A Collection of Solo French Chansons From The Early Fifteenth Cen

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1986
A Collection of Solo French Chansons From the Early Fifteenth

Century for Use in the College Level Voice Studio.
Helen Marshall Gibbons
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
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8710561
G ib b o n s, H elen M arsh all
A COLLECTION OF SOLO FRENCH CHANSONS FROM THE EARLY

FIFTEENTH CENTURY FOR USE IN THE COLLEGE LEVEL VOICE STUDIO
The Louisiana S late U niversity and A g ric u ltu ra l an d M e c h a n ic a l Col. D.M.A. 1986
University
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A COLL ECT ION OF SOLO FRENCH CHANSONS
FROM THE EARLY FIFTEENTH CENTURY
FOR USE IN TH E COLLEGE LEVEL VOICE STUDIO
A Monograph
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the

Louisi an a State Uni versity and
Agr icu lt ur al and Mechanical College
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Musical Arts
in
School of Music
by
Helen Marshall Gibbons
B . A . , Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, 1972
M . M . , Col o ra do State University, 1978
December 1986
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank all of the members on
my gr aduate committee for their assis tan ce throughout
this project. A special word of a pp rec iat io n goes to
Dr. Jan Herlinger for generously sharing his time and
talents in guiding me through the re search and writi ng of
this document. Also, to Dr. Sandra Kungle, my major
professor, a special thank you for nearly six years of
en couragement and support. Finally, I want to thank
Dr. Susan F. Spillman of Dillard University, New Orleans,
for her translations of the early fif te enth-century poetry.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
A CKN OWL EDGEMENTS .......................................... ii
ABS TR AC T .......................................... v
Chapter
I. INTRODUCTION ......................................... 1
II. HISTORICAL BAC KGR OU ND ............................. 4
III. TECHN ICA L TRA I NI NG -- VO CA L AND MUSICAL .......... 10

R a n g e .......................................... 10
M e l o d y .......................................... 13
Phrasing . ................................... 15
Rhy t h m .......................................... 16
IV. FIFTEE NT H-C ENT UR Y DICTION ........................ 20

C o n s o n a n t s ...................................... 21
V o w e l s .......................................... 23
N a s a l s .......................................... 24
V. PE RFORMANCE PR ACT ICE ............................... 26
VI. A COLLECTION OF EARLY

FIFTEENTH-CE NT URY CHANSONS ....................... 36
Gilles Binchois (ca. 1400-1460) 38
Dueil angoisseus, rage demeseure'e . . . 39
Je loe amours et ma dame mercye . . . . 42
Adieu, adieu mon joieulx souvenir . . . 47
Ay, doul our eu x disant helas ............ 51
De plus en plus se r e n o u v e l l e ......... 55
Vostre tres doulx regart plaisant . . . 59
Guillaume Dufay (ca. 1398-1474) 63
Resvellies vous et faites chiere lye . . 65
Ce jour le doibt, aussi fait la saison . 73
Adieu ces bon vins de L a n n o y s ......... 82
Navre sui d'un dart p e n e t r a t i f ......... 87
iii
John Dunstable (ca. 1 3 9 0 - 1 4 5 3 ) .............. 91
Puisque m' am ou r ............................ 92
Anonymous Chansons from the
Chansonnier El Escorial ....................... 96
Cuidon que je poille castaingnes . . . . 97
Se mon cuer a hault e n t r e p r i s ............. 101
Richard Loq ue v il le (d. 1418) 105
Quant compai gno ns s'en vont juer . . . . 106
Gilet Velut (fl. 15th c e n t u r y ) ................ 109
Laissies ester vostres chans de liesse . 110
BI BL IOG RAP HY ............................................... 115

AB STR ACT
The first great flowering of pol yphonic song
occurred from the middle of the fourteenth century through
the fifteenth century. A few of these songs are now
occasionally included in public concerts. Because of
the increasing interest in perform an ce of early music of
all types at colleges, universities, and by pr ofessional
groups, it is important for students and teachers of
singing to be exposed to this body of literature. The
study of solo songs offers a convenient beginning.
This study presents a small collection of
French chansons from the early to the middle fifteenth
century, each for solo voice wi t h two ac com panying
contrapuntal lines. The composers re presented are
Gilles Binchois (ca. 1400-1460), Guillaume Dufay (ca. 1398-
1474), John Du nstable (ca. 1390-1453), Richa rd Loqu evi ll e
(d. 1418), and Gilet Velut (fl. 15th century). Two
anonymous chansons from the Ch ansonnier El Escorial have
also been included.
Fifteen pieces have been evaluated for their
ped ag ogi ca l potential for t o d a y ’s students of singing.
Par ticular topics wh ich have been addressed are range,
v
melo di c content and construction, length and shape of
phrases, and rhythmic complexities. It has been found
that the tessituras tend to empha siz e the middle register,
and that the phrases often are long w i t h some coloratura,
therefore encouraging the de vel op men t of b rea th control
and flexibility. Also, the melodies tend to move stepwise
wit h few leaps, and the rhythms cons ta ntl y alternate between
groups of two and three beats. The literature, therefore,
offers many pos sibilities for de ve lop men t of the basic
music al skills, sig htsinging and counting.
The study includes a di s cu ss io n of the
differences between modern and fiftee nth -c ent ury p r o n u n
ciation of the French, and in formation regarding fifteenth-
century performance practices, including the fitting of
texts to music, the adding or de let in g of accidentals, and
the selecting of instrumental accompaniment.
Each of the chansons in the coll ec tio n is
pre fa ced by a short b io gra ph ica l sketch of the composer,
an indication of the form (e.g., rondeau or ballade), a
suggestion as to the ap pro pr iat e voice and instrumental
accompaniment, a wo rd- by -w or d translation p re se nte d in the
ap propriate fixed form (e.g., rondeau or ballade), and an
International Phonetic Alp ha bet transcription of the
early fifteenth-century French.

CHAPTER I
I NT ROD UC TIO N
The first great flowering of pol yphonic song
occurred from the mi dd le of the fourteenth century
through the fifteenth century. Large numbers of
sacred and secular pieces were writ ten in a t re bl e
do minated style--that is, a solo voi ce accompanied by

i
one or more lines g en era ll y pr esu me d to be instrumental.
A few of these songs are now occasionally included
in public concerts. Because of the increasing interest
in performance of early mus ic of all types at colleges,
universities, and by pro fe ss io na l groups, it is
important for students of singing to be exposed to
this body of literature. The study of solo songs
offers a convenient beginning.
This present study centers on a collection
of French chansons from the early to the middle
For an ar gument for per for mi ng these chansons

a capella see David Fallows, "Spec ifi c Information on the
Ensembles for Composed Polyphony, 1400-1474," in Studies
in the Performance of Late M ed ia eva l M u s i c , ed. Stanley
Boorman (Cambridge: C a m b ri dg e University Press, 1983),
pp. 109-59.
1
fifteenth century, each for solo voice with two
accomp an yin g con tr apuntal lines. Though secular songs
were written in many languages, French has been chosen
for this project beca use it is often neglected in the
early stages of vocal training. Moreover, the early
French language is one prima ril y of vowel sounds;
voc al izi ng and singing on vowels make singers aware of
tone colors and stress the importance of musical line.
Chansons of the early to middle fifteenth
century contain sonorous harmonies, shapely melodies,
and flexible rhythms w h i c h are musica lly accessible to
modern musicians. Earlier repertoire contains frequent
dissonances (e.g., Machaut) and intricate rhythms
(e.g., "m an ne ri sts 1’). The later re pe rtoire is
primarily for four or more voices, often with several
voices carrying text.
These pieces will be studied for their
pedagogical potential for today's students of singing.
This body of musical literature offers excellent
opportunities for bu ild ing rhythmic and melodic
independence, flexibility, phrasing, and breath control
Singers are traditionally trained for opera,
oratorio, or choir; or as church soloists or recording-
studio musicians. The performance of early music has
become another viable option for pro fe ssional singers.
Much of the literature is available in campus libraries

This monograph presents to singers and teachers some
ideas for performance, as well as information to help
make these songs seem less foreign and archaic.
The collection includes fifteen chansons.
Pieces have been selected for various voice types and
address different pedagogical needs. Each song is
prefaced with biographical information about the
composer, a translation, and an International Phonetic
Alphabet (IPA) transcription for fifteenth-century
pronunciation of the French.

CHAPTER II
HI S TO RI CA L BAC KGROUND
The earliest substantial collection of songs
in a treble-dominated style were the polyphonic settings
of French lyric poetr y by Guillaume de Machaut (ca. 1304-
1377). This style consists of "one or more florid melodic
lines (tenors and c o n t r a t e n o r s ) and an occasional faster-
moving upper part, called 'triplum'." These pieces are
best suited for solo voic e with accom pan yi ng instruments.
The poems follow the fixed forms--poetical forms whi ch
controlled musical form as well: virelais, rondeaux, and
ballades. The poetry for these songs was probably written
by Machaut himself.
The next important generation of song composers
is frequently descr ibe d as "mannerist." Their chansons
also follow the fixed forms, and are in the t reb le
domina ted style. An important charac ter is tic is the
rhythmic complexity made possible by a "sophisticated
notation capable of expressing intricate syncopations
2
Howard Mayer Brown, "Chanson," The New Grove
Dictionary of Music and M u s i c i a n s , 20 vols., ed. Stanley
Sadie (London: M a c m i l l a n , 1980), 4:136.
4
2
and p o l y r h y t h m s ." The pieces have various textures.
Some have a florid, texted melody with two slower-moving
lower voices; others have two florid melodies with texts;
some employ a fourth voice called 'triplum' similar to
those found in Machaut; and, finally, there is also
canonic writing, wh ich tends to equalize the polyphonic

i i•n e s .4
l
Most of these composers probably worked at the
major feudal courts. Of particular interest is the court
of Burgundy. The second half of the fourteenth century
saw the rise of the political and cultural influence of
the Burgundian court, whic h was to last until the death of
Charles the Rash in 147 7.3 The first duke, Philip the
Bold, came to power in 1364. He paid minstrels well and
his court became an important musical center. This was
also a time when continental and English musicians came in
contact with one another and began the process of unifying
the musical styles: they had chances to meet during the
peace conferences between England and France of 1375-76
and 1396, and at the wedding of Richard II, king of
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.
3For a detailed account of the court and its

early influence see Craig Wright, Music at the Court of
Burgundy, 1364-1419: A Documentary H i s t o r y , Musicological
S t u d i e s , n o . 28 (H e n r y v i l l e , PA: Institute of Mediaeval
Music, 1979).
0
England, and Isabel of France. Spl endid banquets and
tournaments created a great demand for music which resulted
in a constant interchange betw een musicians. It is
possibl e that becau se of these musi cal exchanges, the
French "mannerist" composers were in fluenced towards the
wr i tin g of simpler chansons. In this simpler style the
complexities of the " ma nne ri sts " are absent and the
texture favors one m el od ic line wi th two slower-moving
accompanying lines. A few composers, such as Johannes
Ciconia (ca. 1340-1411) and Baude Cordier (d. 1397 or
1398) wrote chansons in bo th styles.
The most si gnificant changes in the chansons of
the fifteenth century came from England. Two exchanges
between continental and E ng lis h mu sicians have already
been mentioned. One other important occasion was the
Council of Constance (1414-18), an important gathering
of over eighteen thousand clerics from England and the
continent.^ Music wou ld ha ve been p re se nte d at the
meetings, banquets, and religious services. It is
possible, although undocumented, that this council may
have been the occasion wh e n G uil lau me Dufay (ca. 1398-
1474) and other co mposers first h e a r d the music of John
^ I b i d . , pp. 30-31 and 42.
^David Fallows, D u f a y , The Master Musician

Series (London: Dent, 1982), pp. 18-20.
Dunst ab le (ca. 1390-1453) and other Englishmen. It is
certain that the English style influenced continental
composers in techniques of wr it in g music, whi ch in
turn significantly altered the chanson sonority. Howard
Maye r Brown identifies three specific features: the use
of com plete triads, basically ho mo rh yt hm ic writing, and a

g
c are ful ly controlled use of dissonance. Chansons of this
era continued to use French lyric poetry of the court and
the treble-dominated style.
Composers of parti cu lar interest are Gilles
Binchois (ca. 1400-60) and G ui ll aum e Dufay, the two most
di st in gu is he d composers of the early fifteenth century.

9
Binchois has left about sixty chansons. The texts
express the stylized sentiments of courtly love and
emphas iz e the rondeau form more than the ballade or
virel ai forms. His songs clearly represent a three voice
treble-dominated style featuring a texted, faster-moving
superius supported by two sl ower-moving voices, the
tenor and contratenor. Each line of poetic text is set
to its own music. Many phrases be gin syllabic-gJLly and
g
Howard Mayer Brown, Music in the R e n a i s s a n c e ,
Pre nti ce Hall History of Music S e r i e s , (Englewood Cliffs,
N. J.: P r e n t i c e - H a l l , Inc., 1976), p. 8.
g
Summary of char act er ist ic s from Brown's
"C hanson," p. 138.
end wit h short melismas. Dufay has left around seventy
10
chansons. The texts most often celebrate love or
commemo ra te special occasions. He also uses the fixed
forms, emphasizing the rondeau; however, his later songs
illustrate a depar tur e from the standard poetic forms
used in the previous generations. Dufay's chansons are
more varied in texture than Binchois's. Often several
voices carry the text, and there are several pieces
w r it te n for more than three voices. The songs in wh ich
all lines carry text emphasize the equality of the
pol yp hon ic lines. Mel odi ca lly and rhythmically Dufay
demonstrates more inventiveness and variety that Binchois.
If Binchois is the culminat io n of the courtly tradition,
then Dufay points towards the future.
In the music of the next generation of composers
the voices continued to move gradually towards equality,
employing more imitative counterpoint. Frequently, two
or more voices carry the text, as in many of Dufay's
pieces. Johannes Oc keg he m (ca. 1430-95), Antoine
Busnois (d. 1492), and Josquin des Prez (ca. 1440-1521)
all wrote chansons in the older courtly tradition as well
as this more modern style. In the course of time, the
fixed forms gradually gave way to songs in freer forms.
10Ibid.
By the end of the fifteenth century and through
the early sixteenth century the French chanson was a song
often for four or more voices. Therefore, the literature
for solo voice is mainly from the late fourteenth and the
early fifteenth centuries. Thr ee- vo i ce counterpoint was
the ideal texture for ex pressing the intimate sentiments
of courtly love, and the fixed forms, part ic ula rly the
rondeau and the ballade, were the ideal poetic structures.
Par ticular attention will be given to the chansons of
Binchois, Dufay, and their contemporaries, because these
songs are less rhythmically complex and contain familiar
triadic sonorities. This genre presents an accessible
me d iu m for introducing young musicians to medieval and
Ren ais san ce music.

