MTN047
US $2.00
for SATB chorus, a cappella
Text by
Composed by
Š 2015 by Mark Templeton at www.Mtchoralmusic.com
2 Mea Lesbia, commonly known as Catullus 87, consists of two elegiac couplets written by Gaius Valerius Catullus (84 - 54 B.C.E) for his lover, Lesbia. Catullus was only one of Lesbia’s many lovers, and he often wrote of his jealousy and disdain for her unfaithful actions. This elegy was written at a time when Lesbia had been particularly cruel toward Catullus. Despite being broken hearted, his obsession with her never waned. In his despair and desperation, he basically says, “My love for you is so great that no other woman could possibly even know what love is.” Latin
Translation
Nulla potest mulier tantum se *dicere amatam *Vere quantum a me Lesbia amata mea est:
No woman can say that she is truly loved As much as my Lesbia has been loved by me.
Nulla fides ullo fuit umquam in foedere tanta Quanta in amore tuo ex parte reperta mea est.
No greater faithfulness was ever in any commitment As was found in that of my love for you.
*Pronunciation note: the letter ‘c’ is always pronounced like a hard ‘k’; the letter ‘v’ is always pronounced like a ‘w’.
MARK TEMPLETON, born 1974, is an American choral composer, conductor, and countertenor. Templeton’s music has been described by the Boston Music Intelligencer as “charming and entertaining, playing with homophony and polyphony, and having a winning way with neo-romantic sweet dissonances.” Some of his music is published by Santa Barbara Music Publishing, and he has recently started to selfpublish. His music for men’s voices, including When I Hear Her I Have Wings, has been performed across the world at various international festivals and ACDA conventions. His Missa Brevis has recently been featured in a doctoral dissertation at Florida State University. Templeton is also a sought after performer and clinician. He currently sings countertenor with Vox Populi, Delaware's professional chamber choir. He resides with his wife, Becca, at West Nottingham Academy in Colora, Maryland, the oldest boarding school in the United States, where he is the director of choral activities, music theory, and music composition. He also enjoys coaching, playing, and watching soccer when he is not working. He is available for commission upon request.
Picture on front cover: Lesbia (1878) by John Reinhard Weguelin (1849-1927)
3
Mea Lesbia (My Lesbia)
Gaius Valerius Catullus (c. 84 - 54 B.C.E.) Carmen 87
for SATB chorus, a cappella
Unhurried h = 65
# & # 32
Soprano
∑
## 3 P & 2 w
Alto
Nul
-
## 3P V 2 ˙.
Tenor
Nul
-
P ? ## 3 ˙ 2
Bass
∑ ˙
nul
œ- ˙
˙.
la,
for rehearsal
# & # w
-
A
T
B
&
##
V
##
6
&
˙
b˙
˙.
nul - la,
˙.
nul - la,
nul
-
nul
w
Nul
œœ ˙˙ -
˙.
-
˙
w
la,
œ- ˙
n˙
la,
nul - la,
Nul
w
test
œ ˙ -
test
la,
œ- ˙
la,
Nul - la,
˙
˙
œ œ œ˙ œ
wœ ˙
˙˙ .
wœ ˙
˙˙ .
˙ œ b ˙˙
n ˙˙ .
w œœ ˙˙
˙˙ .
w œ ˙ rit.
˙.
mu
tan - tum
œ ˙
-
˙ ˙.
po - test
mu
œ˙ œ œ w˙ . ˙˙ .
n ˙-
œ œ œ ˙.
li - er
˙
mu - li
w œ ˙
-
w
mu - li - er
-
-
˙
la,
-
-
po
˙
w
? # # ˙˙ .
nul
Nul - la
w
˙
ww
la,
œ œ œ œ
˙
No woman can say she is truly loved
po
##
-
P
˙
w
? ## ˙
la,
w-
˙
Ó
w
test
po
˙
∑
˙
œ œ œ w
˙.
nul
w
6
S
la,
w
œ- ˙
˙
Nul - la,
∑ ˙
-
nul
w
# & # 32 w P ? # # 32 ˙˙ .
w-
la,
Mark D. Templeton (b.1974)
-
b˙ -
er
-
n˙
li - er
tan - tum
˙ œ b ˙˙
œ œ œ
œ œ n˙
b˙
ce - re
a
se
di - ce - re
˙
˙
b˙.
se
di
˙. ˙
˙
n ˙˙ .
œ ˙ œ ˙œ
n˙
˙
-
bœ
-
n œœ œœ ˙˙ ..
a - ma
-
˙
a
-
˙
-
˙
-
˙
F œ w-
nœ œ ˙.
tum se di
œ ˙ œ œ˙ œ œ
di - ce - re
˙
˙
tan - tum
tan
œ œ n˙.
se
˙
˙.
bœ
F œ œ w-
-
ma
F w-
ma
F œ œ œ w-
ce - re
a - ma
tam
tam
tam
rit.
