The Maulbronn Fugue

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Title:     The Maulbronn Fugue
Author: Joseph Victor Scheffel [More Titles by Scheffel]

--'Wem das Kloster Maulbrunn bekandt, der hats können mit seinen Augen sehen, wie in dem Vorhoff selbiger schönen erbauten Kirchen oben im Schwibbogen unter anderen Gemälden auch eine Gans abgemalt steht, an welcher eine Fläsch, Bratwürst, Bratspiss und dergleichen hangen, neben einer zur nassen Andacht gar wohl componirten Fuga folgenden Tenors mit ihrem unterlegten Text, gleichwohl nur den initialibus literis A. V. K. L. W. H. welches villeicht dieser durstigen Münch und Religiosen Commentarius gewest, über das Hohelied Salomonis: Comedite amici et bibite et inebriamini charissimi, &c., &c.'--Tob. Wagner, Evangel. Censur der Besoldischen Motiven, &c. Tübingen, 1640.

[English.] He who knows the Abbey Maulbrunn may have seen with his own eyes how in the fore court of this beautifully built church, above in the double arch, there is painted, among other pictures, that of a goose by which hang a bottle, sausages, a roasting spit, and like things, near a well-composed fugue adapted to wet devotion, on the following theme, with the subjoined text, although with only the initial letters

A. V. K. L. W. H.

Or Alle Voll, Keiner Leer, Wein Her! meaning "All full, No one empty, Bring Wine here!"--which was perhaps the commentary of these thirsty monks and pious men on the Canticle of Solomon: Comedite amici et bibite et inebriamini charissimi, &c, &c.--Tobias Wagner, Evangel. Censur der Besoldischen Motiven, &c. Tübingen, 1640.

Im Winterrefectorium
Zu Maulbronn in dem Kloster
Da geht was um den Tisch herum
Klingt nicht wie Paternoster;
Die Martinsgans hat woklgethan,
Eilfinger blinkt im Kruge,
Nun hebt die nasse Andacht an
Und alles singt die Fuge:
A. V. K. L. W. H.
Complete Pocula!

In the winter refectorium
Of Maulbronn, in the cloister,
One hears a merry sound and hum,
Not like a paternoster.
The Martin's goose has tasted well,
Eilfinger wine they're bringing;
Now let the wet devotion swell,
While all the fugue are singing:
A. V. K. L. W. H.
Complete Pocula!

The Abbot Duckfoot--Holy John,
Came waddling in and grumbling:
'What is't so late, when the feast is done,
To fiddles ye are mumbling?
Cease! ye disturb the Doctor Faust,
In the garden tower behind there;
If from his studies he be roused,
No gold will he e'er find there.
A. V. K. L. W. H.
Cavete scandala!'

Herr Faust sat backwards by the wall,
Alone with pleasure-drinking,
But now the sorcerer, pale and tall,
Held forth the wine red blinking.
Said he: 'I've studied making gold,
By magic sought to win it;
But now I see that I am sold,
And that there's nothing in it.
A. V. K. L. W. H.
This is the gold--aha!

'I find from Hermes Trismegist
Gold yields itself unwilling;
The sun is the true alchemist,
All fluidly distilling.
When through our veins 't has glowed and relled;
With Eilfinger we try it;
Then you have gold, have real gold,
And honourably come by it.
A. V. K. L. W. H.
Hæc vera practica!'

Then laughed the Abbot. 'That sounds fair;
It sets me too to drinking,
For All Voll, Keiner Leer, Wein Her!
Is a wet fugue, I'm thinking.
As Faust's gold-proverb it shall be
Painted by the officials
In the transept. All the melody
Is found in the initials.
A. V. K. L. W. H.
Sit vino gloria!'

[The end]
Joseph Victor Scheffel's poem: Maulbronn Fugue

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