CHAPTER III
TECHNIC AL TR AI NI N G -- V O C A L A ND MUSICAL
As much of the early music repertoire is
unfamiliar to teachers and students of singing, the
following discussion presents characteristics of the
early fifteenth-century literature that have pedagogical
importance.
Range
The melodic range of these chansons is typically
an octave or a little more, although two pieces in the
present collection have a range as great as an eleventh.
In most cases the hi gh es t and the lowest notes are few in
number, as the composers sought to create well -b ala nce d and
shapely melodies. Therefore, the majorit y of the pitches
fall in the middle of the voice. This ch ara cteristic makes
the literature an excellent tool for building strength in
the middle voice. However, because the range often covers
more than an octave, the chansons can also he lp beginn ing
students to build co nsistency from the high to the low
voice.
10
11
There was no establ ish ed pitch standard in the
early fifteenth century and it is pre sumed that performers

11
sang the chansons in any co mfortable range. Therefore,
transposition of these chansons is acceptable, providing
that all three voices are kept in the same re la tionship
to one another, and the instruments selected for
accompaniment are capable of playing in the desired key
(an important con si der at ion when early instruments are
used).
In addition, during the fifteenth century,
if a cantus part was too hi gh for a par ticular performer,
that performer may have sung the tenor line, and the
12
cantus then became part of the accompaniment. This
practice would be an option only for those tenor lines
that easily accommodate the text and that offer
sufficient musical interest. The first two phrases of
11
Fallows, "Ensembles for Composed Po lyphony,"
p. 139.
12
Howard Mayer Brown, "Instruments and Voices
in the Fif te enth-Century Chanson," in Current Thought in
M u s i c o l o g y , ed. John W. Grubbs (Austin! University of
Texas Press, 1976), p. 107.
Dunstable's "Puisque m' amour" are presen ted as an
i
example. 13
to]
(1.4.7) Pmit- f *t ma
(3) O n * quea U n'eux daul •
(S )Q uant me sou vienl
tol
[C OtlTIU TEN O* *J
ICOiTTRATEKOM b]
to
mat
p lu s n’au ray de - puia
le cuer te l qt/a p ea funt -
S m
"V w«* ~
The superius is in a range suitable for a lower female
voice or a very high, light tenor voice. When text is
added to the tenor line, the piece becomes suitable for
a lower tenor vo ice or a light bar itone voice.
13
John Dunstable, Complete W o r k s , ed. Manfred
F. Bukofzer, Musica B r i t a n n i c a , v o l . 8 (London: Stainer
and Bell, 1953), p. 136; note: only one contratenor
line, "a" or "b," should be used for performance.
13
Melody
The pr edo mi nan t melo di c moveme nt of the superius
is that which emphasizes conjunct motion with occasional
skips of a third. An example is found in the anonymous

1/
chanson "Se mon cuer a ha ul t ent repris" (meas. 1-3).
r.i
. c . , -
I. Se b o b coex k haslt en - tre - pel.

U. Car elto a de - do n sod pour- prie
8e bod cser fc baoH en - toe * pria
In many instances the thirds outline triads, as seen in

15
Binchois's "De plus en plus" (meas. 1-3).
•- fc
p— | * |
■■■J er - 4" \....
j- ^ =
De phis eo plus . se re - • nou - - vcl •
____ 1
r j— .r-..,, ■»
14
W alter H. Kemp, ed., Anonymous Pieces in the
Chansonnier El Escorial, Bib lioteca Del Monastero, Cod.
V. III. 24. (ca. 1 4 3 0 - 1 4 5 5 ) , Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae,
no. 88 (N eu ha us en - S t u t t g a r t : Hanssler, Am erican Institute
of Musicology, 1980), p. 1.
^ Die Chansons von Gilles Binchois ( 1 4 0 0 - 1 4 6 0 ) ,

ed. Wol fgang Rehm, Mus ik al is ch e DenkmSler, vol. 2 (Mainz:
Schott, 1957), pp. 10-11; Brown, Music of the R e n a i s s a n c e ,
p. 56.
Larger skips usually function around the triad.
In the example from Loqueville's "Quant compaignons s'en

16
vont juer" (meas. 1-6) , the opening fourth is part of
the C major triad and that in meas ure 4 is part of the
D minor triad.
QaM
r* /
The emphasis on stepwise movement makes the literature
easy to read. Singers who are be gi nni ng to learn
sightsinging will find in the repertoire many pieces
that can serve as practice for bui ld ing reading skills.
The fact that most melodic leaps are found within a
har mo nic context makes the early fifteenth-century
literature particularly accessible to these singers,
beca use of its more "modern" sound.
16
Gilbert Reaney, ed., Early Fifteenth-C ent ur y
M u s i c , 7 vols. to date, Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae no. 11
( n . p . : American Institute of Mus icology [vols. 6 & 7,
N e u h a u s s e n - S t u t t g a r t : Hanssler], 1955-1983), 3:4-5.
15
Phrasing
The melodic phrases, as found in modern editions
of the chansons, corr es pon d directly to the poetic phrases
in all of the chanson literature. In most pieces, the
number of measures per ph rase is irregular. Binchois's
"Adieu, adieu mon joieulx souvenir" (see p. 50) has five
musical phrases with text. The number of measures in
each phrase produces a structure of 6-5-8-5-8. The
third phrase contains a rest in the third measure and
there are a few commas in the poem, but, for the most
part, the phrases need to be sung intact. All of the
phrases in this chanson are arches with the high melodic
point in the middle. The text is set s y l l a b i c a l l y .
These long, arched phrases of differing lengths are
excellent for building breath control in beginning
singers.
Dunstable's "Puisque m'amour " (see p. 95)
has a phrase structure of 7-9-9-8 measures. This chanson
presents a different type of melodic treatment. Each
phrase contains at least one rest, and the shape of the
line is more intricate and contains more melismatic
writing than in the Binchois piece. This type of phrasing
is well suited for the develop me nt of flexibility in
young singers.
The chanson literature can also offer virtuosic
challenges to singers wi th well es tablished techniques.
This example from Dufay's "Resvellies vous et faites

17
chiere lye" (meas. 54-67) demonstrates that composers
of the era were not adverse to w ri ti ng extended coloratura
passages with complex rh ythmic patterns.
c’oo dit de M*•tc-tri

--f!:. ~=
L=--- ■ -f* A =.-jl f
JjrarT: .:r HH
. •
f # = F r ' i E i r H
J J.. ■ J -j L - r . p -tc.
I i r r i U-r A
Rhythm
Rhyth m in early music is different from rhythm in
modern music. Manuscripts from the Middle Ages and the
Re naissance do not contain bar lines. Bar lines and meter
signatures have been added in modern transcriptions. As a
general rule the bar lines should be ignored and emphasis
17
Guillaume Dufay, Opera O m n i a , ed. Heinrich
Besseler, 6 vols., Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae no. 1
(Rome: American Institute of Musicology, 1951-1966),
6:25-26.
17
placed on longer note values rather than on the first beat
of the measure. An example from Binchois's "Vostre tres
doulx regart plaisant" (see p . 62) illustrates this
principle. The piece is transcribed into a 3-4 meter but
wh e n the longer notes are given emphasis, chara cte ri sti c
syncopations and pa tterns of shifting groups of two and
three begin to emerge.
3
J2J. JMJ n Ji J
VoS-lê. "ires douU re. Qp.r'f' pJai - ScuOif
Another important princ ipl e is that performers
must keep track of the b ac kg rou nd pulses. For example,
in pieces transcribed into 6-8 meter, the ma int a in in g of
a steady eighth-note pulse and the emphas izi ng of longer
note values keeps the shifting duple and triple divisions
in proper proportion to one another. This princi pl e is
applied to the first phrase of Lo que ville's "Quant
compaignons s'en vont juer" (see p. 108).
s s n s n ;s j j jj]\ m j a j w j n n i \ jji
J. J /(J w !J. J J j/J J-i !j.

(j)uan)~ -er CKa cV \a. en p ltt.-5 erjio .-i5
18
These two basic principles, when mastered, can
h e l p the perfo rme r unt angle even the most intricate
passages. In Velut's "Laissies ester vostres chans de

18
liesse" (meas. 44-56), the duple and triple subdivisions
of the b ac kgr ou nd beats must be kept in mind, as the
passage changes from 1* U S to a - j j j t o .
cr
lay qui coo • tre ce re-pli -que, I! toils qui VOU5
In ad dition to bui lding cou nting skills, the
literature has mu c h to offer in the building of rhythmic
independence. The above Velut example illustrates h ow
complica te d the di ffe re nt levels of rhythmic activity may
become in r el ati on shi p to one another. The singer, as well
18
Reaney, e d . , Early Fifte ent h-C en tur y M u s i c ,
vol. 2, pp. 122-24.
as the other members of the ensemble, must have a clear
un d er sta nd ing of the un ify in g beat and its subdivisions in
their res pective parts. A less intimidating and more
cha ra cte ri sti c example is found in Binchois's "Dueil

1Q
angoisseus, rage d e m e s e u r e e ," (meas. 35-40).
A.- j x fticr-r ■■giLfp r ^ P

Ay ...... — a a c m .ib co n - ti . n u • «1 • [ta] • mtal.
The lines have their own rhythmic identity and yet fit
together to make a unified whole.
In summary, mu sic of the early fifteenth century
has pedagogical merit and should be included in a student's
repertoire. The tessituras strengthen the middle register,
and the long phrases encourage de velopment of breath
control and flexibility. Wit h the emphasis on stepwise
melo dic movement and the ever-chan gin g rhythmic patterns,
the literature contributes much to the de velopment of
basic musical skills.
19
Chansons von Gilles B i n c h o i s , p. 45-46.
CHAPTER IV
FI F TE EN TH -C E NT UR Y DICTION
The performer interested in pre senting early
vocal music must co nsider wheth er to sing the texts with
me d iev al /Re nai ss anc e or modern French. Recordings of
the chanson literature show both types, but it does not
di mi nis h or enhance the musical qualities to use one or the
the other. Students who are only beg i nn in g to learn the
intricacies of French diction may c h oo se to use modern
pronunciation; those striving for auth ent ic ity will wi s h to
use medieval/Re nai ss anc e diction.
Jeannine Alton and Brian Jeff ery have compiled a

20
guide entitled Bele Buche e Bele P a r l e u r e , which outlines
diction practices from 1100 to 1600 using International
Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbols. Alt on and Jeffery suggest
the following standards of pr on unc ia tio n based on
fifteenth-century Parisian practices.
20Jeannine Alton and Brian Jeffery, Bele Buche

e Bele Parleure: A Guide to the Pr on un ci ati on of Medieval
and Renaissance French for Singers and Others, ( L o n d o n :
Ticla"," 1976 ) .--------- ”
20
Consonants
Most consonants will be pron oun ce d as in modern
French; however, H, L, R, and S, had not fully evolved to
their modern usages by the fifteenth century.
H Today the H in words is always silent. But for
words marked w i t h an asterisk, an apostrophe, or
a little cross in modern dictionaries to indicate

j,
h aspire (e.g., "hair) the letter H will be
sounded as [ h ]. Examples are words such as
”ha‘ir” [hai] and ’’h a u t e ” [haot] (note that modern
pronunci at ion is [ai] and [o] respectively).
L The letter L varies by context. If L is followed
by another consonant, as is common in many older
spellings, it takes the sound [u] (e.g., "a l b e ”
[aub] and " a ul tr e” [aoutr]). For the
combinations ” il” and " i l l ” the modern French [j]
should be avoided in favor of the sound [A] of
Spanish and Italian (e.g., " fa il li r” [f£.Ai] and
’’trava il ” [ t r a v a A ] ) . Final L is not pro nou nce d
in nouns ending "i l ” except when necessary for
elisions (e.g., "duei 1" [ d e e A ] and " a v r i l ”
[ a v r i ] ).
22
R The letter R uses the trilled pr onunciation
of Italian and Spanish; the modern uvular
sound [R] should be avoided. Final Rs are
usually silent except when ne cessary for elision.
This includes v e r b infinitives, nouns, and
adjectives ending "-er," and "-ier," verb
infinitives ending "-ir," and nouns and
adjectives ending "-eur," "-oir," and "-our"
(e.g., "miroir," noun [mirwg], "ouvrir," verb
[uvri], and " c a r r e f o u r ," noun [karfu]). One
exception to this rule is that the final R will
be pronounced in ve rb infinitives ending in
"-oir" (e.g., "pouvoir" [puvwer], and "avoir"
[avw£ r ]).
The letter S, when final, will be silent in all
instances, except for elisions, where it takes
the sound [z]. When S is followed by [f], [1],
[ m ] , [t], [k] or [p], as is ch ar acteristic of
many older spellings, it will be silent (e.g.,
"desfaite" [dtftt] and "m estresse" [m£tr£s]).

Vowels
The pronunciations of the letters I and U are
as in modern French, but A, E, and 0 have some va riations
In the following discussions modern pronunci ati on is
assumed unless par tic ula r combinations of letters are
discussed.
A The letter A will always be sounded with the
bright [a]. The combina tio n "ai" (or, "ay,"
as it is sometimes spelled) is pron ou nce d [£,],
and the com bi nat io n "au" is pro nounced as the
diphthong [ao] [e.g., "pas" [pa], "faire" [f£r]
"j'auray" [ aor£]).
E The sound of the mute E at the ends of words
and in single syllable words (e.g., "de" and
"le") is a soft and relaxed [0 ] similar to the
sound of the second syllable in the English
wo r d "sofa." The combinat io n "ei" is
pro no unc ed [w£.], and the combina ti on "eu" is
pro no unc ed [o£], and "eau" is sounded [£ao]
(e.g., "curteis" [kyrtw£], "fleur" [floe.],
"deust" [dots], and "beau" [b€ao]).
0 The letter 0 has only two dis crepancies wit h
mo dern pronunciation. The co mbination "oeu"
is always pro nounced [ee.] and the co mbination
"oi" (or "oy" as it is sometimes spelled) is

24
pro no unc ed [we.] (e.g., "coeur" [kce] and
'Vois" [vwt]).
Nasals
The nasal sounds present the greatest variat ion
from moder n pronunciation. In the fifteenth century, the
nasal consonant sounds [m], [n], or [jo, are pro nou nc ed
along with the vowel sound, and the vow el sound may
become a diphthong.
A & E The letters A and E followed by a nasal consonant
are pron oun ce d [a]. The modern [34] is not used
(e.g., "chant" [5an], and "temps" [tarn]). The
combinations "ai" and "ei" followed by a nasal
consonant are pr on ou nce d [£i”3 (e.g., "certain"
[strt&Tn], and "pleine" [pljtin]).
1^ The letter I is pro nou nce d [ 1 ] when followed by
a nasal consonant. This sound, one not found in
most diction books for singing, is simply a
slight nas ali za ti on of the [i] sound. The
current [&] was not used du ring the fifteenth
century. The co mbi na ti on "ie" followed by a
nasal sound is p ro no un ced as in modern French
[jt] (e.g., "fin" [fin] and "vient" [vjtn]).
U The letter U is p ro no unc ed [y] when followed
by a nasal consonant. This is a mu ch br ighter

25
sound than the [3L] of modern French, wh i ch is
to be avoided (e.g., "lune" [lyh], "un" [yn],
and "une" [yn]).
As Alton and Jeff er y point out, there is no way
of knowing h o w ac curate these pr onu nciations are; moreover,
pr onu nc ia ti on certai nly va ri ed by geographical areas.
Bele Buche e Bele Par leure contains pro nunciation guides
for Provencal, Picard, and Norman, in addition to Parisian.
Tran sc ri bi ng singing texts into the appropriate altern ati ve
forms of pr onu nc iat ion brings to the performa nce a val uab le
and at tainable sense of authenticity, even when period
instruments for ac co mpa ni men t are not available.

CHAPTER V
PERFORM ANC E PRACTICE
Many colleges and un iversities do not have
available instruments specifically made to perform early
music; however, the absence of a ha rp sic ho rd or a c l a v i
chord rarely stops a pianist from performing the works of
J. S. Bach or Domenico Scarlatti. Many fine medieval and
Ren ai ssa nc e compositions deserve to be heard, even if the
performances are anachronistic. The chanson literature of
the early fifteenth century provides many such pieces.
This chapter presents information regarding fifteenth-
century performance practices of the chanson repertoire
and suggests possibilities for modern performance when
period instruments are unavailable.
Early fifteenth-century composers left several
artistic responsibilities to the performer: fitting texts
to music, adding accidentals, and selecting the instru-

21
mental accompaniment. Many performers today leave
21
Brown, "Instruments and Voices in the
Fifteenth-Century Chanson," p. 90.
26
decisions on the first two points to the musicologist,
but they may make such decisions themselves.

