The Monophonic Songs in the Roman de Fauvel

Abstract

The Roman de Fauvel describes the career of Fauvel, a horse-like figure whose overweening ambitions lead the writer to lament the evils of the world. He excites the attentions of the rich and powerful, presumes to court Lady Fortune, and provokes all kinds of outrage and grief. His very name is an anagram for Flaterie, Avarice, Vilanie, Variete (fickleness), Envie, and Lachete (cowardice). A long poetic narrative enlivened by polyphonic and monophonic songs, chants, and pictures, the Roman makes use of allegory and satire to express vehement moral criticism of the late medieval royal court and Church. This is the first modern, critical edition of the monophonic songs collected in the Roman de Fauvel in the early fourteenth century. Samuel N. Rosenberg and Hans Tischler set out to establish and interpret the lyrics and music of all the monophonic pieces, some seventy in all. Accompanying the full poetic and music texts are their English translations from the original Latin and French. This edition represents the kinds of close collaboration between philologist and musicologist that the Fauvel songs call fro but have never before received. Illustrating a wide variety of form and styles-including chivalric love songs, dance pieces, ballades, rondeaux, and nonsense compositions-The Monophonic Songs in the Roman de Fauvel is an extraordinary valuable anthology of music and a treasure trove of information about the period.

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