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Medieval Music Database

Nes que on porroit les estoilles nombrer
ballade by Guillaume de Machaut

Sources

New York: Pierpont Morgan Library M. 396 (text, Voir Dit III); Wildenstein Collection, fol. 34v (text), 314 (3/1);
Paris: Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 843, fol. 202 (text), 242v (text); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1584 (MachA) (text, Voir Dit III), 209 (text), 471 (3/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1585 (MachB), fol. 51v (text), 313 (3/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1587 (olim 612), fol. 43 (text); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 9221 (MachE), fol. 178 (3/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 22545 (MachF), fol. 148v (text, Voir Dit III); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 22546 (MachG), fol. 145v (3/1);
Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Library, French MS 15, number 223 (text).

Editions

1. QUITTARD, Henri. 'Notes sur Guillaume de Machaut et son oeuvre', Revue de musicologie, I (1917-19), Vol. I, p. 138.
2. Guillaume de Machaut: Musikalische Werke. Erster Band: Balladen, Rondeaux und Virelais, edited by Friedrich Ludwig, Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1926, p. 38.
3. 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. 122.
4. La Louange des Dames, edited by Nigel Wilkins, Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1972, New York: Barnes and Noble, 1973, p. 147 (NYw).
5. FULLER, Sarah. The European Musical Heritage 800-1750, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1987.

Text Editions

Guillaume de Machaut: poésies lyriques, 2 vols., edited by V. Chichmaref, Paris: 1909, p. 209.

Literature

1. HAAS, Robert. Aufführungspraxis der Musik, Potsdam: Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Athenaion, 1931.
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, pp. 47-48.
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 4.2.
4. MARTINEZ, Marie L. Die Musik des frühen Trecento, Tutzing: Hans Schneider, 1963. Münchener Veröffentlichungen zur Musikgeschichte 9.
5. REANEY, Gilbert. 'The Middle Ages', [in] A History of Song, edited by Denis Stevens, 2nd edition, New York: W. W. Norton, 1970, pp. 15-64.
6. 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, pp. 46, 54-55.
7. SWARTZ, Anne. 'A new chronology of the ballades of Machaut', Acta Musicologica, XLVI (1974): 192-207.
8. WILLIAMS, Sarah J. 'The lady, the lyrics and the letters', Early Music, V/4 (1977): 462-468.
9. GALLO, F. Alberto. Il Medioevo, vol. II, Turin: Edizioni di Torino, 1977. [English translation as Music of the Middle Ages, vol. II, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985], p. 44.
10. REANEY, Gilbert. 'The part played by instruments in the music of Guillaume de Machaut', Studi Musicali, VI (1977), p. 7., p. 7.
11. LITTLE, Patrick. 'Three ballades in Machaut's "Livre du Voir-Dit"', Studies in Music (Aust), XIV (1980), pp. 49-52, 57.
12. POIRION, Daniel. 'Le monde imaginaire de Guillaume de Machaut', Guillaume de Machaut, poète et compositeur. Colloque - Table Ronde, 1978, pp. 223-234.
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. Dances of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Zurich Ricercare Ensemble, Lionel Rogg (chamber organ, harps, directed by Michel Piguet, Rene Clemencic: Harmonia Mundi HMU 2472(2) (FRA).
2. [Machaut], Deller Consort, Ancient Instrument Ensemble of Zurich, directed by Alfred Deller, Austin Miskell: Harmonia Mundi HMU 34917.
3. The Ars Nova in France. Guillaume de Machaut: La Messe de Nostre Dame; Ten Secular Works, Brussels Pro Musica Antiqua, directed by Safford Cape (1956): Archiv ARC 3032 [US].
4. Ballades, Rondeaux & Virelais from the 14th and 15th Centuries, Ancient Instrument Ensemble of Zurich, directed by Austin Miskell (1967): Odyssey 32 16 0178.
5. Ah Sweet Lady: The Romance of Medieval France [Medieval Roots], New York Pro Musica, directed by John White (1967): Decca 9431/ DL 79431/ DL 79438.
6. Guillaume de Machaut: 1. The Musical Art of Machaut. 2. Le Remède de Fortune. 3. Veoir Dit., Ensemble Guillaume de Machaut of Paris (1975-1977): Adés 7078 (3 discs).

Text

Nes que on porroit les estoilles nombrer.
Quant on les voit luire plus clerement.
Et les goutes de pluie et de la mer.
Et la greve sur coy elle s'estent.
Et compasser le tour dou firmament.
Ne porroit on penser ne concevoir
Le grant desir que j'ay de vous veoir.

Et si ne puis par devers vous aler
Pour Fortune qui le wet et deffent.
Dont maint souspir me couvient estrangler.
Quant a vous pense et je sui entre gent.
Et quant je sui par moy secretement.
Adonc me fait tous meschies recevoir
Le grant desir que j'ay de vous veoir.

Quar il me fait complaindre et dolouser
Et regreter vostre viaire gent
Et vo bonte souverainne et sans per
Et la tres grant douceur qui en descent.
Ainsi me fait languir piteusement.
Mon cuer esprent et esteint mon espoir
Le grant desir que j'ay de vous veoir.

Translation

Even if one could number the stars
When one sees them shining most brightly.
And the drops of rain or of the sea.
And the sand over which it extends.
And could measure the compass of the heavens.
One could not imagine or conceive
The great desire I have of seeing you.

And yet I cannot go towards you
Because of Fortune whose will forbids it.
For which I must choke back many sighs
When I am not alone and think of you.
And when I am alone and in secret.
Then I receive every injury from
The great desire I have of seeing you.

For it makes me lament and sorrow
And long for your lovely face
And your sovereign peerless goodness
And the great sweetness which comes from it.
So it makes me languish pitifully.
It inflames my heart and extinguishes my hope:
The great desire I have of seeing you.
Text revision and translation © Jennifer Garnham

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

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