œœ œ ww F œ œ n˙ b˙ w b˙. œ œ œ w
© 2015 by Mark Templeton at www.MTchoralmusic.com
tam
˙˙ ˙˙
Mea Lesbia
4
&
##
&
##
11
S
A
P ˙ œ- œ œ- œ Ve - re quan
P ˙ œ- œ œ- œ Ve - re quan
T
B
V
##
? ## 11
&
##
As much as my Lesbia...
w
F n wœ œ œ
˙
F œ œ œ ˙- .
a tempo
˙ ˙
∑
-
-
tum
tum
a me
˙
Pœ œ œ- œ ˙
? ## ˙ ˙
Les
-
n ˙- .
Pœ- œ œœ ˙
∑
Ve - re quan - tum
œ œ œ œ P
w˙
œœ œœ œœ
˙
œ œ œ œ ˙
∑
bi - a,
a me Les
-
a
nw ˙. F n ˙˙.
˙-
Fœ œ ˙ F œ . œ ˙J
˙-
me Les
œ
˙ >
bi - a,
œ œ
œ
Ve - re quan - tum
a tempo
˙˙
a me
-
Les
œ œ œ ˙.
a
me
œ ˙ >
œ
a
œ œ ˙ bi - a,
me
# > & # ˙
S
˙
a
A
b˙ a
B
ma
F ## œ œ œ- œ n œ œ œ w & a
T
-
F ˙.
V
# # >˙
a - ma
˙.
? # # >˙
˙
a
-
>œ œ
bi - a,
a me
Les
œ ˙
œ œœ œ ˙˙ œ
œœ œœ œœ
-
˙
nœ œ w
˙-
˙.
˙
˙-
˙
ta
bœ œ
a - ma
-
ta me
F n˙
œ œ a
-
# & # ˙œ œ ˙œ œ n b ˙œ œ œ ˙. ˙
me - a,
n˙ w
œ œ œ
w˙ . F ˙ n˙
me
-
me
œ n œ˙ b œ n˙ w
me
b˙.
ma - ta
16
˙ ? ## ˙
a,
ta
bœ œ
-
-
œ œ ˙.
a,
b˙
a,
me
-
œ ˙
a,
n œœ œœ ˙w.
˙ b˙.
n˙
n ˙-
œ
me - a
œ œ
me - a,
n˙
-
w
me
œ œ ˙˙. b˙ œ ˙
bi
œ œœ˙
œ œ n˙.
F ˙
œ
a
œ nœ bœ
Les
˙ w
-
me - a
˙ a
a
˙. n˙ ˙
œœ œ ˙ ˙
n >œ ˙
-
-
nw Nw ˙ f ˙w.
-
>˙ bi
-
-
œ œœ n œ ˙˙
P
w.
est:
P
w-
est:
˙
est,
œ œ-
est,
œ œ-
P aw P w
˙
bi
Les - bi
>œ œ f >˙ .
...has been loved by me. 16
f > ˙ Nw >
-
f w>
-
œ œœ
Les
a me
œœ œœ œ ˙˙.
œ ˙ œ. œ œ ˙ J
œ
f n w>
ww . P a ww
me -
me -
˙ œœ œœ
5
Mea Lesbia
rit.
# & # ˙. 21
S
A
T
B
&
##
V
##
˙˙-
-
est:
est:
&
##
a
Nul
U
w
Ó
U
˙˙ ..
œœ
˙˙
U w
w
A
## P & ˙
T
B
V
Nul
? ## Ó # & # ˙˙ . P w ? ## Ó
-
-
˙
la,
w-
la,
nul
˙.
w
-
b˙
˙.
nul - la,
nul - la,
˙
˙
nul
˙
w
la,
nul
-
nul
œ- ˙
n˙
˙
w-
la,
nul
la,
-
∑
œ- ˙
-
la,
w
nul - la,
∑
˙ la,
-
∑
˙˙ . P w
wœ ˙ ˙
˙˙ .
wœ ˙
˙˙ .
˙ œ b ˙˙
n ˙˙ .
w
˙
w
˙
w
wœ ˙ ˙
No greater faithfulness was ever in any commitment
˙.
œ- ˙
-
la
fi
˙
w
Nul - la
# # Pw
˙
w
a tempo
Ó
27
Nul
nul
∑
Ó
b ww
? # # œœ œœ ww
S
la,
œ- ˙
est:
rit.
## P & ˙.
-
P w
Ó
w
est:
˙.
