A dedication of the first printed opus by Brentner
[Harmonica duodecatomeria
ecclesiastica seu Ariae duodecim]
honori et venerationi
perillustris ac generosi domini
Mathiae Gildea,
equitis de Altbach,
humillime dicatae.
Perillustris ac generose
domine eques,
patrone ac moecenas
gratiosissime,
praesentem ariarum ecclesiasticarum duodenam, diu meditatam, nunc tandem sub faventissimis auspiciis tuis in publicum prodeuntem, sisto tibi, perillustris domine eques, patrone colendissime. Honori praecipue tuo eam dedicandam duxi, quia mentem tuam Harmonia subinde delectari frequentius comprehendi.
Unde licet has arias nomine Harmonicae duodecatomeriae ecclesiasticae insigniverim, Mathiam tamen nunquam profane intellexi, in quem haec forte sors casu cecidisset, nam id tot beneficiorum a te collatorum particeps pridem destinabam.
Suscipe ergo munus hoc pro insigni gratitudinis, exile quidem, at si consensum gratiosum tuum benigne praebueris, acceptissimum saltem mihi, nam si ingratum aliis, non angor. Quia non invidia aut bile verborum mordacium, sed concentu Musico convincor, praesertim cum unum e duodecim Harmoniam eclesiasticam frivole evertere satagentem a caetu reliquorum rejectum in sacris litteris erudior.
Assentire proinde petitioni meae, perillustris eques, et munusculum hoc, quod nomini tuo pridem consecravi, gratiose acceptandum judica, ut, quod unice anhelat, consecuta mens mea conquiescat; qua spe fretus maneo
perillustris ac generosi domini equitis,
patroni gratiosissimi,
servorum infimus
Josephus Brentner
[Harmonica duodecatomeria ecclesiastica
or Twelve Arias]
dedicated
to the honor and glory
of the most glorious and noble lord
Matthias Gildea,
Knight of Altbach.
Glorious and noble
sir knight,
kindest of protectors
and patrons,
I present to you, glorious sir knight, most honorable protector, these twelve, long-prepared church arias, which are now being published under your patronage. I have decided to dedicate them to you above all as an expression of respect, because I have more than once seen how your thoughts are uplifted by harmony.
Therefore, although I have given these arias the title Harmonica duodecatomeria ecclesiastica, nonetheless I have never understood them to be like the uninitiated Matthias, whose fate fell to him in part by chance, because I made this decision long ago because of the generosity I have received from you.
Receive, then, this gift as an expression of gratitude; the gift may be insignificant, yet were you to look upon it kindly, it would at least mean a great deal to me, because I would suffer, were it not to be welcomed by others. In truth, harmonious music convicts me more than the bilious hatred of caustic words, especially when I learn from the Holy Scriptures about one of the twelve, who foolishly
attempted to disrupt the harmony of the church and was driven out from the company of the others. So accept my request, O glorious sir knight, and judge this gift kindly, which I have dedicated to you long ago, that my mind might find the ease, which is the only thing
for which it yearns; with this hope, I remain
to the glorious and noble sir knight,
and the most merciful protector,
the lowliest of servants
Josephus Brentner
edited by Jiří Matl, translated by Mark Newkirk
published in J. J. I. Brentner: Duchovní árie I (Academus Edition 2), Praha 2015, s. 86
