Trouvère
Encyclopedia
Trouvère sometimes spelled trouveur tʁuvœʁ, is the Northern French
(langue d'oïl) form of the word trobador (as spelled in the langue d'oc). It refers to poet-composers who were roughly contemporary with and influenced by the troubadour
s but who composed their works in the northern dialects of France. The word trouvère comes from the Old French trovere, from the Provençal
word trobaire, meaning 'to find or invent (rhetorically)' . The first known trouvère was Chrétien de Troyes
(fl. 1160s-80s) (Butterfield, 1997) and the trouvères continued to flourish until about 1300. Some 2130 trouvère poems have survived; of these, at least two-thirds have melodies.
The popular image of the troubadour or trouvère is that of the itinerant musician wandering from town to town, lute
on his back. Such people existed, but they were called jongleurs
and minstrel
s — poor musicians, male and female, on the fringes of society. The troubadours and trouvères, on the other hand, represent aristocrat
ic music making. They were either poets and composers who were supported by the aristocracy or, just as often, were aristocrats themselves, for whom the creation and performance of music was part of the courtly tradition. Among their number we can count king
s, queen
s, and count
esses. The texts of these songs are a natural reflection of the society that created them. They often revolve around idealized treatments of courtly love
("fine amors", see grand chant
) and religious devotion, although many can be found that take a more frankly earthy look at love.
The performance of this style of music is a matter of conjecture. Some scholars suggest that it should be performed in a free rhythmic style and with limited use of accompanying instruments (especially those songs with more elevated text). Other scholars, as well as many performers, believe that instrumental accompaniment and a more rhythmic interpretation is equally valid.
Johannes de Grocheio
, a Paris
ian musical theorist of the early 14th century, believed that trouvère songs inspired kings and noblemen to do great things and to be great: "This kind of song is customarily composed by kings and nobles and sung in the presence of kings and princes of the land so that it may move their minds to boldness and fortitude, magnanimity
and liberality..." (Page, 1997)
Since the 1980s, the existence of women trouvères is generally accepted.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
(langue d'oïl) form of the word trobador (as spelled in the langue d'oc). It refers to poet-composers who were roughly contemporary with and influenced by the troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
s but who composed their works in the northern dialects of France. The word trouvère comes from the Old French trovere, from the Provençal
Provençal
Provençal may refer to:*Provençal, meaning "of Provence", a region of France*Provençal dialect, a dialect of the Occitan language, spoken in the south-east of France*Provençal, meaning the whole Occitan language...
word trobaire, meaning 'to find or invent (rhetorically)' . The first known trouvère was Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère who flourished in the late 12th century. Perhaps he named himself Christian of Troyes in contrast to the illustrious Rashi, also of Troyes...
(fl. 1160s-80s) (Butterfield, 1997) and the trouvères continued to flourish until about 1300. Some 2130 trouvère poems have survived; of these, at least two-thirds have melodies.
The popular image of the troubadour or trouvère is that of the itinerant musician wandering from town to town, lute
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
on his back. Such people existed, but they were called jongleurs
Juggling
Juggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
and minstrel
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
s — poor musicians, male and female, on the fringes of society. The troubadours and trouvères, on the other hand, represent aristocrat
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
ic music making. They were either poets and composers who were supported by the aristocracy or, just as often, were aristocrats themselves, for whom the creation and performance of music was part of the courtly tradition. Among their number we can count king
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
s, queen
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
s, and count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
esses. The texts of these songs are a natural reflection of the society that created them. They often revolve around idealized treatments of courtly love
Courtly love
Courtly love was a medieval European conception of nobly and chivalrously expressing love and admiration. Generally, courtly love was secret and between members of the nobility. It was also generally not practiced between husband and wife....
("fine amors", see grand chant
Grand chant
The gran chan or, in modern French, chanson courtoise or chanson d'amour, often abbreviated chanson, was a genre of Old French lyric poetry devised by the trouvères. It was adopted from the Occitan canso of the troubadours, but scholars stress that it was a distinct genre...
