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Medieval Music Database

Tres douce dame que j'aour
ballade by Guillaume de Machaut

Sources

New York: Wildenstein Collection, fol. 309 (2/1);
Paris: Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 843 (text); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1584 (MachA), fol. 466 (2/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1585 (MachB), fol. 307 (2/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1586 (MachC), fol. 201v (2/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 9221 (MachE), fol. 156v (2/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 22546 (MachG), fol. 142v (2/1).

Editions

1. Guillaume de Machaut: Musikalische Werke. Erster Band: Balladen, Rondeaux und Virelais, edited by Friedrich Ludwig, Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1926, p. 27.
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. 104.

Text Editions

Guillaume de Machaut: poésies lyriques, 2 vols., edited by V. Chichmaref, Paris: 1909, p. 553.

Literature

1. MACHABEY, Armand. Guillaume de Machault, 130?-1377: La vie et l'oeuvre musicale, 2 vols, Paris: Richard-Masse-Editeur, 1955. Bibliothèque d'études musicales, pp. 37-38.
2. 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.
3. DÖMLING, Wolfgang. Die mehrstimmigen Balladen, Rondeaux und Virelais von Guillaume de Machaut: Untersuchungen zum musikalischen Satz, Tutzing: Schneider, 1970. Münchener Veröffentlichungen zur Musikgeschichte 16, pp. 47-48., p. 51.
4. 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. 58.
5. GÜNTHER, Ursula. 'Zitate in französischen Liedsätzen der Ars nova und Ars subtilior', Musica Disciplina, XXVI (1972), p. 54.
6. SWARTZ, Anne. 'A new chronology of the ballades of Machaut', Acta Musicologica, XLVI (1974): 192-207.
7. 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.
8. BENT, Margaret. 'The Machaut manuscripts Vg, B and E', Musica Disciplina, XXXVII (1983), p. 82.

Recordings

1. [Guillaume de Machaut], Illinois Collegium Musicum, Thomas Binkley (lute), directed by George Hunter (1956): Westminster XWN 18166.
2. Guillaume de Machaut. La Messe de Notre Dame, Virelais, Rondeaux, Ballades, Lai, The Purcell Choir with instrumental ensemble, John Caldwell, directed by Frank Ll. Harrison, Grayston Burgess (1969): Oiseau-Lyre SOL 310 (GB) [ZTT-717-IG].
3. Hommage à Machaut, Ars Cameralis, Prague (1978): Panton 8111 0056.

Text

Tres douce dame que j'aour.
En vous weil tout mon temps user.
Sans departir ne nuit ne jour.
Et vous tres loyaument amer
Com cilz qui ne saroit penser
Fors a vo doulz service faire.
Tant com je vivray, sans meffaire.

Car je vous ay donnee m'amour
Pour vous loyaument honnourer.
Et de cuer, de corps, de vigour
Weil tous jours vostre honneur garder;
De servir je me weil pener
De vray cuer, humble et debonnaire.
Tant com je vivray, sans meffaire.

Quant je voy vostre grant doucour.
En mon cuer vient, par desirer.
Une ardeur qui le fait en plour
Moult parfondement souspirer.
Car je ne vous ose moustrer
La doleur que humblement weil traire.
Tant com je vivray, sans meffaire.

Translation

Most sweet lady whom I adore.
For you I wish to spend all my time.
Without swerving night or day.
And love you most loyally
As one who could think of nothing
But of doing your sweet service.
So long as I shall live, without misdeed.

For I have given you my love
To honour you loyally.
And with heart, body and strength
I will always respect your honour;
I wish to strive to serve
With a true heart, humble and happy.
So long as I shall live, without misdeed.

When I see your great sweetness.
By desiring, there comes to my heart
An ardour which in tears makes it
Sigh most deeply.
For I do not dare to show you
The pain I will humbly suffer
So long as I shall live, without misdeed.
Text revision and translation © Jennifer Garnham

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

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