22
Binchois's chanson "Vostre tres doulx regart"
provides a good example of changes in text setting that a
singer may want to consider. In order to emphasize the
longer notes the following changes in text underlay are
suggested: the word "plus" in measure 12 should be sung
on the dotted q u a r t e r - n o t e ;
m e. taut On ne pent >lu?
also, the word "cuer" in measure 19 should be sung on the
dotted quarter-note.
foy
Recurring patterns also illuminate the relationship of
text and music. In the pattern , beginning on
22
Die Chansons von Gilles B i n c h o i s , p. 42.
the second beat of meas ure 7 a singer may want to
emphasize the first eighth-note.
Bant, Bel - l c _ b o n • no ----- )
J. rp
For this reason, in meas ure 24 the syllable "mou-" may
be moved back to the first eighth-note of the bar, so
that the rhythmic pattern remains consistent.
■J'J IJ J j m
. te • gc la J t —; m odV ram .
Similar adjustments will be necessary in many chansons.
This same chanson by Binchois provides an
example for illustrating the addition and de letion of
accidentals. In addition to basic rules of counterpoint,
the two main principles regarding the use of accidentals
are making fifths, octaves, etc. perfect, especially
when they occur against the lowest pitch, and altering
imperfect consonances so that they lie closer to the
perfect consonances to wh ic h they move (e.g., major sixth
to octave, minor third to unison, minor sixth to perfect

29
fifth, etc.; but always avoiding augmen ted and di minished

23
thirds or sixths). These pri nciples have been applied
to the second phrase of "Vostre tres doulx regart"
(meas. 6 - 10 ).
Bel - le — On peat plus en boo -
The F# in the cantus in bar 9 produces a major sixth
with the t e n o r ’s A, m aki ng that sixth lie closer to the
octave toward wh ic h it moves. The C# in the contratenor
likewise produces a major third wi th the tenor's A, making
that third lie closer to the perfect fifth toward wh ich it
moves; the B*} in the contrate no r is necessary to avoid a
melodic augmented second. These alterations produce,
in fact, an ornamented ve rs io n on the d ou bl e -le adi ng tone
23
For more details on the subject of adding and
de leting accidentals see Edward E. Lowinsky, Foreword to
Musica N o v a , ed. H. Colin Slim, Monum ent s of Renais sa nce
Music, vol. 1 (Chicago: Univ ers ity of Chicago Press, 1964)
pp. viii-xxi; and Margaret Bent, Lewis Lockwood, Robert
Donington, Stanley Boorman, "Musica Ficta," The New Grove,
12:802-11.
o/
cade nc e typical of early fif teenth-century music:
So important were such cadence formulas at the time that
the same accidentals should be introduced in meas ur e 7
even though they create a melodic dimi ni she d fifth in
the contratenor.
Adding and del eti ng ac cidentals as in the above
example brings to the music a vari ety of colorings.
Singers in the fifteenth century wo ul d have been
insulted if all chrom ati c notes were indicated in the

25
ma n us cri pt just as se ven tee nt h-c ent ur y and eighteenth-
century singers woul d hav e been insulted if all
ornaments were di ctated by the composer. Therefore,
singers and singing teachers are en couraged to use their
judgment, based on knowl edg e of the style, in adding or
del eting accidentals in the chansons.
The main ar tistic r esp on sib ili ty for the mo dern
singer is the selection of instrumental accompaniment.
24
For more information on such cadence types see
Gustave Reese, Music in the R e n a i s s a n c e , revised edition,
(New York: Norton, 1959), pp. 44-48.
^ L o w i n s k y , p. viii.
31
Historical evidence shows that harps, lutes, portative
organs, recorders, and transverse flutes were the main
instruments used wi t h the singing of the fifteenth-century
chansons.
Harpists were the first group of minstrels to
gain a social status similar to that of the chapel singers,
and the ha rp seems to have been a pa rt icular favorite with

9 ft
Ma'chaut and Binchois. At the court of Burgundy, Baude
27
Fresnel (alias Baude Cordier?), a harpist, earned the
dist in gui sh ed title of chamber val et under Duke Philip the
Bold and accompanied the duke everywhere, providing musical

28
bac kground and entertainment for even intimate occasions.
It is assumed that these minstrels ac companied themselves
in the singing of pol yphonic chansons, and improvised
accompaniments for mo nophonic songs. For today's
performer, then, the modern ha rp wo u ld provide an a p p r o
priate accompaniment for pol yph oni c chansons. However,
^ T i l m a n Seebass, "The Vis ua l iz a ti on of Music

Thro ug h Pictorial Imagery and No tat io n in Late Mediaeval
France," in Studies in the Pe rf or ma nce of Late Mediaeval
M u s i c , ed. by Stanley Boorman, (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1983), p. 24.
27
For a disc uss ion identi fyi ng the composer
Baude Cordier as the ha rp is t Baude Fresnel see Wright,
Music at the Court of B u r g u n d y , p. 166.
28
For more information on specific harpists
and chamber valets see Wright, Music at the Court of
B u r g u n d y , pp. 123-39.
because the acco mpa nyi ng lines are often in similar ranges
and frequently cross, two harps will often be necessary.
Pictorial evidence shows that the portative
organ may also have been used to accompany the singing of
the chansons, and musical evidence for this practice is
available in the ke ybo ard intabulations of chansons
contain ed in the Faenza Codex and the Buxheim Organ

29
Book. The modern pipe organ is a realistic
possibil it y for accompaniment. Since the tenor and
co ntratenor share similar ranges and frequently cross,
the two manuals and the selection of stops available
on most organs would enable the ac companist to keep
the two parts separate and distinct.
Philip the Bold, first Duke of Burgundy, hea rd
music on the e c h i q u i e r , an English instrument similar to

30
a clavichord, and Howard Mayer Brown suggests that a
cl avichord was used for ac co mp any ing chansons, although

31
no musical evidence exists such as that for the organ.
These bits of information suggest that the accompaniment
of chansons on instruments as anachron ist ic (to the
fifteenth century) as the ha r ps ic h or d or the piano is
not inappropriate, especially when there are no other
29
Brown, "Instruments and Voi ce s," p. 96.
30
Wright, Music at the Court of B u r g u n d y , p. 17.
31
Brown, "Instruments and Voices ," p. 100.
options. A har ps ich ord wi t h two manuals and a lute stop
wou ld be the ideal choice in this situation.
Certainly, there are some problems connected
wit h playing these chansons on the keyboard. As mentio ne d
earlier, the tenor and co ntr ate no r usually occupy the
same melodic range and frequently cross in a manner awkward
for a keyboard player. Also, many pieces have i n tr od uc
tions, interludes, and postludes that require the cantus
line to be played in addition to the others. Some pieces
(e.g., Velut's "Laissie's ester vo st r es ," p. 112), are
difficult for one person to play bec au se of cross-rhythms.
One possibility is to omit the co nt ra te nor and play only

32
the tenor and the cantus as accompaniment. This
simplifies most co mpl exities and makes the repertoire
accessible to begin nin g singers and their accompanists.
The contrat eno r line, al tho ug h not essential,
adds a great deal of color and musi cal interest. It is
much easier to accomm oda te all three musical lines when
two or three instruments are used. Popular combinations
in the early fifteenth century include lute with harp,
32
The cantus and the tenor are the main st r u c
tural voices, while the c ont ra ten or functions to fill in
harmony and to provide rhy thmic interest wh ere needed.
Many of these early chansons are aes the ti cal ly acceptable
performed as two-part compositions, omitting the c o n t r a
tenor .
34
33
recorder, or transverse flute. In this case, due to the
melodic range found in most of the music, the wind
instrument probably d up li cat ed the superius along with
the vocalist.
It is curious that bowed strings (e.g., viols)
are not doc ume nt ed as ha vi ng been part of the early
fifteenth-century p er fo rma nc e practices. However, many
modern performances use these instruments, and the
possibility of using mo der n strings (e.g., violins, violas,
cellos, etc.), perhaps w i t h practic e mutes, should not be
ignored.
The evidence shows that for the early fifteenth
century the desired ac com paniments used some sort of
plucked strings, (e.g., lute or harp), ham me red
strings (e.g., clavichord), or a sustained wind sound

3 /
(e.g., portative organ or recorder). In order to
approximate these sonorities when early instruments are
unavailable, modern performers should consider the use of
guitars, harps, organs, harpsichords, and wind instruments.
Indeed, it is safe to assume that med iev al and R ena iss an ce
musicians probably p er for me d the music wit h whatever
combinations of instruments were availa ble at any given
33
Brown, "Instruments and Vo ice s, " pp. 105 & 113.
~ ^ I b i d . , p. 116.
35
perform anc e opportunity. Modern singers may also feel free
to experiment and try various instrumental accompaniments.
Prese nt ati on of the fixed forms is a primary
concern in per fo rma nce of late medieva l and early
Re n ai ssa nce music, and to leave out any rep etition of the
text or the music is to destr oy the aesthetic. This is
especially apparent in the rondeau (having the form
ABaAabAB, in wh ic h similar letters indicate re petition
of music and similar capital letters indicate repet iti on
of text). The temptation in modern per for ma nce is to
eliminate some of the repetition, pa r tic ula rl y of text;
but this destroys the uni fyi ng element in the poetic
form, and such per formances are unacceptable. The ballade
(aabC) and the virelai (AbbaA) often have two or more
stanzas. Because rep etition of familiar elements is
essential to this aesthetic, wh en e ve r two or more stanzas
are given in the source they all should be performed.
Adhere nc e to these fixed forms, as well as the use of
fifteenth-century pro nu n ci at io n and other pe rfo rm anc e
practices discu sse d above, will produ ce reasonably accurate
renderings of the chanson literature.

CHAPTER VI
A C O L L E CT IO N OF FIFTEEN
EARLY FI FT E EN TH - C E N T U R Y CHANSONS
The following chansons illustrate song
literature from the first half of the fifteenth century.
In addition to Dufay and Binchois, the composers r e p r e
sented are John Dunstable, Ric har d Loqueville (d. 1418),
and Gilet Velut (fl. early fifteenth century). Also
included are two anonymous chansons from the Chansonnier
El Escorial (ca. 1430-1455).
A short bio gra ph ic al sketch p rec edi ng the
song, or songs, is pre s en te d for each composer. Before
each chanson informa tio n is given regar din g the form,
voice, background, difficulty, and accompaniment; an
English translation and an IPA transcription is also
provided.
Dr. Susan F. Spillman (Associate Professor
of French, Dillard University, New Orleans), has pro vided
translations for this collection. She points out that the
poetry of the era is full of puns and double meanings,
and due to the de ve lop in g state of the language,
36
grammatical errors are often prevalent. For these
reasons, some of the phrases may seem awkward, especially
since a w or d-b y- wor d format has been adhered to as much
as is possible.
The IPA transcriptions are for early fifteenth-
century pro nunciation and utilize the information from
Chapter IV.
Some editions of the chansons do not set all
the text within the score. For those pieces, the
additional stanzas have been added, following the setting
of the stanza provided by the editor. Students and
teachers may wish to make various editorial decisions
themselves and are encouraged to adjust the text d e c l a
mation, add or delete accidentals, and select i nst ru
mentat io n according to the principles presented in
Chapter V.
GILLES BINCHOIS (ca. 1400-1460)
Gilles Binchois, a F ran co- FI emi sh composer,
worked at the court of Burgundy for ap proximately thirty

35
years. He was born probably in Mons around 1400 and
died in Soignes, 20 September 1460. He trained as a
chorister in his youth and it is thought that he served
as a soldier in his early adult years. He joined the
Burgundian court chapel some time in the 1420s. Al th o ug h
he held no university degree nor was he an ordained priest,
he served as a chaplain and acquired several prebends--
endowments-- at the important churches in the area. As a
composer he wrote sacred and secular works. Today we
remember him chiefly as a writer of chansons, of wh ic h
ap proximately sixty are extant.
35
All back gro un d information is found in
David Fallows, ’’Binchois, Gilles de B i n s , ” The New Grove,
2:709-12.
Dueil angoisseus, rage dem ese ur ee
Gilles Binchois
Form
Ballade; one stanza
Voice
1 2
Soprano or Mezzo-soprano: range, c - e
Background/Text Summary
The text was writt en by Christine de Pisan
(1363-1430), a French poet, and expresses her grief and

36
suffering over the deaths of her h us b a n d and her father.
Level of Difficulty
Rhythmically this piece is easy; however, it
contains long phrases wh ic h require b rea th control.
Accompaniment Suggestions
Because the tenor and con tr ate no r share similar
melodic ranges and frequently cross, a two manual h a r p s i
chord or organ would simplify keyboard accompaniment. A
co ntrasting instrument is suggested for the interlude and
postlude, and may double the superius throughout.
36
On Binchois's texts, see Edward E. Lowinsky,
"Jan Van Eyck's T y m o t h e u s : Sculptor or Musician?" Studi
Musicali 13 (1984):33-105; especially pp. 98-104 on
Christine de Pisan; Reese, Music in the R e n a i s s a n c e , p. 87.
40
Transla ti on
1. Dueil angoisseus, rage An g ui sh ing pain, limitless

demeseuree rage,
Grief desespoir plain de Grief, despair full of
forcenement, force,
2. Langor sans fin et vie We akness without end and

maleurde ill-fated life
Plaine de plour d' angoisse Full of weeping, of
et detorment. anguish and torment.
3. Coeur dolore ux qui vit Painful heart that lives

obscurement, in obscurity,
Tenebr eu x corps sur le Darkened body on point of
point partir, departing
Ay, sans cesser c o n t i Have I continually without
nuellement , ceasing
Et se ne puis garir ne And I can neither heal nor
morir. die.
IPA Tr anscription
1. Dueil angoisseus, rage dem eseuree

[deeA angw£s cfi. r a 30 dem©zec.re«]
Grief desespoir plain de forcenement,

[grj£f de zts pw t pltan d 0 forsQneman]
2. Langor sans fin et vie maleuree

[langar san fin e vi ® mal©e.re©]
Plaine de plour d'a ngoisse et detorment,

[pltihed© plur dangwEs e dotorman]
3. Coeur doloreux qui vit obscurement,

[ko£.r dolor oe. ki vit opskyreman]
Tenebreux corps sur le point partir,

[tonebrc*. kor syr 1© pw£n parti]
Ay sans cesser c o n t i n u e l l e m e n t ,
[£ san stse k3htince£.l©man]
Et se ne puis garir ne morir

[e sa na pî gari n © mori]
37
Dueil angoisseus, rage deme se ure e
Gilles Binchois
Dasil tagolsMU Duel! an

UB|D MM lla Lan - got - leu -
TKoor
[S]OI*s Coetrstesor
G rief 4ci • es po ir plain de for • ce-C ne] n e n t,

P lai - ne de. plour d 'd n > |o b « ie < i de - tor • - m e m ._
Coeur do • lo • reux
qui vit ob • scu - re - s e n t, Te - ne - - fereux corps s i r le _ point par - tir
" r r if- Fi-
£ J r - p . t r - f • Q T i i - f r j ’ i g r r - f ic r t - r ^
A y______ & s ra _ ces - te r co n - ti • n u • c l - (le] - s e n t. Et se ne puis fa-
9 + m ~ 4_ .4 '*+•!*
•rir oc no - - rir.
|y+. r-f-|r j :.pT 1 = ■ T i n irrâ

=ff r ir,J
37„.
Die Chansons von Gilles Binchois, p. 45-46.
42
Je loe amours et ma dame mercye
Gilles Binchois
Form
Ballade; two stanzas
Voi ce
1 2
Soprano or Mezzo-soprano; range, d - f
Background/ Te xt Summary
This chanson has been found in German sources,
indicating h o w w i d e s pr ea d was Binchois's influence. The
tenor has been identified as the Latin song "Ave dulce tu
frumentum" from the Lochame r L i e d e r b u c h ; and the Buxheimer

38
Orgelb uch contains seven arrangements of the song. The
text possibly praises the poet's patron.
Level of Difficulty
Medium; this piece contains some meli sm ati c .
writing.
Accompan im ent Suggestions
Because all three lines occupy similar ranges
(the superius being only slightly higher) and often
cross, three instruments should be used; or, if keyboard
is desired, it should play the superius and the tenor
and use another instrument for the contratenor.
^Reese, p. 634 & 658.