) and religious devotion, although many can be found that take a more frankly earthy look at love.
The performance of this style of music is a matter of conjecture. Some scholars suggest that it should be performed in a free rhythmic style and with limited use of accompanying instruments (especially those songs with more elevated text). Other scholars, as well as many performers, believe that instrumental accompaniment and a more rhythmic interpretation is equally valid.
Johannes de Grocheio
Johannes de Grocheio
Johannes de Grocheio was a Parisian musical theorist of the early fourteenth century. His French name was Jean de Grouchy, but he is more commonly known by his Latinized name. A Master of Arts, he is the author of the treatise Ars musicae Johannes de Grocheio (Grocheo) (c. 1255 – c....
, a Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
ian musical theorist of the early 14th century, believed that trouvère songs inspired kings and noblemen to do great things and to be great: "This kind of song is customarily composed by kings and nobles and sung in the presence of kings and princes of the land so that it may move their minds to boldness and fortitude, magnanimity
Magnanimity
Magnanimity is the virtue of being great of mind and heart. It encompasses, usually, a refusal to be petty, a willingness to face danger, and actions for noble purposes. Its antithesis is pusillanimity...
and liberality..." (Page, 1997)
Since the 1980s, the existence of women trouvères is generally accepted.
List of trouvères
- Adam de GivenchiAdam de GivenchiAdam de Givenchi was a trouvère, probably from Givenchy and active in and around Arras. His surname is also spelled Givenci, Gevanche, or Gievenci....
- Adam de la HalleAdam de la HalleAdam de la Halle, also known as Adam le Bossu was a French-born trouvère, poet and musician, whose literary and musical works include chansons and jeux-partis in the style of the trouveres, polyphonic rondel and motets in the style of early liturgical polyphony, and a musical play, "The Play of...
(c.1240–88) - Adenet Le Roi (c.1240–c.1300)
- Andrieu Contredit d'ArrasAndrieu Contredit d'ArrasAndrieu Contredit d'Arras was a trouvère from Arras and active in the Puy d'Arras. "Contredit" is probably a nickname. He wrote mostly grand chants, but also a pastourelle, a lai, and a jeu-parti with Guillaume li Vinier....
(† c.1248) - Aubertin d'Airaines
- Aubin de Sézanne
- Audefroi le Bastart (fl. c1200–1230)
- Baudouin des AuteusBaudouin des AuteusBaudouin des Auteus was a Picard trouvère of the early thirteenth century, probably from Autheux near Doullens. Unfortunately, "the two works attributed to him are both of disputed authorship."...
- Benoît de Sainte-MaureBenoît de Sainte-MaureBenoît de Sainte-Maure was a 12th century French poet, most probably from Sainte-Maure de Touraine near Tours, France. The Plantagenets' administrative center was located in Chinon - west of Tours....
- Blondel de Nesle (flFloruitFloruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
c.1175–1210) - CarasausCarasausCarasaus was a Belgian trouvère, five of whose works survive. His career can be dated because he dedicates two grand chants to Jehan de Dampierre and another to Henry III of Brabant...
- Chastelain de Couci (fl. c.1170–1203; †1203)
- Chardon de CroisillesChardon de CroisillesChardon de Croisilles or de Reims was an Old French trouvère and possibly an Occitan troubadour. He was probably from Croisilles, but perhaps Reims. He is associated with the school of trouvères in and around Arras...
- Chrétien de TroyesChrétien de TroyesChrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère who flourished in the late 12th century. Perhaps he named himself Christian of Troyes in contrast to the illustrious Rashi, also of Troyes...
(fl. 1160s–80s) - Colart le BoutellierColart le BoutellierColart le Boutellier was a well-connected trouvère from Arras. There are no references to him independent of his own and others' songs, found in the chansonniers. One of these depicts the known coat-of-arms used by the Boutillier family, one of the petty noble clans of Arras, and assigns it to...
