“Armes, Amours, dames, chevalerie/O flour des flours”, François Andrieu | TENET Vocal Artists

“Armes, Amours, dames, chevalerie/O flour des flours de toute melodie”, François Andrieu, late 14th century

The Cycle of Invention: The Next Generation
May 5, 2017
Tenri Cultural Institute, NYC

Jolle Greenleaf, soprano
Virginia Warnken Kelsey, mezzo soprano,
Jason McStoots, tenor
Owen McIntosh, tenor
Debra Nagy, recorder
Charles Weaver, lute
Scott Metcalfe, harp

Translation:
I.
Arms, Love, ladies, knights,
clerics, musicians, and artisans of French,
all philosophers, all poets,
all those who have melodious voices,
those who sing in parts from time to time
and hold dear the sweet art of music:
put on mourning, weep, as is most fitting, for
the death of Machaut, the noble rhetorician.

He never spoke foolishly about Love,
but was courtly in all his poems,
and so his singing much pleased
great lords, counts, and city folk.
Ah, Orpheus, you should amply lament
and mourn with a heartfelt regret—
Arethusa too, Alpheus, all three—
the death of Machaut, the noble rhetorician.

Pray for him, that none might forget him:
this the bailliff of Valois [i.e. Deschamps] requires of you,
for there is none alive today
such as he was, nor will his like appear for a long time.
He will be mourned by counts and kings
for a long time on account of his fine skills.
Put on black, weep, all Champenois, for
the death of Machaut, the noble rhetorician.

II.
O flower of flowers of all melody,
sweetest master who was so adept,
O Guillaume, worldly god of harmony,
after your deeds, who will win the prize
among all makers? Surely, I do not know him.
Your name will be a precious relic,
for they weep in France and in Artois for
the death of Machaut, the noble rhetorician.

The fount of Circe and fountain of Helicon,
of which you are the stream and conduit
from which poets drew their lessons,
fittingly fall silent, whence I am much distressed.
Alas! this is for you, who lies cold and dead in the tomb.
Woe is me! grievous affront, beggaring reply.
Weep, harps and Saracen horns, for
the death of Machaut, the noble rhetorician.

Weep, rebec, fiddle, and sinfonia,
psaltery, all courtly instruments,
gitterns, recorders, harps, shawm,
flutes, and you of ample voice,
put drums to work as well,
all you venerable instruments.
Do as you must, weep, gentle Gauls, for
the death of Machaut, the noble rhetorician.