Translation
1. Je loe amours et ma dame I praise, love and thank my

mercye, lady
Du bel acueil qui par For the lovely greeting
eulx deux me vient that comes to me by her
two eyes
2. Car par amours j'ay ma For by love I have chosen

dame choisye, my lady,
Par madame mouce joieux By madam greatly joyous I
de vient become
3. Dont tout ades qu'en Of wh om always in thinking

pensant me souvient I remember
Des grans graces et biens The great graces and g o o d
dont elle est playne, nesses of whic h she is
full
Est que je l'ay choisye a It is that I have chosen her
souverayne. as my sovereign.
J'ay teil plaisir certes I have certain pleasures
et telle joye and such joy
Qu'alers penser ne puis So that I can never think
onque je soye. of another.
4. Et bien la doy amer toute And well I must love her

ma vie, all my life,
Craindre et servir, quant Fear and serve, when a (__ )
(oh my?) un la tient holds her
5. Parfaite et bien, de Perfect and good, of beauty

biaulte assouvie completed,
Et aprise de quant que And instructed in all that
honore contient honor contains
6. Dont souvenir en moy si Of wh om the memory in me so

bien retient well retains
Son douls regart, sa Her sweet glance, her noble
manie mondayne conduct,
Hault en noblesse, en High in nobility, in
port hu mble et humaine, behavior humble and humane
Saige en parler, a poin Wise in speech, barely
rasisse et coye, ornamented and calm
Qu'alers penser ne puis So that I can never think
onque je soye. of another.
IPA Transcriptions
1. Je loe amours et ma dame mercye,

[53 lo amur e ma dame mErsiaJ
Du bel acueil qui par eulx deux me vient

[dy bel akoeA ki par cfcu dee. me vj£n]
2. Car par amours j'ay ma dame choisye

[kar par amur ^ e ma dam©
Par madame mouce joieux de vient

[par madam© mus© ^wLjee. de vj£n]
3. Dont tout ades qu'en pensant me souvient

[d5n tut ade kan pansan m© suvjtn]
Des grans graces et biens dont elle est playne,

[dt gran grastz e bjtn dSnt £.19 e pltna]
Est que je l'ay choisye a souverayne.

[e k© 30 le $w€.zi a suv£r£n©]
J'ay teil plaisir certes et telle joye

[jje t t A pl£zi s£.rt®z e tEl© ^w£©]
Qu'alers penser ne puis onque je soye.

[kaler panse n © pqiz ank© ^ 0 sw£©]
4. Et bien la doy amer toute ma vie,

[e bjfn la dwe. ame tut© ma via]
Craindre et servir, quant un la tient

[krtTndr© e sLrvi kaht y n la tjtn]
5. Parfaite et bien, de biaulte assouvie,

[parftt e bjiTn da bjaoute asuvia]
Et aprise de quant que ho nore contient

[e apri d© kan k € o n o r e kontjEn]
Dont souvenir en moy si bien retient
[don suvani an mwfc. si bj£n ratjth]
Son douls regart, sa manie mon dayne

[s?n dul ragar sa mania mondtn©]
Haulte en noblesse, en port hu mbl e et humaine,

[haolt an noblts an port yinbl e ymEna]
Saige en parler, a poin rasisse et coye,

[se.^) tin parle apwtn rasis e kwfc.9J
Qu'alers penser ne puis onque je soye.

[kaler panse na ptfiz 5nka 30 swta]
39
Je loe amours et ma dame mercye
Gilles Binchois
0 t. 86 o - J . < - J
JE loe i boora et madane mercy

C u p amoa Jfey madame ebolsy Je loe amour* e t n a d a* m em er * cv •
a- Carp& ram oun ja y ma do>m edioi - »v *
a. f t b 't* la ft-* W 'te u M i iko. v *-
( s f b r f e .+ t a t k « .V d a kia*»Ut* o j- * * u - »n -
T laor Je lot amoora.
Ceanaaor. da loe asoara
• 0
Eel acueil qui parculx deux n t . vient
m a -d am e m ou-ce joi - eux de vlcnt
- «r« ta r-o r U» |a *;«.«*
a - f f * de
ir O ^ ' i r ft
>. Dont to u t a • det q u en pen - ta n t me io u - vient

fc.ftertf lea-vt. - *ir «r\ ^ ti Elan —+}**+
Saeaada p a n
Baeiada p an
j r 1
J .4’ , =^4 F '.Trr r p| | | 1 ,
M - n rf~T'l\p r | fr-i
s* Detgrans gra - ces etfcierufont el-le eit play - ne, Est
daub r* - gart,So. a»-e p\en-doy — at p- -i flouH-
W=§r ... I4 J r7 iI U M
= ..
d - d d .
AP.a Ti
{~i -■ |r~j~j7 — ii |, | •"» ■-- ■ . ,
;-i-;S3=J-r iJ p p J
ly 1 I
1
MB
f # = ... fl .. —
I
Iff" que
r- je l'ay d to i-ty e a w u -w r - ayne. •ir c e rte i et
rteb-4att* •* im-PuJnt ®A P r ----- k r a. pot* m -
Q u 'a le rs— pen aer n e — puis on-que je — — toy •e.

^ -JUteltta- at-
le joy * e
«■
XT
l» P.i:g:!r=... ■PI* 1 |7«> 1j 1-- H
39
Die Chansons von Gilles Binchois, pp. 49-50.
47
Adieu, adieu mon joie ulx souvenir
Gilles Binchois
Form
Rondeau
Voice
1
Tenor; range g-a' (bV1 )
This is a song of farewell using the typically
stylized and formal language of the courtly tradition.
Level of Difficulty
Easy
Accompa nim ent Suggestions
The one interlude in me asures 25-29 can easily
be sung by continuing the [£.] sound of the last syllable
in the preceeding phrase. Beca use the tenor and contra-
tenor share similar ranges and frequently cross, two
instruments should be used or, these parts may be played
on the organ using two manuals w i t h differ en t stops.

Translation
1. Adieu, adieu mon joieulx Good bye, good bye. my

souvenir, joyous memory,
Le plus hault bien qui me The highe st good that could
puist advenir, come to me,
Belle et bonne que j'aim Beauti ful and good one that
autant commoy. I love as much as myself.
2. Le dire adieu me donne Saying good bye gives me so

tant d 1annoy mu c h worry
Qu'a grant paine puis je That wit h great di ff iculty
la bouche ouvrir I can open my mouth
3. Ce seroit fort que me It wo u ld be wron g for me to

puisse esjouir rejoice
Quant j'eslonge mon Wh e n I w i th dr aw from my
souverain desir sovereign desire
Et la chose que plus And the thing that I most
volontiers voy. gladly see.
4. Adieu, adieu mon joieulx Good bye, good bye, my

souvenir, joyous memory,
Le plus hault bien qui me The highest good that
puist advenir, could come to me,
Belle et bonne que j'aim Beaut ifu l and good one that
5. Adieu vous dy, il est Good bye I tell you, it is

temps de partir, time to depart,
Adieu celle que tant ay Good bye to the one that I
chiers veir. ho ld so dear to see.
Mon povre coer vous My poor heart stays with
remaint par mafoi, you by my faith,
6. Aultre que vous ne jouira No one other than you will

de soy, have any pleasure in it,
Tous deulx vous leesse, Both of them leave you,
helas, de splaisir alas, no pleasure
7. Adieu, adieu mon joieulx Good bye, good bye, my

souvenir, joyous memory
Le plus hault bien qui me The highe st good that could
puist advenir, come to me,
Belle et bonne que j'aim Beautiful and good one that
8. Le dire adieu me donne Saying good bye gives me so

tant d'annoy muc h worry
Qu'a grant paine puis je That with great difficulty
la bouche ouvrir. I can open my mouth.
49
IPA Transcription
1. 4. 7. Adieu, adieu mon joieulx souvenir

[adjee. adjce. mon ^w£.ee suveni]
Le plus haolt bien qui me puist advenir,

[ 1© ply haou bjtn ki m a ptjis adveni]
Belle et bonne que j 'jaim autant commoy.

[btl e bona ko aotan komw£J
2. 8 . Le dire adieu me donne tant d'annoy

[la dir adjee. ma dons tan danwfcj
Qu'a grant paine puis je la bouche ouvrir

[ka gran ptns pc|i zp la bu<Ja uvri]
3. Ce seroit fort que me puisse esjouir

[sa sarwt fo>r k a ma ptjisa £sûi]
Quant j'eslonge mon souverain desir

[kan 3 C s l o n 33 mon suvar£n dazi]
Et la chose que plus volontiers voy.

[e la ô ze ko ply vo lon tje vw£]
5. Adieu vous dy, il est temps de partir,

[adjee. vu di il e tarn da parti]
Adieu celle que tant ay chiers veir.

[adjce s £.19 ka tan £. îe v©i]
Mon povre coer vous rema int par mafoi,

[mon povra k ee.r vu ramtn par mafw£.J
6. Aultre que vous ne jouira de soy,

[aoutra k e vu n © j u i r a da sw£j
Tous deulx vous leesse, helas, desplaisir.

[tu dCCu vu l© £sa £la d£spl£zi]
Adieu, adieu mon joieulx s o u v e n i r ^
Gilles Binchois
Jhctt'Zlr-tS obJ>««J
1.4.7 A dieu, a • joi • - eulx

J.C e . roit fort___ puis • • se
5. A dieu vouu. est (crops__
TEaor
nir. oir.
& a n f res • Ion sain de sir
• tir. A - e c u cel que. tarn
Be • k^ci_ que
tiers.
Et ! • _ <feo que
M on p o - vn
'Z&Lt d i r e ^ a * dieu n e . d an - noy

&Aul Mrc que ecus n c _ _ de 90yt
40
Die Chansons von Gilles Binchois, p. 1.
Ay, doul our eu x disant helas
Gilles Binchois
Form
Rondeau
Voice
1
Tenor or high Baritone; range d-e
The text is one of unr equ ite d love.
Level of Difficulty
Easy
Because all of the parts are fairly low, sharing
similar ranges and crossing, three different instruments
are necessary to avoid muddiness and to keep the lines
separate and distinct.

Translation
1. Ay, douloureux disant Oh, sad one, saying alas,

helas
De ma piteuse vie, las, Of my pitiable life, tired,
Tres desirant suy de Very desirous am I of dying
mourir
2. Quant plus ne puis Wh e n I cannot see the one

celle veir
Qui mon cuer tient entre Who holds me in her laces
ses las.
3. Fortune m'a du tout Fort une has cast me down

min bas in everything
Et accable a son r a b a s , And crushed in ch eapening
Puis qu'ay failli a Since I have failed in
mon desir my desire.

helas
De ma piteuse vie, las, Of my pitiable life, tired,
Tres desirant suy de Very desirous am I of
mourir, dying,
5. Et dangier m'a restraint And suffering has

mes pas res tra ine d my steps
Quant je devoye entre Wh en I fail between my arms
mes bras
Ma douce mestresse tenir, My sweet mistress to hold
6. Si m'en a falu abstenir Thus it has been necess ary

for me to abstain from it
Dont je languis et ne For wh om I languish and do
vis pas. not live.

helas
De ma piteuse vie, las Of my pi tiable life, tired,
Tres desirant suy de Very desirous am I of
mourir, dying
8. Quant plus ne puis celle Whe n I cannot see the one

veir
Qui mon cuer tient entre Who holds my heart in her
ses las. laces.
53
IPA Transcription
1. 4. 7. Ay, do ul ou re u x disant helas

[ £. duluroe. dizan tla]
De ma p it eu se vie, las
[d© ma pitee-z© vi la]
Tres de sir an t suy de mourir

[tre dazir an sqi d© muri]
2. 8 . Quant plus ne puis celle veir

[kan ply n© piji sE.10 v®i]
Qui mon cuer tient entre ses las.

[ki man keer tj&n antr© s£. la]
3. Fortune m'a du tout mis bas

[fartyn© ma dy tu mi ba]
Et accable a son r a b a s ,
[e akabl a san raba
Puis qu'ay failli a mon desir

[pH 1 ke feXi a man d©zi
5. Et dangier m'a restraint mes pas

[e danjje ma rttren mC. pa]
Quant je de voye entre mes bras

[kan 30 d©vw£. antr© mE. bra]
Ma douce mestr ess e tenir,

[ma dus® m E t r t s © teni]
6. Si m'en a falu abstenir

[si man a faly apsteni]
Dont je languis et ne vis pas.

[dan langijiz e n® vi pa]
/ 1
Ay, dou lou re ux disant helas
Gilles Binchois
O t.76r DmJ. ».J
Tlnor. Ay A o b Io m b b . tte.
Ceo&aoS. Ay doaloweu*. «U.
du. <Vou+ »>•%

Ut De sna
f*
pi •
a t-to w e .
U u-
a.
ae v ie ,.
ro.
**ci — 4rek»wt mbs Quorsr jjt ê*-vD%‘C. c * -+ re m es
3 . f . Q u an t p h i* .
4n Si fo'en
41
Die Chansons von Gilles Binchois, pp. 8-9.
De plus en plus se renouvelle
Gilles Binchois
Form
Rondeau
Voice
Mezzo-so pr ano or very high, light Tenor;

2
range, g-c
The poem is a love lyric.
Level of Difficulty
Medium
The short interlude at measure 11 is easily
sung by continuing the final [i] sound from the preceeding
word. Because the co ntratenor is rhythmically more
intricate than in other Binchois pieces, the use of two
accompanying instruments with solo voice is recommended.

56
Translation
1. De plus en plus se More and more it renews

renouvelle, itself,
Ma doulce dame gente My sweet, genteel and
et belle, beautiful lady
Ma volonte de vous veir My desire to see you
2. Ce me fait le tres grant This makes for me the very

desir great desire
Que j'ai de vous ouir That I have to hear news
nouvelle. of you.
3. Ne cuidies pas que je Do not think that I hide,

recelle,
Comme a tous jours vous Since always you are the
estes celle one
Que je vueil de tout Who m I wish to obey
obeir. completely.

renouvelle, itself,
Ma doulce dame gente et My sweet, genteel and
belle, beautiful lady
5. Helas, se vous m'estes Alas, if you are cruel to

cruelle, me,
J'auroie au cuer I will have in my heart
angoisse telle such anguish
Que je voudroie bien That I would like to die
morir,
6. Mais ce seroit sans But that would be without

desservir deserving
En soustenant vostre In enduring your scornful
querelle. speech

renouvelle, itself
Ma doulce dame gente My sweet, genteel and
et belle, beautiful lady,
8. Ce me fait le tres grant This makes for me the very

desir great desire
Que j'ai de vous ouir That I have to hear news
nouvelle. of you.
IPA Transcription
1. 4. 7. De plus en .plus se renouvelle

[do plyz an ply sa ronuv£l9]
Ma doulce dame gente et belle,

[ma duso dame j$qnt e b£lo]
Ma volo nte de vous veir.

[ma volo nte d© vu vei]
2. 8 . Ce me fait le tres grant desir

[sa ma ft 1© tr£ gran dezi]
Que j'ai de vous ouir nouvelle.

[ko S'e do vu ui nuvg.10 ]
3. Ne cuidies pas que je recelle,

[no ki|idje pa ke rosE.19]
Comme a tous jours vous estes ce

[kome a tu ûr vuz £t£ st
Que je vueil de tout obeir.

[ko vac A d© tut bboi]
5. Helas, se vous m'estes cruelle,

[£la so vu m£t£ kry£l9]
J ’auroie au cuer angoisse telle

[âorwg. ao koCr an gw £s O ttls]
Que je vou d ro ie bien morir,

[ko 3 0 v u d r w E b j£n mori]
6. Mais ce seroit sans desservir,

[mt so sorwt san dtstrvi]
En soustenant vo str e querelle.

[an sustonan vostro kertlo]
/o
De plus en plus
Gilles Binchois
Ssc tt. Ill uedMi mrnJ- J
"T~iI ’ 11
D ! fI k« ea plea ea i w m l l.I.O .D e phi «n plul.
3 . Me. tu i - HO pas
S. He. - las se vous
COatraieaor
* *— ------- •
Mi doul - ce da * me gen • tq jn bel I?,
Co***. Qu -teos $»xs uoos es - ca! -le
T’ouo.-roit au. cut-** cun.-apis-St - le
if ..if r P P
M.i vo - I o n - tl At , vc & .V C e m e fait le tres grant de •

Qo*. \ t VUCil •* TOUT <
h. Ptais t t se-etM- «»*s det — Ser —
Qua. f- vouJ —reSe.W r_ . _ i
ilr Q u e yti de • ir n o u -v el
* Cn a u i - l i voj--Vre «\oe
42
Die Chansons von Gilles B i n c h o i s , pp. 10-11.
Vostre tres doulx regart plaisant
Gilles Binchois
Form
Rondeau
Voice
i
Tenor; range, d-f
Bac kground/Text Summary
This pa rt icu la r chanson acq ui red a certain
renown. The English playwright and poet John Skelton
mentions it twice in his works, and the tenor appears
in two English manuscr ipt s and may have been used as

A3
a basis for improvisation.
The text is a stylized love lyric.
Level of Difficulty
Easy
Accompan im ent Suggestions
The postlude may be sung on the final syllable
[an], or played on an instrument. Because the tenor and
co ntratenor are low and frequently cross, two different
sonorities wou ld prov ide the best accompaniment, keeping
the lines separate and distinct.
^Fallows, "Binchois," p. 712.

