Musical Characteristics of the Songs Attributed to Peter of Blois (C. 1135-1211) Lyndsey Thornton
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Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2007 Musical Characteristics of the Songs Attributed to Peter of Blois (c. 1135-1211) Lyndsey Thornton Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SONGS ATTRIBUTED TO PETER OF BLOIS (c. 1135-1211) By Lyndsey Thornton A thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2007 The members of the Committee approve the thesis of Lyndsey M. Thornton on March 28, 2007. ________________________________ Charles E. Brewer Professor Directing Thesis ________________________________ Paula Gerson Committee Member ________________________________ Douglass Seaton Committee Member The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As with any major undertaking, there are many individuals I would like to thank for their unwavering support. First of all, I must thank the members of my thesis committee, who have provided insight, tolerance, and wisdom from experience. This project owes much of its initial concept to Dr. Charles Brewer. I also want to thank other members of the musicology faculty who have inspired me and also made it possible for me to concentrate on my work. I want to thank my colleagues Anne Terry and John Spilker for their encouragement and emotional support. Thanks to my parents for showing pride in my accomplishments. Most of all, I thank Bret Woods and my daughters, Kathryn and Meredith, for their patience and inspiration and for providing me with the motivation to pursue higher education. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Music Examples iv List of Abbreviations and Manuscript Sigla v Abstract vi Chapter 1: Context and Method 1 Chapter 2: The Quandary of a Secular Cleric : Quo me vertam nescio 5 Peter as Student 8 A Career of Service 13 Peter as Educator 14 Ecclesiastic and Royal Patronage 15 Archdeacon and Chancellor 17 Chapter 3: The Songs 25 Monophonic Conductus in Florence, BL Pluteus 29.1 25 Group One: The Love Songs 26 Group Two: Criticism and Religious Texts 46 Group Three: Moral Duality 63 The Songs as Reflections of the Clerical Dilemma 72 Chapter 4: Musical Characteristics 74 Two-Part Conductus and Other Sources 74 Influences and Characteristics 84 Appendix A: Sources for the Songs in this Study 86 Appendix B: Summary of Musical Characteristics 87 Appendix C: Topos Concordance 88 Selected Bibliography 89 Biographical Sketch 92 iv LIST OF MUSIC EXAMPLES 1. Repeated melisma 29 2. Initial figure 29 3. Initial figure with melisma 30 4. Strophe IV with decorated three c’s 30 5. A globo veteri 31 6. Olim sudor Herculis refrain 38 7. Paroxytone and proparoxytone emphases 39 8. Olim sudor Herculis 40 9. Rhetorical motive in Vitam duxi 45 10. Vitam duxi iocundam 45 11. Qui seminant in loculis 49 12. Quo me vertam nescio 54 13. Line 1 initial cauda 60 14. Line 12 terminal cauda 60 15. Fons preclusus sub torpore 61 16. Melismas on lusisse and ludum 65 17. Turn figure on vertere 66 18. Ut dignus pontificio 66 19. Non te lusisse pudeat 67 20. In nova fert animus 70 21. Vacillantis trutine libramine 76 22. Veneris prosperis 80 23. Vite perdite 83 v ABBREVIATIONS AND MANUSCRIPT SIGLA K# number assigned to each monophonic song in Gordon Anderson’s Notre Dame and Related Conductus J# number assigned to each polyphonic song in the above collection D# number assigned to each song text in Peter Dronke’s Peter of Blois and Poetry at the Court of Henry II F# order in Florence Biblioteca Laurenziana Pluteus 29.1, s. XIII; followed by MS folio number CB# number assigned by Hilka,Schumann, and Bischoff--editors of the facsimile edition of Carmina Burana; followed by MS folio number. Ar. London, British Library Arundel 384, s. XIV. O Oxford, Bodley Add. A. 44, s. XIII. C Cambridge University Library Ff.i.17, s. XIII VRL Vatican Reg. Lat. 317 vi ABSTRACT Toward the end of the twelfth century, moral conflict was rampant in the Catholic Church regarding the conduct of all levels of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. There was acerbic criticism of the profligate bishops and archbishops who formed the upper echelon of clerical life, and much of this censure came from within the ranks of the clergy. One of the most interesting critics of the higher clergy is Peter of Blois, who had served such clerical posts as Archdeacon of Bath and London. He criticized the behavior of everyone from archbishop to altar boy in his letters and poetry, but the latter oeuvre also expresses his concessions to the inner conflict that he faced as a result of his choice to serve God. A double standard of morality is prevalent in both the prose and verse works of Peter of Blois and is often one of the identifying factors in support