Heinrich von Morungen

Heinrich von Morungen (died 1222) was a Minnesinger, whose 35 surviving Middle High German songs are dated on both literary and biographical grounds to around the period 1190–1200. Alongside Walter von der Vogelweide and Reinmar, he is regarded as one of the most important Minnesänger: he was "the most colourful, passionate, tender and musical of the Minnesänger" and his work "marks a new and brilliantly effective stage in the development of the German lyric."

Life

Morungen is identified with the Hendricus de Morungen who is mentioned in two charters of Dietrich I, Margrave of Meissen. This Hendricus presumably originated from the castle of Morungen near Sangerhausen in Saxony-Anhalt, a location consistent with the language of the songs. As a "retired knight" (miles emeritus) he received from his patron Dietrich, also a patron of Walter von der Vogelweide, a pension for his "high personal merits" (alta suae vitae merita). In 1213 he transferred this to the monastery of St Thomas in Leipzig, which he entered himself in 1217. According to a 16th century source based on the records of the monastery, he died there in 1222. The same source reports a certainly apocryphal story of a visit to India.

In the Late Middle Ages, there was extant a ballad of Der edele Möringer ("The Noble Moringer"), which transferred to Heinrich von Morungen the stock theme of the return of a husband believed lost.

Works Manuscript tradition The manuscript tradition preserves 115 strophes of Morungen's, constituting 35 songs. He is represented in the three main Minnesang manuscripts:. MS A (the Kleine Heidelberger Liederhandschrift, 1270-1280) has 29 strophes under Morungen's name, though three of these are ascribed to Ulrich von Singenberg in MS C. MS B (the Weingarten Manuscript, first quarter of the 14th Century) has 25 strophes under Morungen's name and three under Dietmar von Aist's. MS C (the Große Heidelberger Liederhandschrift, the Manesse Codex, c. 1304) has by far the largest collection, with 104 strophes under Morungen's name. Of these 43 appear in the "Tross Fragment" (MS Ca), which is based on C.

Four other manuscripts have small amounts of additional material:

MS E (the Würzburg Manuscript (LMU Munich, Universitätsbibliothek, 2° Cod. Ms. 731c., the Housebook of Michael de Leone, 1345-1354) has eight strophes (two songs) of Morungen's under the names of Walther von der Vogelweide and Reinmar. MS M (the Carmina Burana MS, Munich, Staatsbibliothek, clm 4660) has a single anonymous strophe matching one in C. It is the only Morungen text with neumes. MS p (Berne, Burgerbibliothek, Cod. 260) has four strophes of Morungen's. MS S (the Kremsmünster fragment, CC248) has three strophes of the song "Sîn hiez mir nie widersagen" (MF 130,9), including one strophe not in any other MS. At the end of this song on folio 78r of MS C a space large enough for a single strophe has been left, which may have been intended for the additional strophe.

Themes

An essential theme in Morungen's work is the demonic nature of Minne, the Middle High German word for this type of love, which for the mediaeval writers was embodied by the ancient classical goddess of love, Venus. Minne is experienced partly as a magical, pathological, even fatal power, but also as a religious and mystical experience.

Morungen is a very graphic lyricist: he particularly often makes use of images of shining (sun, moon, evening star, gold, jewels, mirror) as comparisons by which to describe the lady who is being sung and praised.

In form and content the poems are influenced by the Provençal troubadour lyric: dactylic rhythms and through-rhymes (Durchreimung) occur frequently. Motifs in the content have also been taken over from the same source: for example, the motif, otherwise rare in German Minnesang, of the "notice of termination of the service of love" (Lied XXVII), the roots of which are to be found in classical literature (for example Ovid).

Legacy Although Morungen is explicitly named in the works of later poets more rarely than Walther or Reinmar, his surviving corpus of 35 songs is larger than that of any contemporary Minnesänger other than these two, and his influence on the Minnesang tradition was considerable.

The Songs Song ISi ist ze allen êrenMF 122,1Song IIMîn liebeste und ouch mîn êrsteMF 123,10Song IIIHet ich tugende niht sô vilMF 124,32Song IVIn sô hôher swebender wunneMF 125,19Song VVon den elbenMF 126,8Song VI aWest ich, ob ez verswîget möhte sînMF 127,1Song VI bDer alsô vil geriefeMF 127,12Song VIIEz ist site der nahtegalMF 127,34Song VIIISach ieman die vrouwenMF 129,14Song IXSîn hiez mir nie widersagenMF 130,9Song XIch hân sî vür alliu wîpMF 130,21Song XI aIch bin iemer ander und niht eineMF 131,25Song XI bIch bin iemer ander, niht der eineMF 131,25Song XIIIst ir liep mîn leit und mîn ungemachMF 132,27Song XIIILeitlîche blickeMF 133,17Song XIVMîn herze, ir schoene und diu minneMF 134,6Song XVEz tuot vil wêMF 134,14Song XVIWê, wie lange sol ich ringenMF 135,9Song XVIIOwê, war umbe volg ich tumbem wâneMF 136,1Song XVIIIDiu vil guoteMF 136,25Song XIXVrowe, wilt du mich genernMF 137,10Song XXVrowe, mîne swaere sichMF 137,17Song XXIOb ich dir vor allen wîbenMF 137,37Song XXIIIch waene, nieman lebeMF 138,17Song XXIIIIch hôrte ûf der heideMF 139,19Song XXIVSolde ich iemer vrowen leitMF 140,11Song XXVUns ist zergangenMF 140,32Song XXVIMich wundert harteMF 141,15Song XXVIISi hât mich verwuntMF 141,37Song XXVIIIIch bin keiser âne krôneMF 142,19Song XXIXWie sol vröidelôser tageMF 143,4Song XXXOwê, sol aber mir iemer mêMF 143,22Song XXXIHât man mich gesehen in sorgenMF 144,17Song XXXIIMir ist geschehen als einem kindelîneMF 145,1Song XXXIII1Ich wil ein reiseMF 145,35Song XXXIII2Ich wil immer singenMF 146,11Song XXXIVVil süeziu senftiu toeterinneMF 147,4Song XXXVLange bin ich geweset verdâht MF 147,17 Notes

Editions

With commentary and Modern German translation.

Translations Text of eight songs with parallel English translation.

Notes

References

Heinrich von Morungen

Bron en licentie