60
Translation
1. Vostre tres doulx Your very sweet pleasant

regart plaisant, glance,
Belle bonne que j'ayme Fair good one that I love
tant so much
On ne peut plus en That one can no more in
bonne foy good faith
2. Tres perde tout le cuer Really fill all my

de moy heart
Et oblege le demourant. And pledge it for always.
3. Non pas sans plus pour Not without any more all at
un tenant once
Mais tous les jours de But everyday of my life
mon vivant
Pour obeir comme je To obey as I should
doy.
4. Vostre tres doulx Your very sweet pleasant

regart plaisant glance
Belle bonne que j'ayme Fair good one that I love so
tant much
5. Je n'ay chose au monde I ha v e not hin g in the

vaillant world of value
Que tout ne soyt a vo That is not completely
commant. at your command
11 y a bien rayson pour There is a good reason
quoy: why:
6. Car vous valez et un For you are wor th a son

filz de Roy of a King
Et deust il morir en And he should die in
servant. your service.
7. Vostre tres doulx regart Your very sweet pleasant

plaisant, glance
Belle bonne que j'ayme Fair good one that I love
tant so much
8. Tres perde tout le Really fill all my

cuer de moy heart
Et oblege le demourant. And pledge it for always.
IPA Transcription
1. 4. 7. Vo stre tres doulx regart plaisant,

[votr® tre du rogar pltzan]
Belle bonne que j'ayme tant

[btle bon® k® 3 £m ® tan]
On ne peut plus en bonne foy

[on n® pee. plyz an bon© fwE.]
2. 8 . Tres perde tout le cuer de moy

[tre ptrde tu le keer de mw£.]
Et oblege le de m u ’:,rant.
[e opl ©30 le d© muran]
3. Non pas sans plus pour un tenant

[n3n pa san ply pur yn tenan]
Mais tous les jours de mon vivant

[mE. tu IE. 3 ur de m3n vivan]
Pour obeir comme je doy.
[pur obei k o m © 3 © dwt]
5. Je n'ay chose au monde vaillant

[39 n£ 50 z ao mpnd © v£^v3fn]
Que tout ne soyt a vo commant.

[k© tu ne sw£t a vo koman]
II y a bien rays^n pour quoy:

[il i a bjitn rEzon pur kw&]
6. Car vous valez et un filz de Roy

[kar vu val ez e yh fi de rw£]
Et deust il morir en servant.

[e dee.t il morir "Sr\ sErvan]
44
Vostre tres doulx regart plaisant
Gilles Binchois
Esc .«
[vjOitre tret douls

I.N,*). Vo - *tre_ gun
3, Kfo* fas fen s u*
S . "Se cKose kO^ — de
fpjOatreteaor
•■ant, Bel • l e . to n • ne que.

•norif- fllois ious )es Jpw rs d e mon
$ye fbuthe____ayf- ol Vc
14
foy — 9-S. Trei per - 4e tout le___ Et

pour Vou-Wl. .* Uh fllz dfc fey EV
«v&>
.pz3.-. ... i±:_,:‘•°“r
--------
^->-r / . " I --_zi-— -r-tf--- ==^=
■J-- : =J=M= =g-— ;)
<f
tK Ser
^Die Chansons von Gilles Binchois, p. 42.

GU IL LAU ME DUFAY (ca. 1398-1474)
Guillaume Dufay was the most important French
compose r of the earlier fifteenth c e n t u r y . ^ He was born
betwe en 1398 and 1400 in or around Cambrai or Laon. From
1409 to 1414 he was a choirboy at Cambrai Cathedral, where
he received his earliest musical and educational training.
During the 1420s Dufay travelled between Italy and France,
ma king contacts with influential families and important
churches. In 1428 he joined the papal choir and sang in
Rome until 1433, when political upheavals in the churc h
encouraged him to accept a position serving the Duke of
Savoy. In 1435 he returned to the papal choir, then
located in Florence. It was there that Dufay wrote his
famous motet Nuper rosa rum flores (1436) for the dedi ca tio n
of the cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore. Sometime before
1436 he received the un iversity degree of Bachelor in Canon
Law. This enabled hi m to acquire, in 1436, the office of
canon at Cambrai Cathedral, one of the many prebends
^ A l l ba ck g ro un d information is from Fallows,

D u f a y , pp. 7-85.
acquired during his career. In 1436 he took up permanent
residence at Cambrai, even though he continued to travel
frequently, ma in tai nin g contacts wit h churches and courts
throughout Italy and France. He died at Cambrai,
27 November 1474.
Resvellies vous et faites chiere lye
G ui ll au me Dufay
Form
Ballade; two stanzas
The piece contains three sections each wi th a
diffe ren t meter, 6 - 8 , 3-4, 6 - 8 .
Voice
1 2
Soprano: range d - e
Backgrou nd/ Tex t Summary
This song was w r i t t e n in 1423 for the w ed di ng
of Carlo Malatesta and Vi tt o ri a Colonna, and shares
musical material with Dufay's earliest known cyclic Mass

46
the Mass Sine N o m i n e .
Level of Difficulty
Difficult; the piece has long melismas and
intricate, changing rhythmic patterns.
Acc omp ani me nt Suggestions
Because the parts are rhy th mically intricate,
46
Fallows, D u f a y , pp. 22-23; for a dis cussion
of the connection be tw ee n the chanson and the Mass see
pp. 165-168.
especially in relat io nsh ip to one another, three
instruments are suggested for the accompaniment. One of
them may double the voi ce throughout or simply play the
introduction and the interludes. Another possibility
is to use an organ or h a r p si ch or d for the superius and
the tenor, wi th the contrat eno r supplied by another
instrument.
Tr anslation
Stanza 1
1. Resvellies vous et Wake up and make good

faites chiere lye cheer
Tout amoureux qui All lovers who love
gentilesse ames graciousness,
2. Esbates vous, fuyes Amuse yourselves, flee

merancoly, melancoly,
De bien servir point Do not be at all today ready
ne soyes hodes to serve well
3. Car au jour d'ui sera For today they will be

li espouses married
Par grant honneur et W it h great honor and noble
noble seignourie; lordliness;
Ce vous convient ung It is appropriate to all of
chascum faire feste, you to make festivity,
Pour bien grignier la To make greater the
belle compagnye; beaut ifu l company;
Charle gentil, c'on Charles the Gracious,
dit de Maleteste. called Maleteste.
Stanza 2
1. II a dame belle et He has chosen a beautiful

bonne choysie, and good lady,
Dont il sera grande- Of wh o m he will be greatly
ment honnour^s; honored;
2. Car elle vient de For she comes from a very

tres noble lignie noble lineage
Et de barons qui sont And from barons who have
mult r e n o m m ^ s . great fame.
67
3. Son propre nom est Her own name is Victoire

Vic toire clames; called
De la colonne vient From the crown comes her
sa progenie. progeny
C'est bien rayson qu'a It is truly right that of the
vasq ule requeste lover one requests
De cette dame mainne That this lady lead a good
bonne vie. life.
Charle gentil, c'on Charles the Gracious,
dit de Maleteste called Maleteste.
IPA Transcription
Stanza 1
1. Resvellies vous et faites chiere lye

[rtvElja vuz e feta <îrO lie]
Tout amoureux qui gentilesse ames

[tut amurce. ki p a nt il e s am©]
3. Esbates vous, fuyes merancolye,

[£sbate vu ft|ia merankolio]
De bien servir point ne soyes hodes

[do bjfn sErvi pwTn no swE.0 hade]
3. Car au jour d'ui sera li espouses

[kar ao ^ u r dî sora li Epuze]
Par grant honneur et noble seignourie;

[par gran honcer e nablo sTTpurie]
Ce vous C£nvient ung chascum faire feste

[sa vu konvjiht yh âkym ftro fEto]
Pour bien grignier la belle compagnye;

[pur bjtn grijije la btla k3 mpajiio ]
Charle gentil, c'on dit de Maleteste.

jant i kon di de maletEte]
Stanza 2
1. II a dame belle et bon ne choysie

[il a dame bE.1 e bone ^w£zie]
Dont il sera grandement h o n n o u r e s ;

[d5nt il sera granda man honure]
2. Car elle vient de tres noble lignie

[kar tie vjtTn de tre noble lijiio]
Et de barons qui sont mult r e n o m m e s .

[e de baron ki son myu ronome]
3. Son propre nom est Vi cto ir e dame's;

[son propre no m £ vik twtre klame]
De la colonne vient sa progenie.

[de la kolone vjitn sa progenie]
C'est bien rayson qu'a v as cu le requeste

[se bjiEn rLzon ka vakyle rektts]
De cette dame mainne bonne vie.

[de sEte dame mE he b’Sne via]
Charle gentil, côn dit de Maleteste.

[ârl© ^3 n ^ ^ malettte]
47
Resvellies vous et faites chiere lye
Guill aum e Dufay
Contntenor
T enor
10
1. Ret-vcMietvout et j h i - t e s d i i e - re ly Tout *-mou - reux qui gen - fi •

2. I E i'ba*teivous,fu*|yes me-ran - co ly ■ e. I De bien ter - vir point ne to ■
f m
Retvellics vous
15
20
lei • te a • m e t
-P " F :
";r m
yes bo - djs
m m
d M-Ji
j O . r r - g j ’i
1. Car au lour d'ui ae - ra li et - pou - •it. P«
—. r*-----------
# & — ■*■■ - — f-"1 f - . f l ■*-.... ■ = ' j r ~ ^ r , r r - '=
g— 1 ■r - - •I " ? -------r :
t
f" ‘" .. - r .....-
f o r f
k V
grant bon-neur et oo>ble tei * gnou-ri
^Dufay, Opera O m n i a , vol. 6 , p. 25-26.

Res vellies vous (cont.)
j t_la____ , 1 ji 9 a3
' P ■- t i f
Ce vousjcoo - Tknt img cbu Run foi j me. four bien frig
a L - r H a E 5 5 B ■»
C\
label-kcoat’pafoy Char
Char gen
ten
c'oodit
71
Res vellies vous (stanza 2 )
i 11 ' "
Conirstcnor 1 ,...55
} R c iv e U ie i vous
Tenor * B 9 ^ U - J L - ......... ' -
f 6—
iQ
1. b i da-M fcan-i*<*»/(■ e. •BckHI **- re!, •» » +
, J. f^r*1-(tvtod- M-Ue “ — e R i» b a .- 1
W15ûi
w
i Retvclliei vous
in m
iK»n - r*u.«t7s
re - tvoH - h is
S=tt
25
^ r h , y - ^ . i i „ . , TT, . , , ^ -
i.Swv p o - p r * mov « (• life. — + o l - r e tl« L -
*£*' i 1 x*.
■r fl - f- .v :* ..
L , .............
72
Resvellies vous (stanza 2, cont.)
™------- F=V n *— its , aa i f a

*r "J If i? * r T P
I":"*—
Cot Wox r»y— smi fj*. «U — - Cttl “ i He. lodte. Jo.—
■ii-f r f - p- f p r b- : , n r ; l • • • - ■ = » r--r -
:i--•■■C.r -Pj* ...!?■J
1
i l '~T „ t • *=
L-^J-p—P-L
4 ■— * 1 II ■ ' ' 1 ' ---
W CS f7\ /r\ r\
ii. n” i. m * * 1 ’ 1 I1* 1 ? 1 ’” '"“I *
-to*. taimt b> ««. Vi — -I — - «* Our • It geo - til.
i.-y^ y=
/■S r\ J2:- -/STT
\
1 r .Lra-H---
• O ut - le gen • til.
/«r•
s r\
1&..:^~" v:J tT f-
* * 1
c'onJit 1 dc £.LJ*r
.:4- m.' I. 1 ..f.. p.. .r
( U U ------- l l j l -J, p j— ; £*Ji JS.-:,.H,:
.. | ....^r=r=
----- f.. " * P
Ce jour le doibt, aussi fait la saison
Gu illaume Dufay
Form
Ballade; three stanzas, wit h a four-line renvoi,
a dedicatory phrase in ceremonial poems added to the last
stanza.
Voice
2
Soprano or Mezzo-soprano; range b-d
This poem is in celebr at ion of May Day.
Level of Difficulty
Melodically and rhy th mically this piece is easy
but it contains some long phrases in the "B" section,
requiring good breat h control.
Acc ompaniment Suggestions
Because both the tenor and contra ten or move
slowly it is possibl e to play these two parts on a keyboard
instrument. The interludes and postludes may easily be
sung by continuing the final syllable of the preceeding
word, or they may be played on an instrument.
At the end of the third verse the tenor and
co ntratenor might play the Ds at the begin nin g of measure

56 and the singer sing the A on the third beat of measure
32, in order to make a smooth transition into the renvoi.
Translation
Stanza 1
1. Ce jour le doibt, aussi This day owes it, also the

fait la saison season makes,
Et le prince d'a mours l'a And the prince of love has
commande: comma nde d it:
2. Que tout home, voi lla nt That every man, wanting to

acquerir non acquire the name
De vray amant, vieng ne Of a true lover, come by
par amiste friendship
3. Pour reciter balade To recite a gracious

gracieuse ballad
Qui soit plaisante a sa That will be ple asing to
dame amoureuse, his loving lady,
Et se tiengne graci eus e And may it be gracious and
et joly pretty,
Joyeusement pare de Jo yfully adorned with
quelque may, something personal
Et il aura gueredon de And he will have as a
par ly reward from it
Le premier jour de ce The first day of this
doulx moys de may. sweet month of May.
Stanza 2
1. Quant est de moy, je ne As far as I am concerned,

doy par raison I must not for any reason
A ce faillir, car bien Fail at this, for well
gueredone recompensed
2. Suy par amours de dame Am I by the love of a

de renom, lady of renown,
Qui me donne toute Who gives me all joy
joieusete.
3. Quant j'aperchoy sa Whe n I perceive her

biaulte merveilleuse, marvelous beauty,
Son doulx regart, sa Her sweet glance, her
colour presieuse, precious color,
Son doulx parler et son Her sweet speech and her
maintien aussy, d emeanor also,
75
Je ne pouroye avoir I could not have worry or

soussy n'esmay dismay,
Dont j'ay cause de ioye Of wh o m I have cause to
estre garni be crowned with joy,
Le premier jour de ce The first day of this
Stanza 3
1. Et puisqu 'en sy suy And since I am taken

saisi de tel don, by such a gift,
N'est ce raison que Is it not rea sonable that I
la serve a son gre, serve her to her desire,
2. De voulonte, sans Gladly, without any

nulle mesprison? disdain?
Et en prison fusse And if I were closed up in
dien enferme, prison,
3. Je suy ferme comme a I am as firm as to the most

la plus joyeuse, joyful,
Qui soit jusques a Who might be as far as the
Meuse ny a l'Euse. Meuse or the Euse
Tant qu'aray cuer Such I will have my heart
party par nul party, parted by no other party,
Jamais ne changerai, car, I will never change, for,
pour vray, 1 ay truly I have
Sur toute autre, belle et Over all others, beautiful
bonne, chosy. and good, chosen.
Le premier jour de ce The first day of this sweet
doulx moys de may. mo n th of May.
renvoi
Prince, joly, je defy Ha ndsome prince, I

de soussy, challen ge any worry,
Car j'ay, pour vray, For I have, truly, a
cuer gay, dont gay heart, of whi ch
chanteray I will sing
Cecy ainsy pour cy This thus for the one that
que j'ay servy: I have served:
Le pre mie r jour de ce The first day of this
IPA Transcription
Stanza 1
1. Ce jour le doibt, aussi fait la saison,

[se 3 U lo dwCp aosi ft, la s£z3n]
Et le prince d'a mours l'a comande:

[e la prfnse damur la k^mande]
2. Que tout home, voi ll ant acq uerir non

[ke tut ome v w i A a n t aktri non]
De vray amant, v ie ngn e par amiste

[de v r£ aman vjtnjie par amite,]
3. Pour reciter balade gracie us e

[pur resite balade grasiotse]
Qui soit plaisante a dame amoureuse

[ki swf, pl£,zant a dam amureC-ze]
Et se tiengne graci eus e et joly

[e s tjtnjpe grasice.z e ^pli]
Joyeusement pare" de quelque may,

[^wtoe-zeman pare de ktlke m£]
Et il aura gueredon de par ly

[e il aora geredah d© par li]
t ____ _________ a . _i -i t
LI© premje 3ur d9 se dul mw£. de m?.
Stanza 2
1. Quant est de moy, je ne doy par raison

[kant £ d® m w L 3 © n a d w L par r£.zo*n]
A ce faillir, car bien gueredone*

[a so ftvki kar bjen geredSne]
2. Suy par amours de dame de renom,

[stji par amur d e d a m e do renSm]
Qui me donne toute joieusete.

