This Cognoscimus Domine is an old Responsorium. There are about 138 Responsoria de Officium Defunctorum, Responds from Office of the Dead known and used during centuries in the Office of the Dead. They are all well ordered, this is number 10. The second part, pars secundo of this motet is “Vita nostra” the Versicle following this Respond. The Versicle “Vita nostra” nr. 240 is used in the Office of the dead. This motet is written for four equal parts (TTTB ) and it has a very dark colour due to the chosen low voices. Lechner added the wording ‘sis ergo porpitius, O Domine’ in the secunda pars at the beginning of the repetition of the Respond. This motet is written in imitative polyphonic style. This motet was originally published by Gerlach, Johann Bergs Erben, in Nuremberg in 1575, Motectae sacrae, quatuor, quinque et sex vocum, ita compositae, ut non solum viva voce commodissime cantari, sed etiam ad omnis generis instrumenta optime adhibere possint [...] addita est in fine motecta octo vocum, et duos choros, eodem autore. This motet contains 130 bars.

Text:
Cognoscimus domine quia peccavimus veniam petimus quam non meremur manum tuam porrige lapsis qui latroni confitenti paradisi januas aperuisti.
V. Vita nostra in dolore suspirat et in opera non emendta; si expectas, non corrigimus, et si vindicas, non duramus.
R. sis ergo propitius, O Domine, qui latroni confitenti paradisi januas aperuisti.

The Libera me Domine de morte is a motet from the Exsequiarum Ordo more specific a Responsorium sung during the final blessing of the coffin on its catafalque. This Libera me (there are more (4) plain-chant variations known) is an old Responsorium out of the In Exsequis and sung in the part Absolutio super tulum and is published in the old Liber Usualis page 1767. The Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna is written in a imitative polyphonic counterpoint for five equal voices (TTTBB). In this work Lechner uses an old version of the Respond and uses some extra flats, in not using the whole text of this Respond. This motet was originally published by Gerlach, Johann Bergs Erben, in Nuremberg in 1575, Motectae sacrae, quatuor, quinque et sex vocum, ita compositae, ut non solum viva voce commodissime cantari, sed etiam ad omnis generis instrumenta optime adhibere possint [...] addita est in fine motecta octo vocum, et duos choros, eodem autore. The motet contains 48 bars.

Text:
Libera me, Domine, de morte aeternain die illa tremendaquando coeli movendi sunt et terra.

Translation:
Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal death on that awful day when the heavens and earth shall be shaken.

♫ Si bona suscepimus
© CPO 777 928-2

This motet ‘Si bona suscepimus’ is an old Responsorium. There are about 138 Responsoria de Officium Defunctorum, Responds from Office of the Dead known and used during centuries in the Office of the Dead. They are all well ordered, this is number 87. One of the two corresponding Versicle from the Office of the Dead “ Nudus egressus” number 156 is even used by Lechner like Lassus (1532-1594) did. The use of Responds and Versicles of The Office of the Dead vary per region all over Europe. This long Respond with Versicle is written by Lechner for 6 voices (SSATTB). In general the text is coming out of the Book Job. The choice of texts and the order in which they occur in the sources all around Europe vary according to local uses. This motet by Lechner starts with imitative polyphony with the voices entering the ones after the others: Altus, Tenor I, Soprano I, Tenor I, Bassus and Soprano II. The Soprano II only quoting and singing in this motet ‘Fiat voluntas tuas’; Your desire will be done. Lechner uses flats and sharps to express his feelings. But nevertheless Venetian style and homophonic phrases comes in his writing. The Versicle starts in bar 68 with Altus I and the voices following after the others and ends in bar 105. Due to normal practice the Respond-text will come back from bar 105 with Dominus! This should mean that this motet is written for use in the services. Lechner uses polyphonic imitative but not in a rich style, like his teacher Lassus. This motet is published in Sacrarum cantionum, quinque et sex vocum, liber secundus. Nuremberg: Katharina Gerlach, Johann Bergs Erben, 1581. This motet contains 130 bars.

The Domine, ne in furrore is a motet from the de Officium Defunctorum composed by Utendal for six voices (SSATTB). This Domine, ne in furore is the text of Psalm 6. But seen the Liber Usualis this text is used in de Officium Defunctorum ad Matutinum, Office of the Dead at matins and published at page 1783. It is without doubt Lechner composed this variation with the Office of the Dead in mind because he omitted the ‘Gloria patri et filio’ which is of course not sung in the Office of the dead. The choice of texts and the order in which they occur in the sources all around Europe vary according to local uses. Lechner wrote two works on a text ‘Domine, ne in furore’ but the first composed fits with the text of Psalm 6 published in the Liber usualis. This motet is written in a more homophonic polyphonic style, with different alternating voice groups following the verses and part of the text of the verses. The used low voices (ATTB or TTB, dark colouring) in the score reflects the mood of the text and the more occasions of mourning. To the contrary Lechner uses the high voices (SST, SSAT) and of course the full great parts (SSATTB) to give more accent at the text sung. There is a lot of contrast-colouring in this work. At the end of the Renaissance the text-handling is very important to the composers. This motet is published in Septem psalmi poenitentiales, sex vocibus compositi [...] additis aliis quibusdam piis cantionibus sex et plurium vocum, Nuremberg: Katharina Gerlach, 1587.

The De profundis clamavi is a motet from the de Officium Defunctorum composed for six voices (SSATTB). This De profundis clamavi is the text of Psalm 129. But on three places in the Liber Usualis this text is used in de Officium Defunctorum, Office of the Dead. First in the Exsequarium ordo, Burial service bearing the corpse to the church, page 1763, second in Ad Vesperas, Vespers page 1774 and third in Ad Laudes, the Lauds page 1805. It is without doubt Lechner composed this variation with the Office of the Dead in mind because he omitted the ‘Gloria patri et filio’ which is of course not sung in the Office of the dead. The choice of texts and the order in which they occur in the sources all around Europe vary according to local uses! The more often in the Spanish region this text is used in the Office of the Dead see Pedro de Cristo (c.1550-1618) and Vivanco (c.1550-1622). But Pierre de Manchicourt (c.1510-1562) used the same text, his Spanish colleagues did. Of course a lot of composers in that time composed on the plainchant De profundis: I mention Mouton (1558), Clement (1559), Ducis (1542), Josquin (1520, 1521, 1539), Willaert (1550), Lassus (1532-1594), but nearly all of them used the Gloria Patri et filio. Thus that works were not used in the Office of the Dead. This motet is written in imitative polyphonic counterpoint, with homophonic elements to underline the text. The total motet contains 94 bars. Of course Lechner uses flats and sharps to underline his feelings and uses some dissonant. This motet is published in Septem psalmi poenitentiales, sex vocibus compositi [...] additis aliis quibusdam piis cantionibus sex et plurium vocum, Nuremberg: Katharina Gerlach, 1587.