- Colart le Changeur
- Colin MusetColin MusetColin Muset was an Old French trouvère and a native of Lorraine. He made his living in the Champagne by travelling from castle to castle singing songs of his own composition and playing the vielle. These are not confined to the praise of courtly love that formed the usual topic of the trouvères,...
(fl. c.1200–50) - Conon de BéthuneConon de BéthuneConon de Béthune was a crusader and "trouvère" poet.-Life:...
(fl. c.1180–c.1220; †1220) - Coupart
- Dame de Gosnai
- Dame MargotDame Margot (trouvère)Dame Margot was a trouvères from Arras, in Picardy, France. One extant work of hers is jeu parti, a debate song, in which she debates Dame Maroie. This song, "Je vous pri, dame Maroie," survives in two manuscripts, which each give separate and unrelated melodies. In another jeu parti she is a...
- Dame MaroieDame MaroieDame Maroie was a trouvères from Arras, in Picardy, France. She debates Dame Margot in a jeu parti, or debate song, "Je vous pri, dame Maroie." This song survives in two manuscripts, which each give separate and unrelated melodies...
- Ernoul CaupainErnoul CaupainErnoul Caupain was a trouvère, probably active in the mid-thirteenth century. Two pastourelles, a chanson courtoise, and a religious poem have survived of his work...
- Ernoul le Vieux
- Étienne de Meaux
- Eustache le Peintre de ReimsEustache le Peintre de ReimsEustache le Peintre de Reims or Eustache de Rains was a trouvère from Reims, possibly a painter , but that may just be a family name. Seven poems of his are preserved in surviving chansonniers....
- Gace BruléGace BruléGace Brulé , French trouvère, was a native of Champagne.His name is simply a description of his Blazonry. He owned land in Groslière and had dealings with the Knights Templar, and received a gift from the future Louis VIII. These facts are known from documents from the time...
(c.1159-after 1212) - Gaidifer d'AvionGaidifer d'AvionGaidifer d'Avion was an Artesian trouvère from Avion. He entered the Church and was associated with the poets of the so-called "School of Arras".Gaidifer was well-connected to contemporary poets...
- Gautier de CoincyGautier de CoincyGautier de Coincy was a French abbot, poet and musical arranger, chiefly known for his devotion to the Virgin Mary.While he served as prior of Vic-sur-Aisne he compiled Les Miracles de Nostre-Dame in which he set poems in praise of the Virgin Mary to popular melodies and songs of his...
(1177/8–1236) - Gautier de DargiesGautier de DargiesGautier de Dargies was a trouvère from Dargies. He was one of the most prolific of the early trouvères; possibly twenty-five of his lyrics survive, twenty-two with accompanying melodies, in sixteen separate chansonniers. He was a major influence on contemporary and later trouvères, and one of the...
(c.1170–after 1236) - Gautier d'Espinal († before July 1272)
- Gertrude, Duchess of Lorraine (1205–1225)
- Gillebert de Berneville (fl c.1255)
- Gilles le VinierGilles le VinierGilles le Vinier was a trouvère from a middle-class family of Arras. He was the younger brother of fellow trouvère Guillaume le Vinier. He entered the church and served as a canon at Arras, where he was the church's legal representative between 1225 and 1234, and at Lille. At Arras he created...
- Gobin de ReimsGobin de ReimsGobin de Reims was a thirteenth-century trouvère, probably from Reims. He wrote two satires against women: On soloit ça en arrier and Pour le tens qui verdoie, both attributed to him in the Chansonnier de l'Arsenal and related manuscripts. Elsewhere, however, Jehan d'Auxerre claims authorship of...
- Gontier de SoigniesGontier de SoigniesGontier de Soignies was a medieval trouvère and composer who was active from around 1180 to 1220.-Biography:Gontier was from the region of Soignies in the County of Hainaut, a region that was then a state of the Holy Roman Empire...
