Sancta Maria succurre miseris

In 1548, Benedictus Appenzeller printed a four-part polyphonic composition, Sancta Maria succurre miseris, on a piece of linen. He dedicated it to Mary of Hungary, his patron, as indicated by the inscription printed in capital letters on the upper edge of the fabric :

In gratiam serenissimae et gratiosissimae D. Domine Mariae, Ungariae, Ac Boemiae Reginae. Inferioris Germaniae gubernatricis, Domina suae clementissimae composuit, Benedictus. Anno 1548

To the Most Serene and Most Gracious Lady Mary, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia. Benedictus composed for his most gracious mistress, Governor of Lower Germany, in the year 1548.

Below, in the frame about the music notation, Benedictus addresses a message to the readers of its music :

Ad lectorem. Quisvis es aspiciens huius modulamina cantus, si modo musarum te movet ullus honor, Ingenium authoris merita dignabere laude, quaque potes musas sponte iuvabis ope. 

To the reader. Whoever you are, you who contemplate these modulations of song, if the honour of the Muses inspires you even a little, deign to give the author’s ingenuity the praise he deserves and, to the extent of your means, spontaneously lend your help to the Muses through your work.

The arrangement of the canon

Within this framework, the music is arranged so that two singers read it opposite the other two, according to the table music process: the soprano and bass read on one side, while the tenor and countertenor read from the opposite side.

This musical tribute takes the form of an enigmatic double canon, a genre that is both refined and skilfully constructed, which resolution is based on two riddles inspired by famous passages from the Gospels, printed beneath the vocal lines.

The melody of the superius (highest voice) is repeated in canon by the bass (lowest voice), but with the melodic intervals inverted: where the soprano rises, the bass descends, and vice versa. This technique responds to the first riddle: Qui non est mecum, contra me est (‘He who is not with me is against me ‘ – Matthew 12:30).

The same principle applies to the tenor and countertenor, arranged symmetrically on the page. In the second part of the motet, a new enigma appears: Erunt novissimi primi & primi novissimi (“The last shall be first, and the first shall be last” – Matthew 20:16).

The text of the canon

The text of the canon is that of an ancient prayer to the Virgin Mary, written by Bishop Fulbert of Chartres (c. 951–1029) and simplified here by Benedictus to make the dedication to Mary of Hungary more explicit.

Sancta Maria, succurre miseris, iuva pusillanimes, refove flebiles, ora pro populo, interveni pro clero, intercede pro devoto femineo sexu: sentiant omnes tuum levamen, quicumque celebrant tuam commemorationem. Amen

Holy Mary, rescue the unfortunate, help the weak, comfort those who weep, pray for the people, intercede for the clergy, intercede for the devoted female sex: may all those who celebrate your commemoration feel your help. Amen.

The glorification of Mary of Hungaryas protector of suffering humanity is to be understood in the political context of the Diet of Augsburg, in which the sovereign took part. With her adviser Viglius van Aytta (1507-1577), she succeeded in obtaining the Augsburg Transaction, a treaty that recognised the Low Countries as one of the provinces of the Empire, thus securing their protection and autonomy.

A musical handkerchief

This canon is distinguished by a rare technical feat: musical printing on a textile medium. This linen handkerchief is unique in its genre to date and has no known equivalent. It is adorned with a black silk cross-stitch border, which would have originally extended beyond the edges of the handkerchief, as evidenced by the remains of black thread around the fabric. Giving amusicalhandkerchief thus represented a gesture that was modern, refined and unprecedented. This accessory became fashionable among the aristocracy in the early 16th century: a luxury item — embroidered with silk, silver or gold — it was perfumed and kept in a pouch. In social circles, men would often give them as gifts to ladies.

To the most gracious and gracious lady Mary, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia.

Benedictus composed for his most merciful mistress, ruler of Lower Germany, in the year 1548. 

These scores are sung by the superius (soprano) and bassus (bass) voices.

These two scores are sung by the tenor and contra (countertenor) voices.

Canon Sancta Maria succurre miseris Benedictus Appenzeller, 1548
Ink on linen and black silk embroidery Brussels, KBR – VI 18.613 C

‘He who is not with me is against me,’ Matthew 12:30;

‘The last shall be first, and the first shall be last,’ Matthew 20:16.

They explain the principle of the canon—an inversion of the melody (where the soprano and tenor rise, the bass and countertenor descend).