In 1609 the editor Pieter Graesbeeck published in Lisbon 3 lectiones Pro Defunctis 8vv together with the already in this website treated Missa pro defunctis 8vv.
Francisco Garro sets those three lessons for two choirs [S]ATB –SATB. Unfortunately the Superius of Choir-I has been lost. The clef combination of these three lessons are as follows []C3C4F4 and C1C3C4F4. As stated before the Superius from choir-I has been lost. Dr. José Abreu in 2002 did a successfully try to accomplish that missing part - the Superius of Choir-I – in each score of these three lessons.
As we know and often mentioned here, these three lessons Parce Mihi Domine (Lectio I) , Responde Mihi (Lectio IV) and Spritus meus (Lectio VII) are integral part of the Officium Defunctorum Ad Matutinum, Office of the Dead ad Matins as published in the Liber Usualis (edition 1936, p.1772-1799). At this stage we don’t know whether or not Francisco Garro set a fully Office of the Dead. In the Renaissance period more composers have set parts or the whole Officium defunctorum we mention out of the Renaissance Giosoffo Zarlino (1517-1590), Giovanni Asola (ca.1528-1609), Estêvâo de Brito (c.1570 - 1641), Lodovico da Viadana (1564 - 1627), Duarte Lôbo -Latin: Eduardus Lupus- (ca.1565 - 1646), Marco da Gagliano (1582 - 1642), Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi (ca.1554 – 1622), Filipe de Magalhães (ca.1571 – 1652), Sebastián de Vivanco (ca.1551 - 1622), Orlandus Lassus- (1532 - 1594), Christobal de Morales (ca.1500 - 1553), Giovanni da Palestrina (1525-1594) and Juan Vasquez (ca.1510 - 1560).
I. Parce mihi Domine.
The Parce mihi is the first Lesson out of the Office of the Dead and is set polychoral for SATBxSATB. The start of Choir-I is more imitative polyphonic to go further in a homophonic way and homophonic alternation between the two choirs. The text meaning and its potential expressiveness determine the music set by Garro. Word-painting is intensively used see for instance Ms. 25 and Ms. 26 in both choirs in ‘et subito illum’ with two eighth notes on ‘(su)bito’ and further Ms.63 and Ms. 44 in ‘in pulvere dormiam’ again two eighth notes on ‘(pul)vere’. The Lesson is set in 4/2, D-Dorian and consists out of 73 measures.
II. Responde Mihi.
This Responde mihi is the fourth lesson out of the Office of the Dead and is set polychoral for SATB x SATB. Choir-I is polyphonically imitative set in the start. Choir-II follows in a more homophonic way. Due to the text this Lesson is much more musically lively set by Garro compared to the Parce mihi Domine. The text meaning and its potential expressiveness determine the music set by Garro. A very interesting example of word-painting is found at the words ‘Contra folium, quod vento rapitur, ostendis potentiam tuam, et stipulam siccam persequeris’ Ms. 17- Ms. 26. The first and the last phrases of each choir of this sentence are set with very short but ascending eighth notes in all parts in Choir-I and descending eighth notes in all parts in Choir-II. The middle phrase as a contrast is set in a full tutti by both Choirs in a sonorous one, with long notes in Ms. 21-23/3 even with some closing quarter notes in Choir-II by Tenor to reach the C-Major in Ms.25. In the Choir-I Garro underlines ‘ Contra folium’ by voice pairing (TB and SA) and ‘folium’ even with four eighth notes but in ‘rapitur’ with eighths covering an ascending seventh in both Superius-I and Bassus-I. The Choir-II answers with quick notes in homophonic style but in ‘persequeris’ starting with in all parts descending eighths and ending with ascending eights in Altus-II and Tenor-II. At the end Ms. 57-59 in ‘tinea’ in Choir-II (Altus and Tenor) Garro sets long quarter notes figures to finish in 4/2, A-hypod. This Lesson consists out of 60 measures.