[ki me d5h© tut© j^w£ee.zate]
3. Quant j'aperchoy sa bi au lte m e r v e j 11 o,,o°

[kan âpLr^wE. sa bjaoutQ mt rvw
77
Son doulx regart, sa colour precieuse,

[son dul rSgar sa kolur presioe.za]
Son doulx parler et son mai ntien aussy,

[son dul parle e son mrntjitn aosi]
Je ne pouroye avoir soussy n'esmay,

f 3® na p u r w C avwtr susi n£sm£.j
Dont j'ay cause de ioye estre garni

[don ^ e kaoz d iwfc, Ltro garni]
Le premier jour de ce doulx moys de may.

[la premje ^ u r da sa dul mwE- da mtj
Stanza 3
1. Et puiscju'ensy suy saisi de tel don

[e ptjikansi stji s£zi da ttl d3n]
N'est ce raison que la serve a son gre,

[n£- se r£z5n ka la strv a s3ii grej
2. De voulonte, sans nulle mesprison?

[da v u lo nte san nyla m£prizon]
Et en prison fusse dien enferme"

[e an prizoh fysa djtn ahftrme]
3. Je suy ferme comme a la plus joyeuse,

[3 © siji f£rma k3m a la ply ^w£c*-ze]
Qui soit jusques a Meuse ny a l'Euse.

[ki swE, j;yka a metze ni a loe-za]
Tant qu'aray cuer party par nul party,

[tan kart kccr parti par nyl parti]
Jamais ne changerai, car, pour vray, l'ay

[ 2pm£. n9 ^SnjarL. kar pur vrt le]
Sur toute autre, belle et b o n n e , chosy.

[syr tut aotr O bLl e bo ne 5 o z ^]
Le premier jour de ce doulx moys de may.

[le premje j u r da se dul mwE. d© mE.]
renvoi
Prince joly, je defy de soussy,

[prinsa 3 ;>li 3 ® dafi da susi]
Car j'ay, pour vray, cuer gay, dont chanteray

[kar ^ e pur vrL. kdfc-r gE. don ^Sntar £.]
Cecy ainsy pour cy que j'ay servi:

[sasi £nsi pur si k® ^ e strvi]
Le premier jour de se doulx moys de may.

[1© premje j u r da sa dul mwE. da m£j
Ce jour le doibt, aussi fait la saison
Guillaume Dufay
1. Cc jour lejd o ib t, tu t son,

2. Q ue tout ho > me, voil Unr ac De Ivray a - jmant, vieng-
Contratenor
Cc jour le doibt
Tenor
Ce jour le doibt
±J£~p bTi T jZ
D oun a 1 ic o - man - i
ne par ' a • mis - te ! i
■fl r ■ s.
t v ..r~ I •" r j ,|J 4 =

i
■a,------ —
1 r - l ... ■i. .
P i i m i i ’— * ■ P ... ■. i —
v ■ ~ .-i* r. [■ I -if' -I ^ r 1 f -. —
Qui (oil pki . lu n - te a u d, - in e > • mou - | r u ss, Et
r— " ~ i "I--------------
y r==-' jW s* ■* f :a=r Y 1' .... ' ^ = 7~jiT~^r~!
¥■■... ........ - - .............. l r w ^ . r ' - ..T 3 ? K .— a
r = - ^ " - ^ " , n iN g J - ....I _ l - r , q ; = f e

•= g p
se ticng • • ne gra - d - euseet *> ly j j o y - e u - R - m int |» . Irf de quel - que
i
jp„ -................. . - r -
f - * -------------- - J . — ■ 5
:
1i
c
45 . « t SO
3== " if r s d a j |-J| J ~ J 4
msy, Et jil au • ra f u e - re-d o n {de par ly Le Jpre-mier
±r~ J"--- 1"" ~i' jb^brrj? =jii
.-j■ * jj u i
ih— g------ -Sa— rt---- 1
------
s s _________ ____t -1 ^ a 60
jour de 2C( doubt moys de :« r. «
afc a ! 'a 1* j = = =
*- r r .... s1 1 , l ........ 1
,i— ,
i f 1
-------- r .
-------F - ......— r -
fap1 j; — - ^ - r if r '1 1
^Dufay, Opera O m n i a , vol. 6, p. 34-35.

80
Ce jour le doibt (stanza 2)

9
r f a* .'■.'■■■<.1.. i m 1 ji ■ i. * .1 =3Î I 1 W
..f „„i ., ,f :....■■■■■■14 [■^ -.T“ - . r . : ;; T ~ ^ =
l.f^vefit ©t dc *oy jne 4ey •at mi — ***> ft Ct fell —fl»r ear
3. Suy par ©.-w&OfS i t <4ft.-Kt da r* — tw n ; q „i a t don—'.ne W *
Conmtcnor: &Mflh 'T*----- ...- 7 ....
f e f c f lS i 's ll :.....[■■j .....■■ -'■'r-J-' '■ '=
• Cc Jew le dpibt^ < 1
Tcoor
tP'nrjs" '"i---------- ----- • 't-----------
to 8 8
h'tn aoe. — ; r * - a o
-+e J* ■te.
L
.■■I 1■' — J"
I
ft rj
f *
25 30 _____
Sen deulx re-:gw+, so. to - lo u r \ 9Tt- — t i IS t / Son

--- 1 i
— ,
P
*
f r r s a k i j i r . - f r ' j ? . a - f r ,,
<Jooty par «— jUr e t So* ItoJiftlen'f O tti — - Sy
- * •■*■ - b j
i'3'e. ne pout oê. 0l — p*»r Sous^ stf -.... r
n ’e s -
- f r ------ —=1=3--------------------
=*— - r ~ n .......... r ,
f r - * 1- - ......... * ............ ^
-fl, ■»-- 11 .. 1 ,. “= =
....... '1 U = = g f c = = U " ..............M,„-..... i.i.. J.
3= = .j
'irsr-
--------- i _ ^ l>on+ j'ay cause de \oy- e e s - j^ rt y . r - | n ! u
y l j ! ^ -!■.J ■ !j '•vr:" ^ :
> -— ‘• - r ..... i' i ?—
', .J’ | * ■)’! =====

lew 4c ) cc dotilx i toyi 4c Jiuf. I
H .........’ i " ...... i

i
* .f ..3 ^ = ^
f .....^ ........1 ....... 1 1 " = H T ^ ': ^ = K ; = ~ ; : ;r i f “ t =z ==!

81
Ce jour le doibt (stanza 3)
1.£4 puijjw’trJ-fy
i fit,
f* V0U.*i6fl-'H» «Soa
rS ;Ju-fc*
*•
Conmtcnor
Cc tornItdpibi
Tenor
IS
U. Scni*. I<L
* dlen ;#n-ftc
----- ------------.---- :------- ---------------------------------------

= r-p : 4 ------- » ^ j
ê. aiy w e o n » > « . a. \o. :p\u$ eu — — ;— St,
f’l- :.ZZ-;L...: :v . fg-.., J ^ --- . r "' ■ 1' j '■■■
P > ------ ;■--- - ■■■■"........... ■]-? ' 1' ! -------------
k. S3
2 5 ___________________ ,................... >

J M . . „ J— f —.ft. [J'ty. -i!-.-.jr .-r g .1d,±Jii.31-1 •• ■..=
* $ut »+ Jf»*“ 0. 1IT)eu.it itvy O. Ivgu. - - — — 1st ; TanT
-f, .r— T— r = ,r- , , Lj- y rpr-r r-- - L ---------- 4 = * ^
ir=- F 1* 1-3 ^ T--i^r - L .r— iT 5g ~ ‘~ p ~ = g ju- =
T ^ .L —
M a p s ,,„^:-;--;i--|T :; .- h _
35________________________________________ > 40
$ - j- ../ Z g - . P " " > f' H ^ ^ P y F - J ...
,C*r p tr -ty fox Mf) jp x r ’ — * ■\y JSarmus ne change — —pna«, c a r , I pcLr vny
- ec. — [k . i* — •y______ jCar f r y paw *32 cuer- |soy don+ ; Cân —
V• &■■■■.... ' = 3 ^
• I
‘ feO
i
^- -
:
&' f !....1 ■ 4iJ' ■■■ . ===
*-9— r=^— ^~r— i 50

45 i i *
$ .,J 'i' 3 = ^ ...... Ju r^ 'o iiL - l*t bJie. r ^4 — n — j * j .. J~j3=
M b a n — me Cho - «y. Lc |pTe - mier
Ct-ey ftitt .n SJt, PaJ'r cy see jVay ser - - - ------
!
- p ~ ^ .. ~ -■--!•• T' '
r r ,r?-sp I ■fj m J A. P
J r = ........ , , ---------- !
--------------
y 5*.. f +---t=TH 14-;,r,— ^ " ..d
sa __—In 8
.=j--.|= .|h -|| | , a !,].
tour de jee dodlx auoyide J jJ -r — -'* p-i
•-'
*my.
* ^ •
: ! i. - L
J- ;
ng' J, "■■■■*■ 'i T' »■" .■■"■*=il j . 1;.1'id r-'ZjbJ_=t--■ if— ■4r'.:.T.„'.::::.'J
82
Adieu ces bons vins de Lannoys
Gu il lau me Dufay
Form
Rondeau
Voice
Mezzo-soprano; range, a-c^
Backgrou nd/ Tex t Summary
This song of farewell was writt en in 1426, at
a time when Dufay was to leave France and return to
I t a l y .49
Level of Difficulty
Easy
Accompan ime nt Suggestion
As in "Ce jour le doibt," the tenor and c o n t r a
tenor move slowly with few complexities, making it
possib le to play these lines together on a keyboard.
A co nt ras tin g melo dic instrument might play the
introduction and the postlude.
49
For a more det ai l ed di sc uss io n of this song and
other early songs by Dufay see Fallows, D u f a y , pp. 86-102.
Due to a defec tiv e man uscript there is no
co nt rat en or part in the last six bars. The counterpoint
has been completed for this collection. Also, in the third
stanza (bar 15-16), w he re ".. -ier" is found, the word is
m is sin g and the [an] syllable from the pre ceeding "souvent"
should be contin ued until the wor d "mennoye."
Tr ans lat io n
1. Adieu ces bons vins de Good bye, good wines of

Lannoys, Lannois,
Adieu dames, adieu Good bye, ladies, good
borgois bye, bourgeois,
Adieu celle que tant Good bye to the one I
amoye love so much
2. Adieu toute pla yss ant e Good bye, all ple asant
joye, joy
Adi eu tous compaignons Good bye all French
galois. companions.
3. Je m'en vois tout I'm going away to

arquant des nois, collect nuts,
Car je ne truis feves For I find neither
ne pois, beans nor peas,
Dont bien souvent Of whi ch very often
...-ier M e n n o y e . (someone gives us out
of pity)
4. Adieu ces bons vins Good bye, good wines of

de L a n n o y s , Lannois,
Adieu dames, adieu Good bye, Ladies, good
borgois, bye, bourgeois,
Adie u celle que tant Good bye to the one I
amoye love so much
5. De moy seres, par Of me you will be, several

plusieurs fois times
Regretes par dedans Miss ed in the woods,
les bois
Ou il n'y a sentier Where there is neither
ne voye; path nor way;
Puis ne scaray que Since I do not know what I
faire doye, should do,
Se je ne crie a hau te If I do not cry out in
vois. a loud voice.
Adieu ces bons vins de Good bye, good wines of

Lannoys, Lannois,
Adieu dames, adieu Good bye, ladies, good bye
borgois, bourgeois
Adieu celle que tant Good bye to the one I
amoye love so much
Adieu toute pla yss an te Good bye all pleasant

l£Xe, joy,
Adieu tous compaignons Good bye all French
galois. companions.
IPA Transcription
1. 4. 7. Adieu ces bons vins de Lannoys,

[adjoe_ sC. bon vTn da lanwL-J
Adieu dames, adieu borgois,

[ad joe. d a m s ad joe- borgwcj
Adieu celle que tant amoye,

[adjoe. sLl0 ka tant amw£.0J
2. 8 . Adieu toute play ssa nte j o y e ,

[adjee. tute pl£.sahta ^wf.©]
Adieu tous compaignons galois.

[adjce. tu kompLp 5h galw£.]
3. Je m'en vois tout arquant des nois,

man v w t tut arkan dfc. nw£,]
Car je ne truis feves ne pois,

[kar 2 © ns trip fev£. na pwfcj
Dont bien souvent ...-ier mennoye.

[don bjsfn suvan (je) mahw£-9]
85
5. De moy seres, par plusieurs fois

[d® tnwL sort par plysjotr fwL]
Regretes par dedans les b o i s ,

[ragrtte par dodah VC bw£j
Ou il n'y a sentier ne voye:

[u il ni a santje n© vw£9J
6. Puis ne scaray que faire doye,

[pcji ne skar£. k e f£-r© dwE.9]
Se je ne crie a haute vois.

[se ^0 n © krje a haote vw£]
50
Adieu ces bons vins de Lannoys
Guillaume Dufay
r n i il i
1 .4 .7 . A • c« bom
S. Ic voi* tout
S. De cc res.
Cootntenoi i
Adieu cci bon* vim
Tenor an
Adieu eei boo* vim
noyc. dieu bor dieu eel

noil, Or cniii Dont bien
foil V** Ou
T=g=F"-l
tant o - ■or e. a .i. A dieu sou - ie r b y t- u n . ce w -
•k r sen • DOT c. •. Put. dc tea • « y «ue fai • re doy . •
tk r ne ti
4 1
*H ■JT :
4— =4 = 4 = I T~r-%=
.
t-
29 „,i
3^835
M i a J' i-— = § =
f, A* dieu eoua COM- f * t . ptooi (• - loii.
c. Se erte m Am - It
**■ A ♦
fr.-T-f---- £ = £ -A-H1 f^--== A O ff = # =
1 -1 -- f LJ 1-
*
¥ = f = £ = £ =
l i p = d
~^Dufay, Opera O m n i a , vol. 6 , p. 50.