(fl. c.1180–1220) - Guibert KaukeselGuibert KaukeselMaistre Guibert Kaukesel or Hubert Chaucesel was a trouvère from Arras, where he is named as a canon in a document of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame in 1250. His title indicates he was probably a master of arts...
- Guillaume d'AmiensGuillaume d'AmiensGuillaume d'Amiens or Guillaume le Peigneur was a trouvère and painter from Amiens. All his music is contained in one chansonnier of Arras, now Latin 1490 in the Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana...
- Guillaume le VinierGuillaume le VinierGuillaume le Vinier was a French trouvère and poet. He was the older brother of Gilles le Vinier. He wrote over thirty essays, many accompanied by melodies, including jeu parti and partimen with Andrieu Contredit d'Arras.-References:...
(fl. c1220–45; †1245) - Guillaume VeauGuillaume VeauGuillaume Veau or Viaux, described as a maistre , was a thirteenth-century trouvère. Three chansons courtoises are attributed to him in the Vatican manuscript Reg.lat.1490:*J'ai amé trestout mon vivant...
- Guiot de DijonGuiot de DijonGuiot de Dijon was a Burgundian trouvère. The seventeen chansons ascribed to him are found in two chansonniers: the Chansonnier du Roi and the less reliable Berne Chansonnier...
(fl c.1200–30) - Guiot de ProvinsGuiot de ProvinsGuiot de Provins was a French poet and trouvère from the town of Provins in the Champagne area. A declining number of scholars identify him with Kyot the Provençal, the alleged writer of the source material used by Wolfram von Eschenbach for his romance Parzival, but most others consider such a...
- Henry Amion
- Henry le DébonnaireHenry III, Duke of BrabantHenry III of Brabant was Duke of Brabant between 1248 and his death. He was the son of Henry II of Brabant and Marie of Hohenstaufen....
- Henri de LacyHenry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of LincolnHenry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln was a confidant of Edward I of England.In 1272 on reaching the age of majority he became Earl of Lincoln...
(1249–1311) - Hue de la FertéHue de la FertéHue de la Ferté was a French trouvère who wrote three serventois attacking the regency of Blanche of Castile during the minority of Louis IX. He maligns Blanche's partiality to foreigners and singles out Theobald I of Navarre, another trouvère, as unworthy of her support...
- Hugues de Berzé (fl. c.1150–1220)
- Jaque de DampierreJaque de DampierreJaque de Dampierre, sometimes Jacques, was a thirteenth-century trouvère, possibly from Dampierre-en-Yvelines. He was of the later generation of troubadours. His two works, Cors de si gentil faiture and D'amours naist fruis vertueus, are found in a single manuscript. The both use bar form and the...
- Jacques Bretel
- Jacques de Cambrai
- Jacques de CysoingJacques de CysoingJacques de Cysoing was a late thirteenth-century Franco-Flemish trouvère. He wrote nine songs that survive, all of them with their melodies.Probably born into a noble Flemish family in Cysoing, "messire" Jacques probably flourished during the reign of Guy of Dampierre as Count of Flanders , for he...
- Jacques le Vinier
- Jean BodelJean BodelJean Bodel, who lived in the late twelfth century, was an Old French poet who wrote a number of chansons de geste as well as many fabliaux. He lived in Arras....
- Jean Renaut
- Jehan BretelJehan BretelJehan Bretel was a trouvère. Of his known oeuvre of probably 97 songs, 96 have survived. Judging by his contacts with other trouvères he was famous and popular...
(c1200–1272) - Jehan le Cuvelier d'ArrasJehan le Cuvelier d'ArrasJehan le Cuvelier d'Arras was a trouvère associated with the so-called "school of Arras". He may be the same person as Johannes Cuvellarius from Bapaume, a suburb of Arras, who is mentioned in documents of 1258. He was the respondent in nine jeux partis and judge of six; he also composed six...