œ- ˙
Nul - la,
U
œ œ w
-
P ˙
Ó
œ bw
? ## œ œ w 21
Nul
U
me - a
a
Ó
w
me - a
˙.
a tempo
U
œ
P ˙.
-
-
œ- ˙
˙
des
fu - it
˙.
w
fi - des
˙
w-
la
fi
P œ- œ œ- œ Nul - la fi
-
w
des
fu
-
w
œ œœ ˙
˙
des
ul - lo
˙ œ œ œ œ
˙˙ . w w
-
wœ ˙
b˙
um
˙ w œ œ œ ˙
-
quam in fo
œ œ n˙ -
˙
˙
in
nœ œ ˙.
˙
˙
˙
˙
b˙.
in
fo
um - quam
it
um - quam
œ œ œ ˙. um - quam
˙œ œ œ
n ˙˙ . ˙˙ .
n ˙-
fo - e - de
bœ
in
œ ˙ œ œ˙ ˙ n˙ ˙ bœ
b˙
e - de - re
n˙
˙ œ b ˙˙ ˙
œ- œ
œ-
œ- ˙
fu - it
˙˙ .
˙.
it
-
˙
27
w œ ˙
fu
˙
-
-
œ
re
œ œ œ
e - de - re
œ œ n˙.
œœ
fo - e - de
-
œ œ n œ œ n ˙˙ .
b˙
re
œ
b œ˙ . œ n ˙ œ œ œœ œ .
Mea Lesbia
6 rit.
## F & w-
S
tan
A
## F & w -
tan
T
## F V w-
tan
B
F ? # # w-
tan
32
##
˙
-
ta
˙
˙
-
Quan - ta in
ta
˙
-
˙
ta
˙˙
˙˙
˙ ˙
˙ ˙
-
re
mo - re
B
# # f>˙ .
? ##
f w>
mo
a - mo
∑
n >œ ˙
-
re
-
-
re,
-
˙
re,
œ œ œ œ P Ó
˙˙ œ
Ó
-
˙
b˙
o
ex
>˙
>˙
tu
re
tu
-
>˙ -
a - mo
re,
in a - mo
-
F œ . œ ˙J
˙-
re,
par
œ nœ bœ
-
œ
re,
in
œ œ ˙
>œ œ
-
in
a -
in
a -
re,
>œ œ
re,
-
˙ œ . œ œœ ˙ J
a -
œ ˙
œœ œœ œ ˙˙
œœ œœ œœ
œ œ n˙.
re - per - ta
me - a,
˙
nœ œ w
bœ œ
˙-
˙.
˙
n˙
b˙
˙-
-
ta
me
˙
˙
-
˙
te
ex - par
˙.
œ
F ˙ n˙
o
ex
par - te
˙
œ œ
o
ex
-
te
re - per
w
37
re
œ n œ˙ b œ n˙ w
bœ œ
œ œ ˙.
re - per - ta
b˙.
par - te
# nw œ œ œ ˙œ œ ˙œ œ n b ˙œ œ œ w˙ . & # ˙ Nw f F n œ ˙˙ ˙w. ˙˙ ˙. œ ˙ ? ## n˙ ˙ œ œ
˙-
a
...for you.
o
F n˙
œ ˙ >
in
œœ œœ œ ˙˙.
œ
œ
œ œœ˙
in - a - mo
œœ œœ œœ n w˙ . F œ œ œ ˙ n ˙˙.
F ˙.
-
œ œ
n ˙- . -
˙ >
re,
Fœœ ˙
˙˙
F > œ œ œ- œ n œ œ œ w -
œ
in a - mo
a - mo
œ œ œ ˙.
-
F œ œ œ ˙- .
Pœ œ œ- œ ˙
Quan - ta in
tu
in a - mo
P œ- œ œœ ˙
∑
tu
F n wœ œœ
˙
Quan - ta in
œ œ œ >˙
# # f N w> ˙ & >
mo
a - mo
a tempo
rit.
f # # n w> &
V
Quan - ta in
˙-
˙
P ˙ œ- œ œ- œ
mo
T
˙-
ta
37
A
P ˙ œ- œ œ- œ
-
ww & F ? # # ww
S
As was found in that of my love...
a tempo
32
per - ta
n œœ œœ ˙w.
˙ b˙.
n˙
œ
me - a
œ œ
me - a,
œ ˙
-
n ˙-
-
w
me
œ œ ˙˙. b˙ œ ˙
˙ w
me - a
a
a
˙. n˙ ˙
œœ œ ˙ ˙
7
Mea Lesbia
## P & w.
S
˙.
est:
A
## P & w-
˙
est:
T
## P V aw
B
-
42
T
œœ
œœ
œœ
œœ
∑
∑
##
∑
∑
&
bw
est:
˙ b˙
˙.
