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A new songbook from the 1400s

Hannah French uncovers the amazing story of a 15th-century songbook rediscovered in 2014, in conversation with Professor Jane Alden of Wesleyan University.

Hannah French uncovers the amazing story of a 15th-century songbook rediscovered in 2014, in conversation with Professor Jane Alden of Wesleyan University. The Leuven Chansonnier, as it's become known, is only the size of a pack of playing cards, but it's beautifully decorated and packed full of the most popular French chansons of the day - plus 12 songs that until now were lost for 550 years.

Photographs of the whole Leuven Chansonnier can be seen on the website of the Alamire Foundation here (click on "VIEW IMAGES" towards the right-hand side of the page): https://idemdatabase.org/items/show/166

Additional information about the Leuven Chansonnier and the related family of songbooks known as the Loire Valley Chansonniers is available on the website created by Peter Woetmann Christoffersen: https://chansonniers.pwch.dk

Thanks to Danish Radio for the recording of Robert Morton's "Le souvenir de vous me tue".

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Sun 4 Feb 2024 14:00
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Anon

    Tousdis vous voit mon souvenir (My memory sees you always)

    Ensemble: Sollazzo Ensemble. Director: Anna Danilevskaia.

  • Walter Frye

    Ave Regina celorum (Hail, Queen of heaven)

    Ensemble: Capilla Flamenca. Director: Marnix De Cat.

  • Walter Frye

    Tout a par moy (All by myself)

    Ensemble: La Morra.

  • Gilles Binchois

    Je ne vis onques la pareille (I have never seen the equal)

    Ensemble: Orlando Consort.

  • Michelet

    S'il advient que mon dueil me tue (If it happens that my grief kills me)

    Ensemble: Sollazzo Ensemble. Director: Anna Danilevskaia.

  • Johannes Ockeghem

    Les desloyaulx ont la saison (The disloyal are in season)

    Ensemble: Cut Circle. Director: Jesse Rodin.

  • Firminus Caron

    Cent mil escuz quant je vouldroye (A hundred thousand crowns when I want them)

    Singer: Emma Kirkby. Singer: John Elwes. Ensemble: Consort of Musicke.

  • Robert Morton

    Le souvenir de vous me tue (The memory of you kills me)

    Ensemble: Ensemble Charneyron. Director: Peter Woetmann Christoffersen.

  • Johannes Ockeghem

    D'un autre amer (By loving another)

    Ensemble: Blue Heron. Director: Scott Metcalfe.

  • Antoine Busnois

    Quant ce viendra au droit destaindre (When it comes to the true torment)

    Ensemble: Ensemble Amadis.

  • Anonymous 15th Century

    Donnez l'aumosne, chiere dame (Give alms, dear lady)

    Ensemble: Sollazzo Ensemble. Director: Anna Danilevskaia.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 13 Feb 2022 14:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3
  • Sun 4 Feb 2024 14:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 3

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