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Medieval Music Database

Biaute qui toutes autres pere
Three-voice ballade by Guillaume de Machaut

Sources

London: Westminster Abbey 21, fol. 26 (text);
New York: Wildenstein Collection, fol. 298 (2/2);
Paris: Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal 5203 (olim 97 BF), fol. 20 (text); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 843 (text); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1584 (MachA), fol. 455v (2/2); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1585 (MachB), fol. 296 (2/2); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1586 (MachC), fol. 159 (2/2); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 9221 (MachE), fol. 152v (3/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 22546 (MachG), fol. 135 (2/2); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds nouv. acq. français 23190 (olim Serrant Château, ducs de la Trémoïlle), fol. 41 (lost);
Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Library, French MS 15, number 168 (text);
Utrecht: Universiteitsbibliotheek 1846 (shelfmark 6 E 37), fol. 29 (3/1).

Facsimiles

1. APEL, Willi. The Notation of Polyphonic Music 900-1600, Cambridge/Massachusetts: The Medieval Academy of America, 1942, p. 359 (Pn9221).
2. HARMAN, Alec. Man and His Music: The Story of Musical Experience in the West. Vol I: Mediaeval and Early Renaissance Music, London: Barrie and Rockliff, 1962, p. 143 (Pn9221).

Editions

1. Guillaume de Machaut: Musikalische Werke. Erster Band: Balladen, Rondeaux und Virelais, edited by Friedrich Ludwig, Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1926, p. 4.
2. The Works of Guillaume de Machaut, Second Part, edited by Leo Schrade, Monaco: Editions de L'Oiseau-Lyre, 1956. Polyphonic Music of the Fourteenth Century III, p. 74.
3. HARMAN, Alec. Man and His Music: The Story of Musical Experience in the West. Vol I: Mediaeval and Early Renaissance Music, London: Barrie and Rockliff, 1962, p. 145.

Text Editions

Guillaume de Machaut: poésies lyriques, 2 vols., edited by V. Chichmaref, Paris: 1909, p. 539.

Literature

1. APEL, Willi. The Notation of Polyphonic Music 900-1600, Cambridge/Massachusetts: The Medieval Academy of America, 1942, p. 356.
2. MACHABEY, Armand. Guillaume de Machault, 130?-1377: La vie et l'oeuvre musicale, 2 vols, Paris: Richard-Masse-Editeur, 1955. Bibliothèque d'études musicales, p. 21.
3. GÜNTHER, Ursula. Der musikalische Stilwandel der französischen Liedkunst in der zweiten Hälfte des 14. Jahrhunderts, dargestelt an Virelais, Balladen und Rondeax von Machaut., Ph.D. dissertation, University of Hamburg: 1957, Chapter 4.1.
4. REANEY, Gilbert. 'Guillaume de Machaut: lyric poet', Music and Letters, XXXIX (1958), p. 41.
5. MARTINEZ, Marie L. Die Musik des frühen Trecento, Tutzing: Hans Schneider, 1963. Münchener Veröffentlichungen zur Musikgeschichte 9.
6. REANEY, Gilbert. 'Notes on the harmonic technique of Guillaume de Machaut', Essays in Musicology: A Birthday Offering for Willi Apel, edited by Hans Tischler, Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University School of Music, 1968, pp. 63-64.
7. SALOP, Arnold. 'The secular polyphony of Guillaume de Machaut', [chapter 2 of his] Studies on the History of Musical Style, Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1971, p. 60.
8. DÖMLING, Wolfgang. 'Aspekte der Sprachvertonung in den Balladen Guillaume de Machauts', Die Musikforschung, XXV/3 (1972), p. 304.
9. SWARTZ, Anne. 'A new chronology of the ballades of Machaut', Acta Musicologica, XLVI (1974): 192-207.
10. ARLT, Wulf. 'Aspekte der Chronologie und des Stilwandels im französischen Lied des 14. Jahrhunderts', Forum Musicologicum (Aktuelle Fragen der musikbezogenen Mittelalterforschung), vol. III, Basel: Amadeus Verlag, 1975, pp. 260-261.
11. HIRSHBERG, Jehoash. 'Hexachordal and modal structure in Machaut's polyphonic chansons', Studies in Musicology in Honor of Otto E. Albrecht, 1980.
12. LEGUY, Sylvette. 'Les procédés de composition dans l'oeuvre de Machaut (à l'exclusion de la Messe)', Guillaume de Machaut, poète et compositeur. Colloque - Table Ronde, 1978, pp. 307-320.
13. GÜNTHER, Ursula. 'Contribution de la musicologie à la biographie et à la chronologie de Guillaume de Machaut', Guillaume de Machaut, poète et compositeur. Colloque - Table Ronde, 1978, pp. 95-116.

Recordings

1. Guillaume de Machault. Balladen - Motetten - Rondeaus - Virelais, Capella Lipsiensis, directed by Dietrich Knothe (1971): Philips 6580 026.
2. [Guillaume de Machaut], Music for a While, directed by Richard Taruskin (1977): Arch Records 1750 S 1773.
3. Hommage à Machaut, Ars Cameralis, Prague (1978): Panton 8111 0056.
4. The Mirror of Narcissus: Songs by Guillaume de Machaut, Gothic Voices, directed by Christopher Page (1983): Hyperion A66087 (GB).

Text

Biaute qui toutes autres pere
Envers moy diverse et estrange.
Douceur fine a mon goust amere.
Corps digne de toute loange.
Simple vis a cuer d'aymant.
Regart pour tuer un amant.
Samblant de joie et response d'esmay
M'ont a ce mis que pour amer morray.

Detri d'ottri que moult compere.
Bel acueil qui de moy se vange
Amour marrastre et nompas mere.
Espoir qui de joie m'estrange.
Povre secours, desir ardant.
Triste penser, cuer souspirant.
Durte, desdaing, dangier et refus qu'ay
M'ont a ce mis que pour amer morray.

Si weil bien qu'a ma dame appere
Qu'elle ma joie en dolour change
Et que sa belle face clere
Me destruit, tant de meschief sen je.
Et que gieu n'ay, revel ne chant.
N'einsi com je sueil plus ne chant.
Pour ce qu'Amour, mi oueil et son corps gay
M'ont a ce mis que pour amer morray.

Translation

Beauty, peer of all others.
Changeful and distant towards me.
Great sweetness bitter to my taste.
Body worthy of all praise.
Gentle face and heart of steel.
Glances to kill a lover.
Joyful appearance and answer of fear
Have brought me to this, that I shall die for love.

Seeming consent which sells too dearly.
Fair welcome which makes sport of me.
Love of a false mother, not a true.
Hope which estranges me from joy.
Meagre relief, burning desire.
Sad thoughts, sighing heart.
Distress, anger, fear and rejection which I feel
Have brought me to this, that I shall die for love.

So I wish that my lady might see
That she changes my joy to grief
And that her lovely radiant face
Destroys me, such injury I feel.
And that I have no vigour, joy or song.
Nor do I sing as I used to do.
Since Love, my eyes and her fair body
Have brought me to this, that I shall die for love.
Text revision and translation © Jennifer Garnham

Content Approved by: MMDB Director
Last updated: Wednesday, 19 March 2003

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