2016 12 07 - CWRU Medieval EMS Program - VF
2016 12 07 - CWRU Medieval EMS Program - VF
2016 12 07 - CWRU Medieval EMS Program - VF
Wednesday, December
October 5, 7, 2016
2016
La Fonteinne amoureuse
CWRU Medieval
Carlos Salzedo Ensemble
(1885–1961) Tango
Ross W. Duffin, director
Grace Cross & Grace Roepke, harp
with CWRU Early Music Singers,
Paul
ElenaHindemith (1895–1963)
Mullins, director from Sonate für Harfe
Sehr langsam
Grace Cross
Program
Carlos Salzedo Chanson dans la nuit
Portrait of Helen Sears, 1895. John Singer Sargent (American, 1856–1925). Oil on
(continued on reverse)
canvas; 167.3 x 91.4 cm. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Gift of Mrs. J. D. Cameron
Bradley 55.1116. Photograph © 2016 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Series sponsors
Centennial loan on view in gallery 208 through November 1..
CIM/CWRU Joint Machaut
Music Program
Quant Theseus/Ne quier veoir
Margaret Carpenter Haigh, Nathan Dougherty, voices
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Allison Monroe, Karin Cuellar, vielles
Portrait of Helen Sears, 1895. John Singer Sargent (American, 1856–1925). Oil on
canvas; 167.3 x 91.4 cm. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Gift of Mrs. J. D. Cameron
Series sponsors:
Bradley 55.1116. Photograph © 2016 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Series sponsors
Centennial loan on view in gallery 208 through November 1..
Notes on the Program
Guillaume de Machaut is believed to have been though no less passionate song, the singer assures his
born in 1300 and educated near Reims. His surname lover that regardless of their separation, she is always in
identifies him as coming from the nearby town of his thoughts. Finally, in Quant je suy mis, the slow and
Machault. Machaut received an ecclesiastical education quiet intensity of the melody underscores the singer’s
and became a canon in 1337. He was employed as a elation after meeting with his lady.
secretary to John I, Count of Luxembourg and King
of Bohemia and traveled extensively with the king’s Quant Theseus/Ne quier veoir is a four-voice
court. Machaut was both a poet and composer. His ballade, another forme fixe with a refrain. Only the
output includes some 400 poems, a substantial upper two voices are texted, and each sings a different
number of which were set to music. The poetic style of French poem. The top voice sings of the adventures of
Machaut in the formes fixes was emulated by medieval Theseus, Hercules, and Jason while the second asserts
authors such as Jean Froissart and Geoffrey Chaucer. that he does not wish to experience the wonders of
A polyphonic setting by François Andrieu laments antiquity; they both, however, sing the same refrain
Machaut’s death in 1377. at the end of the chanson: “I see enough, when I see
my lady.” Musically, the ballade is highly complex.
Composed in Reims in the 1360s, Machaut’s La Each voice is independent, often moving in rapid
Messe de Nostre Dame for four voices is the first syncopations against the others.
stylistically cohesive setting of the Mass Ordinary. The
work was used as the memorial mass for the death of The two instrumental pieces on our program
his brother, and was popular enough to be performed showcase the virtuosity of instruments in different
even after Machaut’s death, perhaps even into the 15th families played together. Stringed instruments join
century. In the Kyrie, polyphonic settings of the text forces with woodwind and reed instruments, a common
alternate with monophonic renditions of the plainchant. practice during the Middle Ages that reflects the
In the polyphonic settings, the chant appears in “unequal” composition of polyphonic pieces. The
the slow-moving tenor voice in a series of repeated Quarte estampie royal is a dance that was copied down
rhythmic motives, a technique known as isorhythm; in middle of the 13th century (between 1255 and 1260)
the rhythmic motive grows longer in the “Christe” and and is included in the Manuscrit du Roi with over 600
longer still in the fourth and sixth “Kyries.” Machaut pieces by troubadours and trouvères. The work is
also gives contratenor voice an isorhythmic treatment constructed of melodically varied puncti alternating
beginning in the “Christe,” with a rhythmic pattern that with open (ouvert) and closed (clos) refrains. The term
covers half of each polyphonic section through the hoquetus, or hocket, comes from the French word
end of the piece. The upper two voices, meanwhile, are meaning to “hiccup.” The composition features closely
consistently more active than the lower, often moving alternating rhythm between the two upper voices
in rapid, syncopated passages. above a long-note cantus firmus.
The Medieval Ensemble’s program features three Par maintes foys, another virelai by Jean Vaillant,
virelai, one of the three Medieval formes fixes, or fixed and Borlet’s Hé, tres doulz roussignol both feature
forms, that governed French poetry in the 14th and 15th onomatopoeic texts that describe the songs of birds. In
centuries. True to the form, each of songs has a refrain Par maintes foys the skylark, goldfinch, starling, cuckoo,
wherein all of the voices can join in to sing familiar and nightingale sing their songs. The celebrated
words to a familiar tune. The word “virelai” comes from work was later set to German poetry (“Der mai mit
the old French word “virer,” or “to turn” or “to twist,” lieber zal”) by Oswald von Wolkenstein. Hé, tres doulz
highlighting its connection to dance. As such, all three roussignol is an entreaty to the nightingale and lark to
feature a regular pulse and dance rhythms. In Douce appeal to and melt the heart of the woman beloved.
dame—a fast-paced and lively chanson—the singer tells
a cruel lady that she alone has mastery over his heart. —Nathan Dougherty & Laura Osterlund
In Comment qu’à moy lonteinne, a somewhat slower
Song Texts and Translations
Kyrie
Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy
1. Ne quier veoir la biaute d’Absalon I do not wish to see the beauty of Absalom
ne de Ulixes le sens et la faconde. nor the wisdom and eloquence of Ulysses.
2. Ne esprouver la force de Sanson. 2. Nor to test the strength of Samson,
Ne regarder que Dalila le tonde. nor to see Delilah fleecing him.
3. Ne cure n’ay par nul tour des yeux Argus 3. Nor do I care at all for the eyes of Argus
ne de joie gringnour. Car pour plaisance or any greater joy. For with pleasure
et sans aide d’ame. and without the aid of anyone,
Je voy asses, puis que je voy ma dame. I see enough, when I see my lady