2015-2016 he Sounds of Time Music of the Ars Subtilior TENET Luthien Brackett mezzo-soprano Jolle Greenleaf soprano Shira Kammen vielle & harp Robert Mealy vielle & harp Kathryn Montoya recorders Nils Neubert tenor Andrew Padgett bass Charles Weaver lute & baritone Jolle Greenleaf artistic director Robert Mealy guest music director 7pm on February 5, 2016 St. Luke in the Fields 487 Hudson Street, New York City 7pm on February 6, 2016 Yale University, Marquand Chapel 409 Prospect Street, New Haven CT Music of the Ars Subtilior I Enigmas and Canons Ma fin est mon commencement Guillaume de Machaut (1300–1377) Tout par compas suy composés (instrumental) Baude Cordier (fl. early 15c) Fumeux fume Solage (fl. late 14c) II Nature, Love, and War Pres du soloil Matteo da Perugia (fl early 14c) Dance (after Machaut) Kammen/Mealy Rose, liz, printemps, verdure Machaut Par maintes foy Jehan Vaillant (fl late 14c) III Mythological Love Se Zephirus, Phebus et leur lignie Magister Grimace (fl mid-14c) De ce que fol (instrumental) after Pierre des Molins (fl mid-14c) Medee fu en amer veritable Anonymous Moult sui (instrumental) Machaut Le Mont Aön de Trace Anonymous Alarme, alarme Grimace 3 TEXT AND TRANSLATIONS Ma fin est mon commencement My end is my beginning Et mon commencement ma fin and my beginning my end: Est teneure vraiement. this is truly my tenor. Ma fin est mon commencement. My end is my beginning. Mes tiers chans trois fois seulement My third line three times only Se retrograde et einsi fin. goes back on itself and so finishes. Ma fin est mon commencement My end is my beginning Et mon commencement ma fin. and my beginning my end. Tout par compas suy composés With a compass was I composed En ceste ronde proprement. in this circle, appropriately enough. Pour moy chanter plus seurement, To sing me more correctly, Regarde com suy disposés, Behold how I am disposed, Compaing, je te pri chierement. Good friend, I pray you kindly. Tout par compas suy composés With a compass was I composed, En ceste ronde proprement. in this circle, appropriately enough. Trois temps entiers par toy posés Three times in total, by your count, Chacer me pues joyeusement, you can chase me joyously, S’en chantant as vray sentement. If in singing you have true understanding. Tout par compas suy composes… With a compass was I composed… Fumeux fume par fumée Smoky smolders smokily Fumeuse spéculation. in smoky speculation. Qu’entre fumet sa pensée. Thus he steeps his thoughts in smoke. Fumeux fume par fumée Smoky smolders smokily. Car fumer moult lui agrée For it suits him well to smoke Tant qu’il ait son entention. until he gets his way. Fumeux fume par fumée Smoky smolders smokily Fumeuse spéculation. in smoky speculation. Pres du soloil deduissant s’esbanoye In the pleasant sunlight a fearsome falcon d’eulx ententis un redouté fauchon enjoyed himself, watched by other birds, sur la riviere plus riche que soye above a river, richer than any other de maint osiaux d’une et d’aultre façon. with birds of all kinds. Close est d’un beaux rosier de par viron, The river is bordered by a rosebush. dont s’il ne sont bien preux, If the birds aren’t brave, jeune et veglarde, young, and vigilant, meschant cely Woe to him upon whom que le fauchon regarde. the falcon casts his gaze! Chescun se doubte Everyone is afraid et ne scet que fer’ doye and doesn’t know what to do, fors que d’esmay trayre de la sayson. except to pass the time fearfully Sans plus, tout prest en l’eure si s’employe: and then to act as quickly as possible. pluseurs aultres aylent ver les buisson, Some flee into the woods, aucun demeure, aucun y torne en ron, others stand firm or turn around in circles, simple de cuer sans chault de faire garde innocently and withou tdefense; 4 meschant cely Woe to him upon whom que le fauchon regarde. the falcon casts his gaze! Quar noblesse et vigour si le convoye, Nobility and strength, desire, hope, desir, espoir, wisdom and reason sagacitié et rayson accompany him in his plans, a son porpois tout brief qu’il se voloye which he quickly tries to catch l’oysel qu’aten hurter des artiglon. with his talons, a fleeing bird. D’aultre ne quier sy donra coulps felon He wants nothing else pour definer, than to kill the bird fache qui vuelt sa garde: with evil blows. Be careful: meschant cely Woe to him upon whom que le fauchon regarde. the falcon casts his