La harpe de melodie
Encyclopedia
One of the outstanding examples of the period called Ars Subtilior
not only in its musical aspects is Jacob Senleches
' composition La Harpe de Melodie which has been transmitted via two sources.
The first source dated c. 1395 is the manuscript Chicago, Newberry Library, Ms. 54.1, f. 10r (RISM
siglum US-Cn 54.1, also known under the siglum Chic). In this source, the work is transmitted anonymously, i.e. the name of the composer is not given. The virelai
is notated for two voices, cantus
and tenor
. The voices are notated on what appears to be the strings of the harp, on four "staves", the first of ten lines the other of nine lines. (That would be 37 strings, but only 22 tuning pins are depicted.) However, notes are only placed on the drawn strings or lines and not between them, forming a pseudo-tablature that is somewhat difficult to read in the first instance. A separate rondeau
, explaining how to derive the canonic third voice from the cantus
, is written on a banner wrapped around the fore pillar of the harp.
The second source of this composition is the famous Codex Chantilly, Chantilly, Bibliothèque du Musée Conde, ms. 564 (formerly 1047), f. 43v (RISM
siglum F-Ch 564). In this source, the composition is written on regular 6-line staves and no illustration is present. The rondeau explaining how to derive the third canonic voice is present below the music.
The close interrelationship of the virelai's
text, the harp illustration and the rondeau
give evidence that the notation in Ch has been intended by Jacob Senleches
as a synthesis of the arts.
The Newberry version of La harpe de melodie appears on the front cover of Richard Hoppin
's textbook Medieval Music (Norton, 1978), a frequently used text in American universities.
Ars subtilior
Ars subtilior is a musical style characterized by rhythmic and notational complexity, centered around Paris, Avignon in southern France, also in northern Spain at the end of the fourteenth century. The style also is found in the French Cypriot repertory...
not only in its musical aspects is Jacob Senleches
Jacob Senleches
Jacob Senleches was a Franco-Flemish composer and harpist of the late Middle Ages. He composed in a style commonly known as the ars subtilior....
' composition La Harpe de Melodie which has been transmitted via two sources.
The first source dated c. 1395 is the manuscript Chicago, Newberry Library, Ms. 54.1, f. 10r (RISM
Rism
-References:rism- "ree-ss-mm" loldefenition- Rism is when a noob tries to post a thread on a forum trying to sell RIMS. But since the OP does not have enough post to sell on said forum, his thread will be locked but he will get flammed in the mean time...
siglum US-Cn 54.1, also known under the siglum Chic). In this source, the work is transmitted anonymously, i.e. the name of the composer is not given. The virelai
Virelai
A virelai is a form of medieval French verse used often in poetry and music. It is one of the three formes fixes and was one of the most common verse forms set to music in Europe from the late thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries.A virelai is similar to a rondeau...
is notated for two voices, cantus
Cantus
A cantus , is an activity organised by Belgian, Dutch, French, Baltic and Afrikaans student organisations and fraternities. A cantus mainly involves singing traditional songs and drinking beer. It is governed by strict traditional rules...
and tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
. The voices are notated on what appears to be the strings of the harp, on four "staves", the first of ten lines the other of nine lines. (That would be 37 strings, but only 22 tuning pins are depicted.) However, notes are only placed on the drawn strings or lines and not between them, forming a pseudo-tablature that is somewhat difficult to read in the first instance. A separate rondeau
Rondeau (music)
The rondeau was a Medieval and early Renaissance musical form, based on the contemporary popular poetic rondeau form. It is distinct from the 18th century rondo, though the terms are likely related...
, explaining how to derive the canonic third voice from the cantus
Cantus
A cantus , is an activity organised by Belgian, Dutch, French, Baltic and Afrikaans student organisations and fraternities. A cantus mainly involves singing traditional songs and drinking beer. It is governed by strict traditional rules...
, is written on a banner wrapped around the fore pillar of the harp.
The second source of this composition is the famous Codex Chantilly, Chantilly, Bibliothèque du Musée Conde, ms. 564 (formerly 1047), f. 43v (RISM
Rism
-References:rism- "ree-ss-mm" loldefenition- Rism is when a noob tries to post a thread on a forum trying to sell RIMS. But since the OP does not have enough post to sell on said forum, his thread will be locked but he will get flammed in the mean time...
siglum F-Ch 564). In this source, the composition is written on regular 6-line staves and no illustration is present. The rondeau explaining how to derive the third canonic voice is present below the music.
The close interrelationship of the virelai's
Virelai
A virelai is a form of medieval French verse used often in poetry and music. It is one of the three formes fixes and was one of the most common verse forms set to music in Europe from the late thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries.A virelai is similar to a rondeau...
text, the harp illustration and the rondeau
Rondeau (music)
The rondeau was a Medieval and early Renaissance musical form, based on the contemporary popular poetic rondeau form. It is distinct from the 18th century rondo, though the terms are likely related...
give evidence that the notation in Ch has been intended by Jacob Senleches
Jacob Senleches
Jacob Senleches was a Franco-Flemish composer and harpist of the late Middle Ages. He composed in a style commonly known as the ars subtilior....
as a synthesis of the arts.
The Newberry version of La harpe de melodie appears on the front cover of Richard Hoppin
Richard Hoppin
Richard Hallowell Hoppin was an American musicologist.Hoppin received his BA from Carleton College in 1936 after spending two years at the Paris Ecole Normale de Musique. He studied at Harvard University, obtaining his MA in 1938, and taught at Mount Union College from 1938 to 1942...
's textbook Medieval Music (Norton, 1978), a frequently used text in American universities.