(fl. c1240–70) - Jehan ErartJehan ErartJehan Erart was a trouvère from Arras, particularly noted for his favouring the pastourelle genre. He has left behind eleven pastourelles, ten grand chants, and one serventois....
(† c1259) - Jean le RouxJohn I, Duke of BrittanyJohn I the Red , known as John the Red due to the colour of his beard, was Duke of Brittany, from 1237 to his death...
- Jehan de BraineJehan de BraineJehan de Braine was, jure uxoris, the Count of Mâcon and Vienne from 1224 until his death. He was a younger son of Robert II of Dreux and his second wife, Yolanta de Couci. His wife was Alix, granddaughter of William V of Mâcon. Jehan was also a trouvère and a Crusader. He followed Theobald I of...
- Jehan Fremaux
- Jehan de GrievilerJehan de GrievilerJehan de Grieviler was an Artesian cleric and trouvère.Jehan was probably born at Grévillers near Arras. A certain "Grieviler" is mentioned in the necrology of the Confrérie des jongleurs et des bourgeois d'Arras under 1254–5, but since Jehan was a known member of the Puy d'Arras, he cannot...
- Jehan de NuevileJehan de NuevileJehan de Nuevile was the second son of the Eustache de Nuevile, a minor nobleman with land in Neuville-Vitasse, near Arras. Jehan succeeded to the patrimony on the death of his elder brother, Eustache. He himself was dead by 1254, when his younger brother, Gilles, appears as lord at Neuville...
- Jehan de Trie
- Jocelin de DijonJocelin de DijonJocelin de Dijon was an Old French trouvère, presumably from Dijon, with two surviving songs to his name and two more credited to an otherwise unidentifiable "Jocelin" in the Berne Chansonnier but which may be the work of Jocelin de Dijon.Of the two pieces attributed to him, only A l'entree del...
- Lambert FerriLambert FerriLambert Ferri was a trouvère and cleric at the Benedictine monastery at Saint-Léonard, Pas-de-Calais. By 1268 he was a canon and a deacon of the monastery; he is last associated with the monastery in 1282....
- Lorris Acot
- Mahieu de GantMahieu de GantMahieu de Gant was a Flemish trouvère from Ghent associated with the so-called "school of Arras". He has been conflated with Mahieu le Juif, but the same manuscript that contains both their works clearly distinguishes them...
- Mahieu le JuifMahieu le JuifMahieu le Juif was an Old French trouvère. His name means "Matthew the Jew" and, if his own songs are to be believed, he was a convert from Judaism to Christianity. Only two of his songs survive, one with a melody...
- Moniot d'ArrasMoniot d'ArrasMoniot d'Arras was a French composer and poet of the trouvère tradition. He was a monk of the abbey of Arras in northern France; the area was at the time a center of trouvère activity, and his contemporaries included Adam de la Halle and Colin Muset. His songs were all monophonic in the tradition...
(fl c1250–75) - Moniot de ParisMoniot de ParisMoniot de Paris was a trouvère and probably the same person as the Monniot who wrote the Dit de fortune in 1278. He was once thought to have flourished around 1200, but his dates have been pushed back....
(fl. c.1250–1278) - Oede de la CouroierieOede de la CouroierieOede de la Couroierie , also known as Eude de Carigas and Odo de Corigiaria, was a trouvère of Artois. He is documented beginning in 1270 as a clerk in the house of Count Robert II, who often sent him on diplomatic missions. He served Robert until his death. His will, made in June 1294, providing...
- Perrin d'Agincourt (fl. c.1245–50)
- Perrot de NeelePerrot de NeelePerrot de Neele was an Artesian trouvère and littérateur. He composed four jeux partis in collaboration with Jehan Bretel : "Amis Peron de Neele"; "Jehan Bretel, respondés"; "Pierrot de Neele, amis"; and "Pierrot, li ques vaut pis a fin amant"...