? ## ˙ -
# & # 47
˙ ? ## ˙
me
˙.
œ- ˙
a,
me
-
∑ ˙ b˙ ˙. œ
-
˙.
œ-
me
-
a,
me
Ó
w
p
Œ
me
˙.
œ- ˙
a,
me
˙. œ ˙ œ
-
w p ˙˙ .
-
a,
˙. œ
˙˙ .
œ
w-
a,
me
œ- ˙
˙.
a,
me
˙.
œ- ˙
a,
me
˙ ˙. œ ˙ œ
-
˙ -
˙. ˙
˙ œ
˙.
œ-
a,
me -
˙.
œ
∑
˙
w-
a,
w
me
-
˙
a,
me
œ- ˙
˙
˙ b˙
a,
me - a,
˙.
me
˙. a,
˙.
˙
˙.
a,
me
-
a,
me
˙ œ ˙
w œ
˙ ˙
œ
∑
œ- ˙
˙.
a,
∑
œ-
w ˙˙ .
-
˙
-
-
me
∑
∑ ˙
-
-
œ- ˙
˙.
œ- ˙
a tempo
∑
∑ ˙˙ .
˙
U w
p w
p ˙.
p Œ œ-
b ww
ww
a,
∑
U U
œœ
˙.
∑
me
est:
œ- ˙
∑
w w
me
# V # ˙
∑
Ó
est:
˙˙
# & #
me - a,
B
a
Ó
U
˙˙ ..
˙
47
A
œ
rit.
ww . P ? ## a w w
S
U
œ œ w
me
# & #
a
a tempo
est:
me - a
-
œ œ-
est,
me - a
˙-
Ó
w
œ œ w
me
P w
œ
˙-
˙.
œ œ-
est,
? ##
U
rit.
42
˙ ˙ b˙ ˙. œ
-
w ˙˙ .
˙
-
a,
œ- ˙
-
a,
P œme -
˙ ˙. œ ˙ œ
Mea Lesbia
8
## P & ˙ w
F a˙.
53
S
me - a,
A
## P & w me
T
## P V ˙. me
B
? ## ˙ -
me - a,
w-
˙
a,
-
me
˙.
œ- ˙ a,
-
˙.
w
˙
me
me
n˙
w-
a,
w
me - a,
˙
a,
w
me
-
˙
a,
me
œ- ˙
˙
˙
b˙
a,
me - a,
˙.
-
-
-
œ- ˙
me
F ˙
˙
a,
-
œ- ˙
-
a,
me
˙.
œ-
˙
˙.
œ-
˙
˙.
Fœ
a,
me
a,
me
-
a,
me
-
a,
me
œ ˙˙
n ˙˙
˙
b˙
˙. ˙
˙. œ ˙ œ
-
me - a,
˙
w-
a,
me
-
˙
me
-
˙
˙.
œ-
˙
˙.
œ-
-
a,
me
-
a,
me -
53
˙. ˙
# & # ˙
˙
b˙
A
T
B
&
˙.
me
# V # w
-
œ- ˙
n˙
˙
w-
a,
me
a,
me
-
? ## ˙
˙.
œ-
w.
a,
me
-
# & # ˙˙ . 59
w ? ## ˙
˙ ˙
œ
˙ ˙.
˙ œ b ˙˙
n ˙˙ .
˙
w w.
˙.
œ
U
œ- ˙
me
me
-
œ ˙
˙.
me - a,
##
˙.
˙ w.
˙
rit.
59
S
˙w w
w
-
w
-
Ó Ó
a
U
œ nœ
bw
-
Ó
w
-
-
ww
œ nœ
Les
Ó
a
U
w œ ˙
bU w w
π w. π w. w. Les
Ó Ó
Les
-
-
w w
visit www.MTchoralmusic.com
-
-
-
w -
w
rit.
w. π ww .. w.
œ
rit.
π
w.
˙
˙.
π w
∑
Les
a
U
F w ˙
a tempo
a
U
w
œ
wœ ˙
a ˙˙ .
˙
a,
w
˙
w
F w
œ- ˙
# & # ˙w w ˙ P ? # # ˙˙ . ˙ . œ ˙ œ
a,
me - a,
˙.
-
-
me
œ- ˙
˙.
œ- ˙
˙
bi
˙
bi
˙
bi
˙
bi
ww
˙˙
ww w
˙˙ ˙
wœ ˙
w ˙
˙.
w. a
U -
w. a
U -
w. a
U
˙ -
˙˙ .
U -
-
a,
w. w. a
U
ww ..
U w.
w. w.
˙
œ