III. Spiritus Meus.
This Spiritus Meus is the seventh lesson out of the Office of the Dead and is set polychoral for SATB x SATB. The start in Choir-I is imitative polyphonic. Choir-II follows in a more homophonic way. Again the text meaning and its potential expressiveness determine the music set by Garro. Word-painting is found in Ms. 21 at the words ‘libera me’ in both choirs with three quarter notes in all parts. The following word-painting is the underling in Choir-I by Garro at the important words ‘dies mei’ in Ms. 29-31, answered in Choir-I in Ms. 33 at the words ‘cogitatio’ with four quarter notes in voice-pairing (SB and AT). At the words ‘Noctem verterunt in’ Ms. 39-40 Garro uses 3/2 tempus, triple time! Here starts another word-painting in a very long section ‘Noctem verterunt ---- stravi lectulum meum.’ After that triple time ‘in diem’ is set in 4/2 with long notes. ‘Si sustinuero, infernus domus mea’ is set in tutti but in a very dramatic even crying way. The words are not in a synchronic way but rhythmically in the same way but on different words in Ms. 48 (‘-fernus’ in Choir-I and ‘nuero infernus’ Choirs-II). This moving setting is followed again in 3/2 tempus, triple time Ms. 47-53 in tutti but in a close antiphonal repetition ending in D-Dorian. This setting of Spiritus Meus consists out of 75 measures and ends in E-Phrygian. Garro closes this Lesson with the words ‘et patientiam mea. [quis considerat?] Tu es Domine, Deus meus, in omitting ‘quis considerat’ placed between brackets by us and in adding ‘Tu es Domine, Deus meus’. If we compare this text with the setting of this Lesson by the South-Netherlandish Orlando di Lasso (1532-1594), uses Lassus the same text Garro did. Mind the enormous Key/chord changing, due to the moving text in this seventh Lesson.
Of course it is a pity the Superius-I of Choir-I is lost but Dr. José Abreu wrote a reasonable substitution.
These three lessons are found in several part-books sources (Coimbra, Braga and London) in Missae quatuor, octonis vocibus tres, & una duodenis; defunctorum lectiones tres, octonis vocibus; tria Alleluia, octonis etiam vocibus. [Lissabon, Pieter Graesbeeck] MDCIX.
Text Parce mihi:
Parce mihi, Domine, nihil enim sunt dies mei.
Quid est homo, quia magnificas eum?
Aut quid apponis erga eum cor tuum?
Visitas eum diluculo et subito probas illum.
Usquequo non parcis mihi, nec dimittis me, ut glutiam salivam mea,
Peccavi, quid faciam tibi, o custos hominum?
Quare posuisti me contrarium tibi, et factus sum mihimet ipsi gravis?
Cur non tolles peccatum meum, et quare non aufers iniquitatem meam?
Ecce, nunc in pulvere dormiam, et si mane me quaesieris, non subsistam.
Translation:
Spare me OI Lord; for my days are nothing.
What is man, that Thou shouldest magnify him?
and that Thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
And that Thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
How long wilt Thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
I have sinned; what shall I do unto Thee, O Thou preserver of men?
why hast Thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
And why dost Thou not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity?
for now shall I sleep in the dust; and Thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
Text Responde Mihi
Responde mihi quantas habeo iniquitates et peccata,
scelera mea et delicta ostende mihi.
Cur faciem tuam abscondis et arbitraris me inimicum tuum?
Contra folium quid vento rapitur ostendis potentiam tuam,
et stipulam seccam persequeris?
Scribis enim contra me amaritudines
et consumere me vis peccatis adolescentiae meae,
posuisti in nervo pedem meum
et observasti omnes semitas meas et vestigia pedum meorum considerasti,
qui quasi putredo consumendus sum et quasi vestimentum quod comeditur a tinea.
Translation
Answer thou me, how great iniquities, and sins I have,
my wicked deeds, and my offences shew thou me.
Why hidest thou thy face and thinkest me thine enemy?
Against the leaf that is violently taken with the wind, thou shewest thy might,
and persecutest dry stubble.
For thou writest bitterness against me,
and wilt consume me with the sins of my youth.
Thou hast put my foot in band,
and hast observed all my paths, and hast considered the steps of my feet.
Who as rottenness am to be consumed, and as a garment that is eaten of the moth.
Tect: Spiritus Meus
Spiritus meus attenuabitur, dies mei breviabuntur, et solum mihi superest sepulchrum.
Non peccavi, et in amaritudinibus moratur oculus meus.
Libera me Dominue, et pone me iuxta te, et cuiusvis manus pugnet contra me.
Noctem verterunt in diem, et rursum post tenebras spero lucem.
Dies mei transierunt, cogitationes meæ dissipatæ sunt, torquentes cor meum:
Si sustinuero, infernus domus mea est, et in tenebris stravi lectulum meum.
Putredini dixi: Pater meus es, mater mea, et soror mea, vermibus.
Ubi est ergo nunc præstolatio mea, et patientiam mea [ quis considerat?]
Tu es Domine, Deus meus.
Translation.
My spirit will be wasted, my days will be shortened, and only the grave will be left for me.
I have not sinned, yet my eye remains in bitterness.
Free me, O Lord, and set me beside you, and let the hand of anyone you wish fight against me.
My days have passed away; my thoughts have been scattered, tormenting my heart.
They have turned night into day, and I hope for light again after the darkness.
If I should wait, the underworld is my house, and in darkness I have spread out my bed.
I have said to decay and to worms: “You are my father, my mother, and my sister.”
Therefore, where is my expectation now, and who is it that [considers my patience?]
You are the Lord, My Lord.