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Medieval Music Database

Je ne cuit pas qu'onques a creature

ballade by Guillaume de Machaut

Sources

New York: Wildenstein Collection, fol. 24 (text), 303 (2/1);
Paris: Biblioth�que de l'Arsenal 5203 (olim 97 BF), fol. 11 (text); Biblioth�que Nationale, fonds fran�ais 843, fol. 191 (text), 239 (text); Biblioth�que Nationale, fonds fran�ais 1584 (MachA), fol. 201 (text), 461v (2/1); Biblioth�que Nationale, fonds fran�ais 1585 (MachB), fol. 41 (text), 301 (2/1); Biblioth�que Nationale, fonds fran�ais 1586 (MachC), fol. 145 (text), 163v (2/1); Biblioth�que Nationale, fonds fran�ais 1587 (olim 612), fol. 30 (text); Biblioth�que Nationale, fonds fran�ais 9221 (MachE), fol. 10v (text), 147v (2/1); Biblioth�que Nationale, fonds fran�ais 22546 (MachG), fol. 62 (text), 139 (2/1).

Editions

1. Guillaume de Machaut: Musikalische Werke. Erster Band: Balladen, Rondeaux und Virelais, edited by Friedrich Ludwig, Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & H�rtel, 1926, p. 12.
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. 85.
3. La Louange des Dames, edited by Nigel Wilkins, Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1972, New York: Barnes and Noble, 1973, p. 142 (NYw).

Text Editions

Guillaume de Machaut: po�sies lyriques, 2 vols., edited by V. Chichmaref, Paris: 1909, p. 159.

Literature

1. HAAS, Robert. Auff�hrungspraxis der Musik, Potsdam: Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Athenaion, 1931, p. 96.
2. MACHABEY, Armand. Guillaume de Machault, 130?-1377: La vie et l'oeuvre musicale, 2 vols, Paris: Richard-Masse-Editeur, 1955. Biblioth�que d'�tudes musicales, pp. 28-29.
3. G�NTHER, Ursula. Der musikalische Stilwandel der franz�sischen Liedkunst in der zweiten H�lfte des 14. Jahrhunderts, dargestelt an Virelais, Balladen und Rondeax von Machaut., Ph.D. dissertation, University of Hamburg: 1957, Chapter 4.1.
4. MARTINEZ, Marie L. Die Musik des fr�hen Trecento, Tutzing: Hans Schneider, 1963. M�nchener Ver�ffentlichungen zur Musikgeschichte 9.
5. SWARTZ, Anne. 'A new chronology of the ballades of Machaut', Acta Musicologica, XLVI (1974): 192-207.
6. ARLT, Wulf. 'Aspekte der Chronologie und des Stilwandels im franz�sischen Lied des 14. Jahrhunderts', Forum Musicologicum (Aktuelle Fragen der musikbezogenen Mittelalterforschung), vol. III, Basel: Amadeus Verlag, 1975, pp. 231-239.
7. HIRSHBERG, Jehoash. 'Hexachordal and modal structure in Machaut's polyphonic chansons', Studies in Musicology in Honor of Otto E. Albrecht, 1980.
8. G�NTHER, Ursula. 'Contribution de la musicologie � la biographie et � la chronologie de Guillaume de Machaut', Guillaume de Machaut, po�te et compositeur. Colloque - Table Ronde, 1978, pp. 95-116.
9. BENT, Margaret. 'The Machaut manuscripts Vg, B and E', Musica Disciplina, XXXVII (1983), p. 79.

Recordings

1. Guillaume de Machaut: 1. The Musical Art of Machaut. 2. Le Rem�de de Fortune. 3. Veoir Dit., Ensemble Guillaume de Machaut of Paris (1975-1977): Ad�s 7078 (3 discs).
2. Guillaume de Machaut: le vray rem�de d'amour -- ballades, rondeaux, virelais, motets, Ensemble Gilles Binchois, directed by Dominique Vellard (1988): Harmonic Records H/CD 8825.
3. Machaut and his time, Alba Musica Kyo (1994): Channel Classics CCS 7094.

Text

Je ne cuit pas qu'onques a creature
Amour partist ses biens si largement
Comme a moy seule et de sa grace pure;
Nom pas qu'aie desservi nullement
Les douceurs qu'elle me fait.
Car gari m'a de tous maulz et retrais.
Quant elle m'a donne, sans retollir.
Mon cuer, m'amour et quanque je desir.

Et pour ce sui pleinne d'envoiseure.
Gaie de cuer et vif tres liement
Et ren toudis a Amours la droiture
Que je li doy; c'est amer loyaument
En foy, de cuer et de fait.
Et ceste amour pensee ne me laist
Qui joyeuse ne soit pour conjoir
Mon cuer, m'amour et quanque je desir.

Si qu'il n'est riens ou je mette ma cure
Fors en amer et loer humblement
Amour qui me nourrist de tel pasture
Com de merci donnee doucement
D'amoureus cuer et parfait.
Mais la merci qui ainsi me refait.
C'est de veoir seulement et oir
Mon cuer, m'amour et quanque je desir.

Translation

I do not think that ever to any creature
Did Love share out her goods so generously
As to me alone and solely by her grace;
Not that I have deserved in any way
The kindnesses she shows me.
For she has cured me of all ills and restored me.
Since she has given me, without taking back.
My heart, my love and all that I desire.

Therefore I am full of jubilation.
Gay in heart, and I live most joyfully
And render always to Love the tribute
Which I owe her; that is, to love loyally
In good faith, in heart and deed.
And this love leaves me no thought
Which is not joyful to please
My heart, my love and all that I desire.

So there is nothing for which I care
But to love and humbly praise
Love who nourishes me with such food
As grace sweetly given
From a loving and perfect heart.
But the grace which thus restores me
Is simply to see and to hear
My heart, my love and all that I desire.

Text revision and translation © Jennifer Garnham



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


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