 27. A. Vilmar: 'Handbüchlein für Freunde des deutschen Volksliedes.' Marburg, 1867–68. (Useful.) 28. Philipp Wackernagel: 'Das deutsche Kirchenlied von Luther bis auf Nic. Hermann.' Stuttgart, 1841. 29. Philipp Wackernagel: 'Das deutsche Kirchenlied von altester Zeit bis zu Anfange des 17ten Jahrhundert' Leipzig, 1868–76. (An important work.) 30. C. von Winterfeld: 'Dr. Martin Luther's deutsche geistliche Lieder, nebst den während seines Lebens dazu gebräuchlichen Tonsätzen über dieselben von Meistern des 16ten Jahrhundert.' Leipzig, 1840. 31. C. von Winterfeld: 'Der evangelische Kirchengesang und sein Verhaltniss zur Kunst des Tonsatzes.' Leipzig, 1842–47. (A standard work.)
[ A. H. W. ]