of attributions of his authorship. He condones vice in moderation during youth but advocates repentance in old age. While there is an increasing amount of scholarship that treats either Peter’s song texts or the music of the corpus of Notre Dame conductus, specific research into the music of Peter’s songs is not readily available. This study examines the musical characteristics of the songs of Peter of Blois and their relationship to the texts within the manuscript tradition of his works, placing them within the context of the Twelfth-Century Renaissance. Because of the cohesion of the group in the Florence MS and the clarity with which they can be transcribed, these songs will be the primary focus of musical discussion. Through analysis of the musical components of the songs from Florence fascicle X that can be attributed to Peter with a significant amount of certainty, and through comparison with those known to have been written by Peter’s contemporaries, such as Walter of Châtillon and Philip the Chancellor, I will define a musical style that is characteristic of Peter’s songs in addition to providing evidence for new attributions. vii CHAPTER 1 CONTEXT AND METHOD Toward the end of the twelfth century, moral conflict was rampant in the Catholic Church regarding the conduct (and misconduct) of all levels of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, though especially at the two extremes on the scale of power. Music and literature from the period have immortalized the mischievous and impious escapades of certain members of the lower orders of clergy, termed satirically the ordo vagorum. However, there was also acerbic criticism of the profligate bishops and archbishops who formed the upper echelon of clerical life. Much of this censure came from within the ranks of the clergy. One of the most interesting critics of the higher clergy is Peter of Blois, who had served such clerical posts as Archdeacon of Bath and London.1 His perspective on the problems within the Church is evidenced by the fact that while he criticizes the behavior of everyone from archbishop to altar boy in his letters and poetry, the latter oeuvre also expresses his concessions to the inner conflict that he faced as a result of his choice to serve God. Thus he treats not only the dilemmas within the Church but within the churchman, as well. He lashes out at the papal curia while conceding his own failure to adhere to the highest moral standards. Without careful scrutiny, this inconsistency might appear intrinsically hypocritical. After close consideration, however, it becomes clear that Peter distinguishes quite unambiguously between the sins of greed and simony, of which the higher clergy of his time were undeniably guilty, and his own failure to remain chaste. It seems that if one is to lapse in monotheism, faced with the choice between the service of Venus and Nummus, Love is the far lesser evil. This double standard of morality is prevalent in both the prose and verse works of Peter of Blois and is often one of the identifying factors in support of attributions of his authorship. Reading, editing, and reprinting of Peter’s self-published letter collection is a continuing tradition that stretches from current times back to the time at which he lived. 1Peter can unquestionably be connected with Eleanor of Aquitaine, as he wrote several letters for her at least in the nominal capacity of secretary. Musically, he was somewhat separate from the traditions of her troubadour court. His ethically discursive reproaches and satires are far from the topos of courtly love; however, his love poems are similar enough to conductus to warrant their inclusion in a collection of that genre. For discussion of Peter’s letters for Eleanor, see Beatrice A. Lees, “The Letters of Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine to Pope Celestine III,” The English Historical Review 21/81 (January 1906): 78-93. 1 He published his well-groomed and highly self-conscious opus epistolarum no fewer than three times before his death, which occurred sometime in the first few years of the thirteenth century; and since the sixteenth century, there has been an ongoing tradition of scholarly criticism of Peter’s letters.2 However, published criticism of his song texts did not appear until the early twentieth century.3 It is significant that while there is an increasing amount of scholarship that treats either Peter’s song texts or the music of the corpus of Notre Dame conductus, specific research into the music of Peter’s songs is not readily available. This study will begin with the necessary prerequisites of biographical background and identification of primary literary characteristics that will aid in the connection of the existing epistolary tradition to the examination of Peter’s songs.