In this episode, you can hear parts from recent recordings of music from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. You will hear the CD “Au douz tens nouvel – Chansons de trouvères” by Ensemble Céladon, and “Gilles Joye – Missa O Rosa bella & Chansons” by Club Mediéval conducted by Thomas Baeté.
The first CD is the third in a series of three the that the French Ensemble Céladon has dedicated to courtly love poetry from the Middle Ages.
On the first CD (2014) were songs by troubadours, the second (2022) was dedicated to German Minnesänger and the recently released third CD focuses on the trouvères of the 13th century. The trouvères can be considered as the successors of the troubadours. The trouvères adopted the concept of fin d’amor, courtly love, used by the troubadours, in which the poet places himself at the service of the lady, who is by definition unattainable. Many of these songs have come down anonymously; some well-known trouvères featured on this CD are Thibault de Champagne and Gautier de Coincy.
anonymous
1. En mai au douz tens nouvel
2. Volez vos que je vous chant
Thibaut de Champagne (1201-1253)
3. Ausi comme unicorne sui
anonymous
4. Non veul mari (instr)
Gautier de Coincy (1177-1236)
5. Hui matin a l’ajournee
Ensemble Céladon conducted by Paulin Bündgen
(cd: “Au douz tens nouvel – Chansons de trouvères” – Ricercar RIC 465, 2024)
The second CD is dedicated to a composer from the Renaissance, who is little known, but was highly regarded in his day.
That means: Gilles Joye was highly regarded as a composer, but his lifestyle caused a lot of annoyance. He was regularly involved in fights, frequented brothels and kept a concubine. And that for someone who was ordained as a priest. In the last years of his life, it turned out that he had also embezzled large sums of money.
He was therefore buried in silence.
The ‘Missa super O Rosa bella’ has come down anonymously, but is attributed to Joye on stylistic grounds. If he is indeed the composer, the choice of the piece on which his mass is based will not have been coincidental. That is O Rosa bella, a ballata attributed to the English composer John Bedyngham. Rosabella was also the name of Joye’s concubine.
John Bedyngham (1422-1458/59)
6. O Rosa bella (ballata) (attributed)
Gilles Joye (1424/25-1483)
7. Missa super O Rosa bella a 3 (attributed)
Club Mediéval conducted by Thomas Baeté
(cd: “Gilles Joye – Missa O Rosa bella & Chansons” – Musica Ficta MF8039, 2025)
addition:
Gilles Joye
8. [rondeau without lyrics]
Club Mediéval conducted by Thomas Baeté
(cd: zie 6-7)
Picture: cover of the CD by Ensemble Céladon