N a v r ^ je sui d'un dart penetratif
G u ill au me Dufay
Form
Rondeau
Voice
1 2
Soprano or Mezzo-soprano; range, c - f
The poet loves his lady from afar and hopes
that she will not scorn his advances.
Level of Difficulty
Easy
Accompani me nt Suggestions
Because all three voices share similar ranges
and frequently cross, three different instruments should
be used for the accompaniment.
Translation
1. Navre^ je sui d'un dart W ou n de d I am by a penetra tin g

penetratif dart
Qui m'a percie le cuer W h i c h has pierced my heart
de part en part; in one part and another;
2. C'est madame qui par It is madame who by her sweet

son doulx regart glance
Aimable me l'a point L ov in g has stabbed me to the
jusques au vif. quick.
3. Tout souellement, se Only, if encouragement is
confort n'est actif not active
En verite joye de moy In truth, joy departs
de part. from me.
4. Navre je sui d'un dart W o u n d e d I am by a

penetratif pe net ra ti ng dart
Qui m'a percie" le cuer W h i c h has pierc ed my heart
5. Las, que feray, se Alas, what will I do, if

dangier m'est actif, res ist anc e is active to me
J'auray refus contre I will have against me,
moy, main et tart. now and later;
6. Ne scay qui puist la I do not know what can the

pointu re du dart st ab-wound of the dart
En moy garir se non le In me cure if not the true
vray motif. motivator.
7. Navre je sui d'un dart W o u n d e d I am by a

penetratif pe ne tr at in g dart
Qui m'a percie" le cuer W h i c h has pierc ed my heart
8. C'est madame qui par son It is ma dame who by her

doulx regart sweet glance
Aimable me l'a point L ovi ng has stabbed me to
jusques au vif. the quick
IPA Tra nscription
1. 4. 7. Navre' je sui d'un dart penetratif

[navre ^ a stji dyn dar panttratif]
Qui m'a percie^ le cuer de part en part;

[ki ma p£ rsje 1© kce.,.- d© part an par]
2. 8 . C'est madame qui par son doulx regart

[se madama ki par son dul regar]
Aimable me l'a point jusques au vif.

[Emabl© m e la pw£n ^yk©z ao vif]
89
3. Tout souellement, se confort n'est actif

[tu swtleman se konf^r net aktif]
En ve rite joye de moy de part.

[an verite 3 w£.e de mwfc, de par]
5. Las, que feray, se dang ier m'est actif,

[la ke fe rt se dan 3 je met aktif]
J'auray refus co ntre moy, main et tart.

[âorE, refy kSntre mwE. mth e tar]
6. Ne scay qui puist la po inture du dart

[ne skL. ki pt|is la pwSntyr© dy dar]
En moy garir se non le vray motif.

[an m w t gari se n5n 19 v r L notif]
51
N a v r £ je sui d ’un dart penetratif
Guillaume Dufay
dun d in pe
con • fort
dan - fier
C onm trnor
ivre ft iui
Tenor
in* je m l
pan;
pan.
tan.
Dufay, Opera O m n i a , vol. 6 , pp. 55-56

JOHN DUNSTABLE (ca. 1390-1453)
John Dunstable was an Engl is h composer of

52
con si derable influence. Only sixty-seven compositions
exist today, but they are found in over 170 variant

53
versions in manuscripts all over Europe. Surprisingly
little is known con cerning the details of his life. It
is believed Dunstable was born sometime between 1390 and
1400. Because most of the surviving compositions
att ributed to hi m were wr it te n b et wee n ca. 1415 and 1435,
this would place the date of bi rth about fifteen to twenty
years prior to these dates. He may have been in the
service to the Duke of Bedford and may have travelled with
him to France during the years 1422-1435. Dunstable
possibl y spent his later years studying astronomy rather
than composing music, and died in London on 24 December
1453.
52
Biographical informati on from Margaret Bent,
D u n s t a p l e , (London: Oxford Un iversity Press, 1981).
53
Dunstable, Complete W o r k s , p. xv.
Puisque m'amour
John Dunstable
Form
Rondeau
Voice
•|
Mezzo-so pr ano or high, light Tenor: range g-bb
This is Dunstable's only chanson wi t h a French
text. The poem is the lament of a rejected lover.
Level of Difficulty
Easy
This chanson has two alternative contratenor
lines, only one of wh i ch is to be used in any given
performance. Two accomp an yin g instruments are most
appropriate because the tenor and contratenor frequently
cross, but the chanson woul d also wo r k with a keyboard
instrument playing the cantus and the tenor, wit h a
contrasting instrument on the contratenor.

Translation
1. Puisque m'amour m'apris Since my love has he ld me

en de splaisir in disple asu re
et a volu aultre de moy And has w ish ed to select
eslire, another besides me,
2. Esbatement, chanter, Pleasures, singing, dancing,

danser, et rire, and laughing,
tous mon vivrant je all of these in my life I
n'auray a plaisir. will not have any ple asure
3. Onques talent je n'eux Never do I have any i n c l i

d'ault re servir nation to serve another
ne plus n'auray de Nor will I have, I can say
certain le puis dire it for certain

en de splaisir in dis ple as ure
et a volu aultre de moy And has wi she d to select
eslire, another besides me,
5. Quant me souvient de son Wh en I remember h er sweet

doulx maintenir deportment
j'ay le cuer tel qu'a I ha v e such a heart that it
peu qu'il ne fent dire almost is split to say it
6. Se bon espoir ne fust de If good hope were not the

mon mal mire, doctor of my pain
je fusse mort, mais je I wou ld be dead, but I will
vivray martir. live as a martyr.

en desplaisir in di sp lea sur e
et a volu aultre de And has wi she d to select
moy eslire, another besides me,
8. Esbatement, chanter, Pleasures, singing, dancing,

danser, et rire, and laughing,
tous mon vivrant je All of these in my life I
n'auray a plaisir. will not have any pleasure,
94
IPA Transcription
1. 4. 7. Puisque m 'a mou r m'a pris en des plaisir

[pq ik a mamur ma priz an dtpltzi]
et a volu aultre de moy eslire,

[e a vD ly aou tre da mwE. E lir s]
2. 8 . Esbatement, chanter, danser, et rire,

[E.sba toman ^Snte danse e riraj
tous mon v i v a n t je n ' a u r a y a p la isir

[ tu m?n v i v a h naorE. a p ltz i]
3. Onques talent je n'eux d' aul tr e servir

[3nk 9 talah 39 nCfc- d a o u t r e sErvi]
ne plus n'au ray de cert ain le puis dire

[na ply naor£ d© s£rtt3Tn 1© pi|i dira]
5. Quant me souvient de son doulx maintenir

[kan m© suvjan d© sSn dul mfntani]
j'ay le cuer tel qu'a peu qu'il ne fent dire

[ê 19 koer tE.1 ka paC- kil n© fan dire]
6. Se bon espoir ne fust de mon mal mire,

[sa bon EpwL na fys de m5n mal mire]
ie fusse mort, mais je v ivr ay martit.

fys© nwsr m£ 50 vivrE- marti]
Puisq ue m'a mou r
Joh n Dunstable
to]
P
(1.4.7) Pmit - f « # mm mtar firii
(3) On - que» ta j e — n 'eux daul •
(&) Q u an t a e mu Went de eon doutx
CO]
Puieque m am our
{coitT M A T X iro* *}
Icoirrtursxoa b]
to
mmi
de _
qi/a pen
m
(2 &) £, ta t* ' a n / , (iaa - /rr, • far, f/M r/
(Alfi* b o n __ es - poir ne mon mal ml
f=T- f- .— .
-T-- -ry-- 11“-—
~ (b>
. :-f. '
- - ■f—P3Z
r f —ir
£=p==j ... V :
«> t <to
iff1... ,f -~JB~ - ? ? -rF
- •1 - E f
4>
i <k>
S
MS MO
If__ vray mar
At
■^Dunstable, Complete W o r k s , p. 136.

ANONYMOUS CHANSONS FROM THE CHANSONNIER EL ES CORIAL
The Ch ansonnier El Escorial is an important
source for Burgundian secular m u s i c . I t was co mpiled
during the years 1430-1455, and includes compositions by
Binchois, Dufay, Dunstable, Fontaine, Nic. de Marques,
and Vide. It also contains thirty-four anonymous
chansons, two of whi ch are included in this collection.
Both examples clearly represent the treble-dominated style
of composition in which a texted, lyric superius is
supported by two textless and slower moving lower parts,
wh i ch often cross.
^Âll ba ck gro un d information from Kemp, e d . ,

Anonymous Pieces in the Chansonnier El E s c o r i a l , p. IX.
Cuidon que je poille castaingnes
Anonymous
Form
Rondeau
Voice
Mezzo-soprano or high, light Tenor;
range, a-a
1 (btul
o )
This is a song of unre qui te d love.
Level of Difficulty
Easy
Ac companiment Suggestions
The tenor and contratenor move fairly slowly;
therefore, despite their crossings, these two lines could
be played together on a keyboard instrument wi th another
instrument doubling the cantus and playing the interludes
and postlude.
Translation
1. Cuidon que je poille Th ink ing as I peel

castaingnes chestnuts,
Entreus que je pense a Whil e I think of love;
amours;
2. J'ay assez a penser I have enough of thinking

ailleurs otherwise
Toutes joies me sont All joys are foreign
estraingnes. to me.
3. Je n'ay qu'angoisses et I have only anguish and

engaignes; disappointments.
Tous mes biens vienent All my good things have
a rebours. turned around on me.
4. Cuidon que je poille Thinkin g as I peel

castaingnes chestnuts
Entreus que je pense Whil e I think of love;
a amours;
5. Je suis comme entre I am as between two

deux montaignes mountains
En faisant criz plaintes Crying out, lamenting, and
et plours. weeping.
6. J'ay au fait d'amer I have as a result of

tous les jours loving every day
Trop plus de pertes Too many more losses
que de gaignes. than gains..
7. Cuidon que je poille Thi nk ing as I peel

castaingnes chestnuts,
Entreus que je pense Wh il e I think of love;
a amours;
8. J'ay assez a penser I ha ve enough of thinking

ailleurs otherwise
Toutes joies me sont All joys are foreign
estraingnes to me.
99
IPA Transcription
1. 4. 7. Cuidon que je poill e castaingnes

[ktjidon ke 33 kastcnjps]
Entreus que je pense a amours;

[antroe. k® 36 panse a amur]
2. 8 . J'ay assez a penser ailleurs

[3 * asez a pa hser £ . \ c e r ]
Toutes joies me sont estraingnes.

[tut® 3w t e m e sSnt fLtrfcnjiQ]
3. Je n'ay qu'an goi ss es et engaignes;

[ 3* ne kahgw£saz e angljp®]
Tous mes biens vienent a rebours.

[tu m £ bjCn vjena nt a rsbur]
5. Je suis comme entre deux montaignes

[30 sqi k3m antr® doe. mohttjie]
En faisant criz plaintes et plours.

[an ftzan kri pltntez e plu]
6. J'ay au fait d'amer tous les jours

[3 c ao ft dame tu It 3 pr]
Trop plus de pertes que de gaignes.

[tra ply d e ptrte k® d® g€ji®]
100
Cuidon que je poille castaingnes

56
Anonymous
I . Coi - don qoe je poil - le cu - ta in

I I . J e o*sy qa'& o-gois • te e e t en - gal
Cai • don que j e poil - le cat * ta in
I I I . J e sale comme en - t r e deux moo - ta i
9 E n -treu * qoe je p e o ie k a - moors;

Toos m esbiena Tie • neat t re - boar*.
E n -tre a s qoe je p e o te a a - m oon.
Bo fa i'S & o t crix p la in - te e et floors.
J 'a y as ■ sei E p e a -te r a il - leers

J 'a y an f a i t d * a - m ar to es le s jo a n
Too* te e j o i • ea m e sont ea - tr a in goes.

‘S to p p le s de p s r - t e s q te de g ai re p e a t Stgophe I
56
Kemp, ed., Anonymous Pieces in the Chansonnier
El E s c o r i a l . p. 25. — ----------------------
Se mon cuer a hault entrepris
Anonymous
Form
Rondeau
Voice
1 2
Soprano or Mezzo-soprano; range c -c
Background /T ext Summary
This is a stylized love lyric.
Level of Difficulty
Easy
Ac co mpa ni men t Suggestion
This is another chanson whe re the tenor and
contrat en or move slowly enough to be played easily on
the piano. However, the parts cross often and are written
in the same clef; therefore two melo di c instruments would
be the appropriate accompaniment.

102
Translation
1. Se mon cuer a hault If my heart at a high

entrepris undert aki ng
N'a pas mespris Has not erred
Quant c'est pour When it is to serve
loyaulment servir, loyally,
2. Et obeir And obey

Celle qui d'onneur a The one who has the prize
le pris. of honor.
3. Car elle a dedons son For she has inside her

pourpris garden
Des biens conpris Some goods included
Plus que nulle que on More than any other one
peut veir. than anyone could see.

entrepris underta kin g
Quant c'est pour Whe n it is to serve
5. Je n'en doy pas estre I should not be

repris re proached for it
Se je sui pris. If I am caught.
C'est prison pour moy It is a prison to
enrichir, enrich me
6. Ou pour souffrir Or to suffer

Deul et courois comme Pain and affliction as if
sous pris. under a penalty

entrepris under tak ing
Quant c'est pour When it is to serve
8. Et obeir And obey

Celle qui d'onneur a The one who has the
le pris prize of honor.
IPA Transcription
1. 4. 7. Se mon cuer a hault entrepris

[s© m3n keer a aout antrepri]
N'a pas mespris

[na pa mtpri]
Quant c'est pour loyaulment servir

[kan se pur lwEaoumSn sErvi]
2. 8 . Et obeir
[e obei]
Celle qui d'onneur a le pris

[stle ki danger a le pri]
3. Car elle a dedons son pourpris

[kar E10 a dedSn s5n purpri]
Des biens conpris

[de. bjcn konpri]
Plus que nulle que on peut veir

[ply k© nyl© k pn poc. vei]
5. Je n'en doy pas estre repris

[■jd nan dw£, paz E t r © repri]
Se je sui pris
[s© xp scji pri]
C'est prison pour moy enrichir

[se prizSn pur mwE. anriî]
6. Ou pour souffrir
[u pur sufri]
Deul et courois comme sous pris

[dce.j e k ur wE k o m © su pri]
Se mon cuer a hault entrepris"^
Anonymous
M
I. Se
II. Car
III. Je
'U.Dacapo11 I.m.
H V pas mes - pris Qosst c'est poor Icy - an) - mesit aer - Tlr,
Oes faieos coo * pris Flos qoe ml• le qieon peat to - ir.
19*a pas mes * pris Qosst e¥st poor loy - asi • mert aer * vir.
Se js ni pris. C'est pri - sod poor moy ea • ri chlr,
L ^L * JL v 1*
j *
*
.pear eoof - frir Deal et cob - rois com -
"^Kemp, e d . , Anonymous Chansons in the

Chansonnier El E s c o r i a l , p. 1.
105
RICHA RD L O Q UE VI LL E (d. 1418)
Richard Lo qu ev ill e was a French harpist and

58
composer. Little is known of his life; however, it has
been docu men te d that he was in service to the Duke of Bar
in 1410. His duties included playing the harp, teaching
that instrument to the Duke's son, and training the
choirboys in the singing of plainchant. In 1413 he became
master of the choristers at Cambrai Cathedral, where he
remained until his deat h in 1418.
Scholars have speculated as to whether or not
Lo queville may have been one of Dufay's early co mposition

59
teachers. (Dufay was a chorister at Cambrai from 1409
to 1414). Manuscript sources have revealed twelve
compositions by Loqueville, more than those of any other
musician known to have been ass ociated with Dufay during
his early years. Al th o ug h stylistically the two
composers are not closely related, there are a few details
in Loqueville's wo rk that can be found in Dufay's
58
Biographical information from Reaney,
"Loqueville, R ic har d, " The New G r o v e , 11:228.
59
Information on the rel at ionship between
Loq ue vil le and Dufay is from Fallows, D u f a y , pp. 13-14.
compositions. In his chansons, for example, Loq uev il le
shows a melodic economy and ha rmo ni c language similar to
that of Dufay's chansons.
Quant compaig non s s'en vont juer
Ri c har d Lo qu evi ll e
Form
Ballade; one stanza
Voic e
1 2
Soprano or Mezzo-soprano; range, d - d
Backgrou nd /Te xt Summary
The text "reminds us that the wande rin g
min strel can often go hu ng ry when he is travelling in

^ •
foreign parts.
. h 60
Level of Difficulty
Easy
Accompani me nt Suggestions
Even though the tenor and contra ten or are in a
similar range and frequently cross, they move slowly,
wi t h few complexities, and could be playe d on a ke ybo ar d
instrument.
60
Reaney, e d . , Early Fi ft ee nth -C ent ury M u s i c ,
Vol. 3, p. I.
Translation
1. Quant compaignons s'en When companions go off to

vont juer play
cha et la en pluser Here and there in several
pals countries
2. il n'ont point toudis They do not at all always

a ssouper have to dine
eras, connins ne capons Fat (richly), rabbits and
rostis roast capons
3. fors le terme qu'il Beyond the time that they

ont argent; have money;
car ausitot For certainly, as
certainement soon as
qu'uns compains pert One of the companions lose
d'argent le pois the we ight of his money
il fine asses He ends up rather
petitement small
d'avoir deux ces apres To have two chick-peas
ses pois. after his green peas.
IPA Transcription
1. Quant compaignons s'en vont juer

[kan kampyiSh sah van 3 ue]
cha et la en pluser pais

[â e la ah plyze pai]
2 . il n'ont point toudis a ssouper

[il nan pwfn tudiz a supe]
eras, co n n in s ne capons ro stis

[k ra k an ih na kapon ra ti]
3. fors le terme qu'il ont argent;

[for 1© t£rm® kil ont arjjah]
car ausitot certainement

[kar aosita s£rttn©man]
quûns compains pert d'argent le pois,

[kyn ko mp 2fn p£r darjan la pw£,]
il fine asses petitement

[il fin ase potitemSn]
d 'a v o ir deux ces apres ses p o is.