gaze! Rose, liz, printemps, verdure, Rose, lily, springtime, greenery, Fleur, baume et tres douce odour, flower, balm, and sweetest perfume: Bele, passés en douçour. Beauty, you surpass them in sweetness. Et tous les biens de Nature, And all the gifts of nature avez dont je vous aour. are yours, for which I adore you. Rose, liz, printemps, verdure, Rose, lily, springtime, greenery, Fleur, baume et tres douce odour. flower, balm, and sweetest perfume Et quant toute creature And since your virtues surpass Seurmonte vostre valour, all living creatures, Bien puis dire et par honnour: I must say in all honor: Rose, liz, printemps, verdure, Rose, lily, springtime, greenery, Fleur, baume et tres douce odour, flower, balm, and sweetest perfume: Bele, passés en douçour. Beauty, you surpass them in sweetness. Par maintes foys avoy recoillie How many times are the skies filled Du rossignol la douce melodie with the sweet song of the nightingale! Mais ne si veult le cucu a corder. But the cuckoo never joins in; Ains veult chanter contre ly par envie, he prefers to sing enviously Cucu, cucu, cucu toute sa vie “Cuckoo, cuckoo” all his life. Car il veult bien a son chant descourder. He wants his song to bring discord. Et pourtant dit le reussignol et crie; So the nightingale cries out: Je vos commant quon le tue et ocie “I command that you shall be killed. Tue tue tue tue tue Slain, slain, Oci oci oci oci oci killed, killed, Fideli fideli fideli fi fie upon you, fie upon you, Fi du cucu qu d’amors veut parler. Cuckoo who wants to speak of love.” Si vous suppli ma tres douce alouete, “I beg you, dear skylark, Que vous voules dire votre chanson; thus to sing your song: Lire lire lire lire liron lire, lire, liron, Que dit Dieu, que te dit Dieu. Il est temps as God tells you. It’s time Que le reussignol die sa chansonnette; for the nightingale’s little song; Oci oci oci oci seront killed, killed, they’re killed, Qui vos vont guerroyant. those who wage war with you.” Assembles vous; prenes la cardinette “Flock together; bring the goldfinch Faites chanter la calle et le sanson. and make him and the starling sing out. 5 Tues bates se cucu pile bisson. Kill the cuckoo and silence him. Il est pris, soit mis amort orrement. He is taken, let him be killed. An joli ver vos queres culli la mosette, in the lovely springtime praise the hawk, Ami ami ami ami tardis our friend, our friend; Seray le dieu d’amours priant. and praise the god of love.” Se Zephirus, Phebus If Zephirus, Phoebus, et leur lignie and their descendants Furent d’acort pour moy donner confort. were willing to grant me comfort, Et s’eüsse Fortune pour amie. and if I had Fortune on my side, Si croi je bien qu’encor seroit ce fort. I believe I would be powerful enough Que eusse bien sante to allow me to enjoy health, ne Reconfort and reassurance. Quant a present esbatement ne Joye. Since for now I’d find no delight or joy Se devant moy, ma dame ne veöye. if I cannot see my lady before me. Se Jupiter qui donna seignurie If Jupiter, who gave power to Au cler veänt Argus pour amer fort clear-eyed Argus to strongly love 6 Venus qui fu sa deësse et s’amie Venus, his goddess and lover, Et me vausist d’amors donner le port. would show me the harbor of Love, Ne pouroit pas mon cuer estre d’acort then my heart would not agree Que fusse gay pour chose que ie voye for me to have joy from any visible thing Se devant moy, ma dame ne veöye. If I cannot see my lady before me. Car c’est celle que me puet donner vie For it is she who can give me life; Ne ie quier pas avoir autre ressort I don’t wish for any other help. Si li sopli que me soit enaÿe And so I beg her to support me, quar certes ie n’ay soulas ne depourt. for, indeed, I have no solace or pleasure Et sa beaute si doucement ma mort and her beauty gently kills me Que nullement estre liez ne porroye so that I in no other way can be happy Se devant moy, ma dame ne veöye. if I cannot see my lady before me. Si pri amours et a merci supplie So I pray Love and beg Mercy Que pitie qui on cuer ma dame tort. that Pity, who sleeps in my Lady’s heart Recueillent pour estre de ma partie should awaken and take up my cause Qu’autrement, certes, brief m’aroït mort otherwise for sure I shall soon die, Car ma langor trop fort me point et mort because my longing tortures me so harshly Si que ensement vivre ainsy ne porroye I can’t go on living this way Se devant moy, ma dame ne veöye.