Music in Vyšší Brod Monastery

Maybe it was a wonder that the Cistercian Vyšší Brod Monastery stayed untouched by disasters of history because most of monasteries in Bohemia were not so lucky. Thanks to this fact a number of unique music sources were preserved in its library. For example the manuscript No. 42 that was written in the monastery by brother Přibík in 1410 contains remarkable primitive work of the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, included are Latin and Czech spiritual lyrics (Jezu Kriste Ščedrý Kněže, Otep Myrrhy, Doroto Panno Čistá) and vocal songs. In general it is the oldest existing source in this field. The German hymn-book - the so-called "Hohenfurter Liederbuch" - was written after the middle of the 15th century. It contains 79 hymns dedicated to private prayers. Some of the hymns are indicated as penitent's and the author wrote about himself that he lived for 30 years as a bad sinner having plenty of the pleasures of secular life. Then he converted and his hymns could help others to improve.

(mho)

Further information:
History of Music in the Český Krumlov Region