La Trobe University - Library: Medieval Music Database - Annual cycle of feasts of liturgical chant, liturgical polyphony and secular music of the late middle ages.

Pas de tor en thies pais

ballade by Guillaume de Machaut

Sources

New York: Wildenstein Collection, fol. 312v (3/1);
Paris: Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 843 (text); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1584 (MachA), fol. 469v (3/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 1585 (MachB), fol. 311v (3/1); Bibliothèque Nationale, fonds français 9221 (MachE), fol. 156 (3/1).

Editions

1. Guillaume de Machaut: Musikalische Werke. Erster Band: Balladen, Rondeaux und Virelais, edited by Friedrich Ludwig, Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1926, p. 33.
2. The Works of Guillaume de Machaut, Second Part, edited by Leo Schrade, Monaco: Editions de L'Oiseau-Lyre, 1956. Polyphonic Music of the Fourteenth Century III, p. 116.
3. The 600th Anniversary of the Death of Guillaume de Machaut (c1300-1377), Early Music V/4 (1977) (special edition), with musical supplement edited by Elizabeth Keitel, p. supplement, edited by Elizabeth.

Text Editions

Guillaume de Machaut: poèsies lyriques, 2 vols., edited by V. Chichmaref, Paris: 1909, p. 559.

Literature

1. HAAS, Robert. Aufführungspraxis der Musik, Potsdam: Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Athenaion, 1931, p. 96.
2. MACHABEY, Armand. Guillaume de Machault, 130?-1377: La vie et l'oeuvre musicale, 2 vols, Paris: Richard-Masse-Editeur, 1955. Bibliothèque d'ètudes musicales, pp. 43-44.
3. GÜNTHER, Ursula. Der musikalische Stilwandel der französischen Liedkunst in der zweiten Hälfte des 14. Jahrhunderts, dargestelt an Virelais, Balladen und Rondeax von Machaut., Ph.D. dissertation, University of Hamburg: 1957, Chapter 4.1.
4. SALOP, Arnold. 'The secular polyphony of Guillaume de Machaut', [chapter 2 of his] Studies on the History of Musical Style, Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1971, pp. 69-70.
5. SWARTZ, Anne. 'A new chronology of the ballades of Machaut', Acta Musicologica, XLVI (1974): 192-207.
6. HARDEN, Jean. '"Musica ficta" in Machaut', Early Music, V/4 (1977): 473-477.
7. GÜNTHER, Ursula. 'Contribution de la musicologie à la biographie et à la chronologie de Guillaume de Machaut', Guillaume de Machaut, poète et compositeur. Colloque - Table Ronde, 1978, pp. 95-116.

Recordings

1. Ah Sweet Lady: The Romance of Medieval France [Medieval Roots], New York Pro Musica, directed by John White (1967): Decca 9431/ DL 79431/ DL 79438.
2. Lancaster and Valois: French and English music, 1350-1420, Gothic Voices, directed by Christopher Page (1992): Hyperion CDA66588.

Text

Pas de tor en thies pais,
Qui portes douceur et biaute,
Blanc et vermeil, com rose ou lis,
En un escu de loyaute,
La clarte de vostre bonte
Resplent plus que la tresmonteinne
Seur toute creature humeinne.

Gent corps, cointe, apert et faitis,
Maintieng plein de toute honneste,
Se je vous aim, serf, loe et pris,
N'est merveilles, qu'en verite
Vous avez si tout seurmonte
Que vous estes fleur souvereinne
Seur toute creature humeinne.

Si seroie a tous jours garis
Ne ja mais n'aroie griete,
Se vos nobles cuers et gentis,
Courtois, frans et pleins de pite
Savoit que d'umble volente
Li miens de vous servir se peinne
Seur toute creature humeinne

Translation

There is no tower in German lands
Which bears sweetness and beauty
White and red, like rose or lily,
In a shield of loyalty.
The beam of your goodness
Shines more than the pole star
On every human creature.

A comely body, dainty, simple and neat,
A demeanour full of all honesty,
If I love, serve, praise and honour you,
It is no wonder, for in truth
You have so surpassed all
That you are the sovereign flower
Of every human creature.

So I should be forever cured
And never more have grief,
If your noble and gentle heart,
Courteous, frank and full of pity
Knew that in humble desire
My heart strives to serve you
Over every human creature.
Text revision and translation © Jennifer Garnham