Taco Tuesday #105: Tacos from Medieval Frenchmen
Danny Johnson
So, here we go, and it’s about time! The new concert season is upon us, there’s a hope for mostly cooler days and nights, and, if you noticed in my concert blog earlier this week, it’s time for all things pumpkin spice to make a re-entry into our atmosphere! Still looking for the pumpkin spice contact lens solution, though. I’ll let you know when I find it!
Since our first concert of the season is coming up in 19 days and it’s all about Renaissance France, I thought we should get prepared for Renaissance France by listening to some pieces from Medieval France from a concert that didn’t happen–well, not as planned. It was originally scheduled for the end of March in 2020 and we all recall 2020, right? Since we couldn’t do live concerts, we created our first video concert; it was quite an experience. Everyone had to record their bits alone and then we had to edit all the individual tracks and video into a unified track. Such a learning experience, but we quickly got into the fun of it, and we were so glad to be able to make use of this method so that we could be in touch with our fans (and a lot of new fans) who were stuck at home!
So today’s Taco will feature the TEMP men; in approximately exactly two weeks, we’ll feature the TEMP women from the same concert.
Ah, Sweet Lady: Passion in Medieval France
A Video Premiere for the Public
September 12, 2020
Montpellier Codex
The Montpellier Codex contains early polyphonic works in France and was likely compiled around 1300. While many of the texts deal with some truly tender variations on love themes as well as more jovial ones (“I love B but C loves me and I don’t know what to do, because B loves D who loves C...”), there are others about country kids visiting the big city (Paris) with Medieval versions of the still popular trope.
Pucelete bele et avenant/Je languis des maus/Domino ☙ Montpellier Codex,
Bibliothèque interuniversitaire de médecine,
Triplum: Ryland Angel & Jeffrey Jones-Ragona
Motetus: Cristian Cantu & David Lopez
Tenor: Daniel Johnson & Tim O’Brien
[In order of performance:]
Motetus:
I languish with the pain of love:
I prefer that it kills me rather than any other malady;
Death is so sweet.
Swear to me, sweet beloved, that this sickness of love will not kill me.
Triplum:
A little maid, comely and fair, so pretty, graceful and pleasing,
The charming little one whom I desire so much,
Makes me happy, joyful, light-hearted and loving:
A nightingale singing in May is not so gay.
I will love with my entire heart
My little dark-haired sweetheart joyfully.
Fair sweetheart, you who have so long had my life in your power,
I cry out to you for mercy with a sigh.
Tenor:
Oh
Plus bele que flor/Quant revient/L’autrier joer/Flos [Filius Eius] ☙ Montpellier Codex, Bibliothèque interuniversitaire de médecine
Quadruplum: Cristian Cantu
Triplum: Ryland Angel
Motetus: Daniel Johnson
Tenor: Tim O’Brien
[In order of performance:]
Motetus:
The other day, I went off along a detour.
I entered an orchard to gather some flowers.
I found a pleasant Lady, of fair mien.
She had a happy heart and sang out with great emotion:
“I have Love! What will I do with it?
It is the end, the end; whatever anyone says, I will love.”
Quadruplum:
More beautiful than a flower, in my view
Is the one to whom I devote myself.
As long as I exist, in truth,
No one will have the joy nor delight of my love
Except for this flower which is from Paradise:
She is mother to our Lord, who wants forever, friend,
To possess you and the two of us together.
Triplum:
When the return of leaf and flower
Signal the arrival of the summer season,
God, that is when I think of Love,
Who always has been courteous and sweet to me.
Much do I love her solace, for her good will softens my pain.
Much goodness and honor come to me from being in her service.
Tenor:
Flos [Filius Eius]
Guillaume de Machaut, c. 1300–1377
Speaking of the past (and we often are): When I was a sophomore at Texas Tech University, we studied Medieval music as part of our music history classes, and I was lucky enough to have a teacher (Dr. Paul Cutter) who was entranced by early music. After studying about chants and other beguiling repertoire, which was all very interesting and fun, we were introduced to the music of Guillaume de Machaut. He was not only a poet of high regard, but also a composer of both musical miniatures and larger works; for me, this introduction was yet another life-changing experience. The New York Pro Musica Antiqua had recently released their album, Ah Sweet Lady: The Romance of Medieval France, with works by Machaut and others, and it was a great way to introduce us to Machaut. I think that spending so much time with those records as well as singing music by Machaut in the very first Texas Tech University Collegium Musicum concert was when I became hooked on early music. At that time, I didn’t know how long that relationship would last.
Quant je sui mis au retour ☙ Virelai 13, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, fonds français
Tim O’Brien, soloist
Elaine Barber, harp
John Walters, vielle
When I’ve been to see my lady,
I feel neither pain nor sorrow, upon my soul.
God! It’s only right that I should love her, Blamelessly, in true love.
Her beauty, her great sweetness of amorous heat,
Through memory, night and day,
Burns and ignites me.
God! It’s only right that I should love her,
Blamelessly, in true love.
And when her noble worth penetrates my loyal heart,
I wish to serve her without thought of folly or infamy.
God! It’s only right that I should love her,
Blamelessly, in true love.
We will be back in approximately exactly two weeks with a bright, shiny new Taco for you featuring the TEMP women from this very concert!
Don’t forget to get your tickets for Paris City Limits on September 28 and 29!
Also, we’re smack dab in the middle of our Fall Fundraising Campaign. Can you help us reach our goal of $15,000? With a gift of any size, you are helping TEMP remain a leader in preserving and advancing the art of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and early Classical music through performance, recordings, and educational outreach. Plus, there’s more musical tacos in it for you! If you can, please make your gift today. And thank you!
Stay safe, stay sane!
Danny