- Philippe de RemyPhilippe de Rémi (died 1265)Philippe de Rémi was an Old French poet and trouvère from Picardy, and the bailli of the Gâtinais from 1237 to at least 1249. He was also the father of Philippe de Beaumanoir, the famous jurist, by his wife Marie....
(c.1205–c.1265) - Pierre de CorbiePierre de CorbiePierre de Corbie was an early trouvère from the Île-de-France. He is probably the same person as the magister Petrus de Corbeia who served as a canon at Notre Dame d'Arras between 1188 and 1195...
- Pierre de MolinsPierre de MolinsPierre de Molins or Molaines was an early trouvère. He knew either Gace Brulé or the Chastelain de Couci, two of the first-generation trouvères. He was probably a member of a landed family of Épernay, or possibly of a family resident in and around Noyon...
- Pierrekin de la CoupelePierrekin de la CoupelePierrekin de la Coupele was a north French trouvère, from the Pas-de-Calais, probably the areas nowadays called Coupelle-Vieille and Coupelle-Neuve. He is regarded as a poor poet...
- Raoul de BeauvaisRaoul de BeauvaisRaoul de Beauvais was a trouvère from northeast of Paris. His period of activity is estimated based on his works being clumped with those of other mid-13th-century trouvères in the chansonniers. Six songs are attributed to him, with three also being attributed to Jehan Erart...
- Raoul de Ferier
- Raoul de SoissonsRaoul de SoissonsRaoul de Soissons was a French nobleman, Crusader, and trouvère. He was the second son of Raoul le Bon, Count of Soissons, and became the Sire de Coeuvres in 1232. Raoul participated in three Crusades....
(c.1215–1272) - Richard de FournivalRichard de FournivalRichard de Fournival or Richart de Fornival was a medieval philosopher and trouvère perhaps best known for the Bestiaire d'amour .-Life:...
(1201–c.1260) - Richart de SemilliRichart de SemilliRichart de Semilli was a trouvère, probably from Paris, which he mentions three times in his extant works...
- Robert de BloisRobert de BloisRobert de Blois was an Old French poet and trouvère, the author of narrative, lyric, didactic, and religious works...
- Robert de CastelRobert de CastelRobert de Castel was a trouvère active in and around Arras in the late thirteenth century. He is mentioned in the Congés of Baude Fastoul, written in 1272, which place him Arras at that date...
- Robert de Reims
- Robert de la PiereRobert de la PiereRobert de la Piere was a trouvère of the so-called "school" of Arras. In his time Robert's bourgeois family was prominent in Arras, though the earliest known member is only recorded in 1212. Robert served as a magistrate in 1255, as attested by one surviving document in the municipal archives...
- Simon d'Authie
- Sauvage d'Arraz
- Thibaut de Blazon
- Thibaut le ChansonnierTheobald I of NavarreTheobald I , called the Troubadour, the Chansonnier, and the Posthumous, was Count of Champagne from birth and King of Navarre from 1234...
(1201–53) - Thierri de Soissons
- Thomas de HerierThomas HerierThomas Herier, Erier, Erriers, or Erars was a Picard trouvère associated with the "Arras school".Herier is not mentioned in contemporary documents and all that is known about him is derived from his works. He composed a jeu parti with Gillebert de Berneville and possibly another with Guillaume le...
- Vidame de ChartresVidame de ChartresGuillaume de Ferrières was a French nobleman, probably the same person as the trouvère known only as the Vidame de Chartres...
- Vielart de CorbieVielart de CorbieVielart, Vielars, Wilars or Wilart de Corbie was one of the earliest trouvères from northern France. In one instance a chansonnier names him Willame and some scholars have followed this, concluding that "Vielart" and its variations form a sobriquet meaning "violist" or perhaps "old man" Vielart,...
- Walter of Bibbesworth