[davw £r doe s£z aprE . sE , pw E .]
61
Quant compaignons s'en vont juer
Richard Lo queville
1
rfi------- 1
----- 1 r-V -^------h j....,..,.
- a l ™ a -p-::7 ^ f * 1J «■ ■
QOUM ODXB-pAi poo* i ' a vont )n . tr / cha at la an phi - arr pa I ll, /
11 a'oss polst too- dls a sea - P*» #
i ^ i h i i J
J * j i- g j . * .■>
% . J ...J .......... 1 J- ± ■
„ CONTRATENOR
j =
J. ■ =3 ■ i. ^ j. j 1±
T5H0R
a J J . j '- S = l =
H ..
i ; r r ] M M - M M SO «u / io n 1a t o - aba q o 'll o at o -
< ....
$ V J, .-.J',, — —J . ■■ J Ji J - ^ ■ U ' 1# ' -
£ j . ...... .J .. ,1 . ^ = a "J: 1; - =
6
l>»l / cat an -d to t c a i- t a l - a e - B M t / q a 'to t coa>»paJi i p o t d 'a r-g c s t le n it, /
#==f== J • +...-!■
W - J 1 3* j. .'Jr.~== -J" i-- ■Jc^ '
4 = # = a : '- • = = -J. .. -J._
61
Reaney, e d . , Early Fi fte enth-Century M u s i c ,
v o l . 3, pp. 4-5.
109
GILET V E L U T (fl. 15th century)
The French composer Gilet Velut flourished
during the early fifteenth century, but his exact
identity is nebulous. A Gillet Velut is known to have been

62
a petit vicaire wi t h the Cambrai choir in 1409, the year
Dufay arrived at the cathedral as a choirboy. He may
also have been the Gillet Veliout who has been doc umented
as arriving in Cyprus in 1411 as a chaplain to Charlotte

63
of Bourbon. Or Velut may have been Egidius Flannel
alias Lenfant, a singer in the prestigious papal choir
from 1 4 2 0 - 1 4 4 1 . At any rate, only eight of his
compositions survive.
David Fallows points out that Velut and Dufay
shared a fascination w i t h technical problems, a
pr ede liction not common among other composers of the

65
time.
f% 9
Fallows, D u f a y , p. 15.
^ C r a i g Wright, "Velut, Gilet [Egidius]", The

Ne w G r o v e , 19:596.
64 Ibid.
65
Fallows, D u f a y , p. 15.
Laissies ester vostres chans de liesse
Gilet Velut
Form
Ballade; one stanza
Voice
1
Tenor or high, light Baritone; range d-e
Backgroun d/ Tex t Summary
The text is possibly an answer to the poet's
adversaries.
Level of Difficulty
Difficult; there are many rhythmic complexities
wi thin the individual lines in addition to the rhythmic
complexities between the three parts.
Acco mp ani me nt Suggestions
Because all three parts are in the same range
and are difficult in their conflic tin g rhythms three d i f
ferent instruments should be used for the accompaniment.
Translation
1. Laissie's ester vostres Cut short your songs

chans de liesse, of gaiety,
de doulj-our et de of sweetness, of
consolation consolation
2. et si chantes vostres and thus sung your songs

chans de tristesse, of sorrow,
de doulour et de of pain and lamen
lamentation; tation ;
3. laissies plaisirs, pleasures left, diversions
laissies esbatemens, lef t ,
laissies deduis de voix entertainments of voice
et d ' i n s t r u m e n s , and of instruments left,
toute joy e, tous solas, all joy, all solace, games
jeux et ris and laughter
si vous soient en thus may they be for you
larmes convertis c onv ert ed into tears,
ne soit celuy qui contre except for he who me asured
ce replique, by this repeated sentiment
de vous qui vous tends of all of you who ho ld y o u r
estre amis selves to be friends
du tres hau ltain et of the very elevated and
noble art de musique. noble art of music.
IPA Tra nscription
1. Laissies ester vostres chans de liesse,

[ltsjez £te vDtre h da li£.s<9]
de douljour et de consolation,
[d© dulsur e da kohsolatjSn]
2. et si chantes vostres chans de tristresse,

[e si 5*ante v^tre ân d© tritr£sa]
de doulour et de lamentation:
[de dulur e de lamahtatj 5 nJ
3. laissies plaisire, laissies esbatement,

[l£sje pltzi Itsje Csbataman]
laissies deduis de voix et d 'i n s t r u m e n s ,

[lt-sje dedtyi d © vw£z e dihstryman]
toute joy e, tous solas, jeux et ris

[tute e tu s 3 la 3* z e ri]
si vous soient en larmes convertis,

[si vu sw£© an l a r m © k:>nv£rti]
ne soit celuy qui contre ce replique,

[n© s w t seltji ki kantr© se replik©]
de vous tous qui vous tenes estre amis

[da vu tu ki vu tenez £ t r © ami]
du tres ha ultain et noble art de musique.

[dy tre haout Tn e nbbl ar d a myzik©]
112
Laissies ester vostres chans de l i e s s e ^
Gilet Velut
GONTUITENO&
▼o streschins de li-
sots duos de fri- teres*
k JI de doul - • {OUT
- lour
et de con-io-la-ti- on, II
et de Ifrmcnca-ti- on; II
66
Reaney, e d . , Early Fi fte ent h- Cen tu ry M u s i c ,
vol. 2 , pp. 122-124.
113
Laissies ester vostres (continued)
*7
bis • si£s plsi- sirs, liis- siese - sbe - te-
mens, II vouc
mens, tou-tejoyc, tous so-bs, jeux et ris II

114
. /
Laissies ester vostres (continued)
VOUS SOI* enc cn Ur • mes coo ■w - m fait
f-f— pf ■-f-f-rp _p--- i=fi=fp.r.p..iLp.jL^ ■i»p~y*p"wi ,

ftf"! lil.J ,,'1/
tr r
II Idj qui con •trece re-pli-que,II de vous toui qui vous te-nds e-
1
| ' h " P"''f .'“W ----p---- f---- P-p---- 9-7--p--
\ m = .—.. -r...... ...
i
t ■.... ' fc
'f -•I*j-~3 13^ * ^ ..=n j.jp
* *
m e s-misII du ties hsul uio et no - bleutde musi - que. II
b » > •
Li
b
»
n k . ............T .......................... -j- . ■ r - B = H - „ f ..P . - H T j "
-JT .J .= j ........ -
L i 'i L i f
b „ • t
BIBL IOG RAP HY
MU S ICA L SOURCES
Binchois, Gilles. Die Chansons von Gilles Binchois

(1400-146(T)^ Edited by Wol fgang Rehm.
Mu si kalische Denkmaler, vol. 2. Mainz: Schott,
1957.
Dufay, Guillaume. Opera O m n i a . Edited by Heinrich

Besseler. 6 vols. Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae,
no. 1. Rome: Am erican Institute of Musicology,
1951-1966.
Dunstable, John. Complete W o r k s . Edited by Manfred

Bukofzer. Musica Britannica, vol. 8 . London:
Stainer and Bell, 1953.
Kemp, Walter H. editor. Anonymous Pieces in the

Chansonnier El Escorial, Biblioteca Del
Monastero, Cod. V. III. 2 4 . Corpus Mensurabilis
Musicae, no. 8 8 . N e u h a u s e n - S t u t t g a r t : Hanssler,
American Institute of Musicology, 1980.
Reaney, Gilbert, editor. Early Fi fte enth-Century M u s i c .

7 vols. to date. Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae,
no. 11. n.p.: American Institute of Mu sicology
(vols. 6 & 7, N e u h a u s s e n - S t u t t g a r t : Hanssler),
1955-1983.
EN C YCL OPE DI A
The New Grove Dictionary of Music and M u s i c i a n s . 20 vols,

Edited by Stanley Sadie. London: Macmi1lan,
1980. Cited her ea ft e r as The New Grove.
115
BOOKS AND ARTICLES
Alton, Jeannine, and Jeffery, Brian. Bele Buche e Bele

Parleure: A Guide to the Pron unc ia tio n of
Medieval and Re nai ss anc e French for Singers and
O t h e r s . London: T e c l a , 1976.
Bent, Margaret. D u n s t a p l e . Oxford Studies of Composers,

no. 17. London: Oxford University Press, 1981.
Bent, Margaret; Lockwood, Lewis; Donington, Robert;

Boorman, Stanley. "Musica Ficta." The New
Grove, 12:802-811.
Brown, Howard Mayer; Wilkins, Nigel; "Chanson." The New

Grove, 4:135-45.
_______ "Instruments and Voices in the Fifteenth-

Century Chanson." In Current Thought in
M u s i c o l o g y , pp. 89-137. Edited by John W.
Grubbs. Austin: University of Texas Press,
1976.
________ . Music in the R e n a i s s a n c e , Prentice -H all Music

S e r i e s . Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentic e-H al l
1976.
Fallows, David. "Binchois, Gilles de Bins." The New

Grove, 2:709-22.
________ . D u f a y . The Master Musician Series. London:

Dent, 1982.
________ . "Specific Information on the Ensembles for

Composed Polyphony, 1400-1474." In Studies in
the Pe rformance of Late Mediaeval M u s i c ,
pp. 109-59. Edited by Stanley Boorman.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983.
Lowinsky, Edward E. "Jan Van Eyck's" T y m o t h e u s :

Sculptor or Musician? Studi musicali 13 (1984)
33-105.
________ . Forward to Musica N o v a , edited by H. Colin Slim.

Monuments of R ena is san ce Music, vol. 1.
Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1964.
Reaney, Gilbert, "Loqueville, Richard." The New Grove,

11:228.
Reese, Gustave. Mus ic in the R e n a i s s a n c e . Revis ed
edition. The Norton History of Music Series.
New York: Norton, 1959.
Seebass, Tilman. "The V i s u a l i za t io n of Music Th ro ug h

Pictorial Imagery and Not at ion in Late Me dia ev al
France." In Studies in the P erf or man ce of Late
Media ev al M u s i c , pp. 19-33. Edited by Stanley
Boorman. Cambridge: Cambri dge Uni versity Press,
1983.
Wright, Craig. Musi c at the Court of Burgundy, 1364-1419:

A Do cumentary H i s t o r y . Mus ic o lo gi ca l Studies,
no. 2 8 . H e n r y v i l l e , PA: Institute of Mediae va l
Music, 1979.
"Velut, Gilet [Egidius]." The New Grove,

19:596.
118
VI TA
Helen Marsha ll Gibbons was born 22 January 1950
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She received a B.A. in Music
Educat io n from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, in
the spring of 1972, and that fall accepted a teaching
posi ti on with the public schools in Colorado Springs,
Colorado. In the summer of 1978 she completed the Master
of Music degree in Vocal Per for ma nce at Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, Colorado, and remained there
for three years teaching as a p ar t- tim e instructor. In the
fall of 1981 she began wo rk on the D.M.A. degree in Vocal
Performa nc e at Louis ian a State University, where she served
as an assistant to the dir ector of the Collegium Musicum,
pr e pa ri ng the vocal portions of the program for
performance. She is currently Instructor of Voice and
Theory at Millikin Un iversity in Decatur, Illinois.

DOCTORAL EXAMINATION AND DISSERTATION REPORT
Candidate: Helen Marshall Gibbons
Major Field: Music
Title of Dissertation: A C o l l e c t i o n of Solo F r e n c h C h a n s o n s f r o m the E a r l y F i f t e e n t h

C e n t u r y for Use in the C o l l e g e L e v e l V o i c e Studio.
Approved:
a-
Major Professor and Chairman
Dean of the Graduate School
E X A M IN IN G C O M M IT T E E :
Date of Examination: 10-24-86

A Collection of Solo French Chansons From The Early Fifteenth Cen

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A Collection of Solo French Chansons From the Early Fifteenth

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G ib b o n s, H elen M arsh all

A COLLECTION OF SOLO FRENCH CHANSONS FROM THE EARLY

1. Glossy photographs or p a g e s _____

2. Colored illustrations, paper or p rin t______

3. Photographs with dark b ack g ro u n d _____

4. Illustrations are poor co p y ______

5. Pages with black marks, not original c o p y ______

6. Print shows through as there is text on both sides of p a g e _______

7. Indistinct, broken or small print on several pages_

8. Print exceeds margin requirem ents______

9. Tightly bound copy with print lost in sp in e_______

10. Computer printout pages with indistinct print______

12. P age(s)___________ seem to b e missing in numbering only as text follows.

13. Two pages n u m b ered . Text follows.

14. Curling and wrinkled pages

15. Dissertation contains pages with print at a slant, filmed a s received__________

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the

I would like to thank all of the members on

my gr aduate committee for their assis tan ce throughout

this project. A special word of a pp rec iat io n goes to

Dr. Jan Herlinger for generously sharing his time and

talents in guiding me through the re search and writi ng of

this document. Also, to Dr. Sandra Kungle, my major

professor, a special thank you for nearly six years of

en couragement and support. Finally, I want to thank

Dr. Susan F. Spillman of Dillard University, New Orleans,

for her translations of the early fif te enth-century poetry.

A CKN OWL EDGEMENTS .......................................... ii

II. HISTORICAL BAC KGR OU ND ............................. 4

III. TECHN ICA L TRA I NI NG -- VO CA L AND MUSICAL .......... 10

IV. FIFTEE NT H-C ENT UR Y DICTION ........................ 20

V. PE RFORMANCE PR ACT ICE ............................... 26

VI. A COLLECTION OF EARLY

BI BL IOG RAP HY ............................................... 115

The first great flowering of pol yphonic song

occurred from the middle of the fourteenth century through

the fifteenth century. A few of these songs are now

occasionally included in public concerts. Because of

the increasing interest in perform an ce of early music of

all types at colleges, universities, and by pr ofessional

groups, it is important for students and teachers of

singing to be exposed to this body of literature. The

study of solo songs offers a convenient beginning.

This study presents a small collection of

French chansons from the early to the middle fifteenth

century, each for solo voice wi t h two ac com panying

contrapuntal lines. The composers re presented are

Gilles Binchois (ca. 1400-1460), Guillaume Dufay (ca. 1398-

1474), John Du nstable (ca. 1390-1453), Richa rd Loqu evi ll e

(d. 1418), and Gilet Velut (fl. 15th century). Two

anonymous chansons from the Ch ansonnier El Escorial have

also been included.

Fifteen pieces have been evaluated for their

ped ag ogi ca l potential for t o d a y ’s students of singing.

Par ticular topics wh ich have been addressed are range,

phrases, and rhythmic complexities. It has been found

that the tessituras tend to empha siz e the middle register,

and that the phrases often are long w i t h some coloratura,

differences between modern and fiftee nth -c ent ury p r o n u n

sacred and secular pieces were writ ten in a t re bl e