Se Alixandre et Hector fussent en vie
ballade by Trebor
Sources
Chantilly: Bibliothèque du Musèe Condè 564, fol. 30 (3/1).
Editions
1. French Secular Music of the Late Fourteenth Century, edited by Willi Apel, Cambridge/Massachusetts: Medieval Academy of America, 1950, no. 45.
2. French Secular Compositions of the Fourteenth Century, music edited by Willi Apel, texts
edited by Samuel N. Rosenberg, Rome: American Institute of Musicology, 1970. Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae 53/I, p. 216.
3. French Secular Music. Manuscript Chantilly, Musèe Condè 564, First Part, edited by Gordon K. Greene,
Monaco: Editions de L'Oiseau-Lyre, 1981. Polyphonic Music of the Fourteenth Century XVIII, p. 103.
4. Five Ballades for the House of Foix, edited by Peter M. Lefferts, with text edition and commentary by Sylvia Huot, Newton Abbott:
Antico Editions, 1989.
5. BROWN, Howard Mayer. 'A ballade for Mathieu de Foix: style and structure in a composition by Trebor', Musica Disciplina, XLI (1987), p. 97.
Literature
1. GÜNTHER, Ursula. 'Eine Ballade auf Mathieu de Foix', Musica Disciplina, XIX (1965), pp. 73-80.
2. GOMEZ, Maria del Carmen. El Ars Nova en la Corona de Arag¢n o la M£sica en la Casa Real Catalana-Aragonese Durante los Anos
1336-1432, Barcelona: Antoni Bosch, [1977]. Historia y Documentos I, Musica II.
3. GÜNTHER, Ursula. 'Unusual phenomena in the transmission of late fourteenth-century polyphonic music', Musica Disciplina, XXXVIII (1984), p. 89.
4. GÜNTHER, Ursula. 'Sinnbezüge zwischen Text und Musik in Ars nova und Ars subtilior', Musik und Text in der Mehrstimmigkeit des 14. und 15. Jahrhunderts, edited by U. Günther and L. Finscher, Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1984, pp.
229-268.
5. BROWN, Howard Mayer. 'A ballade for Mathieu de Foix: style and structure in a composition by Trebor', Musica Disciplina, XLI (1987): 75-107.
6. GOMEZ, Maria Carmen. 'La musique à la maison royale de Navarre à la fin du
moyen âge et le chantre Johan Robert', Musica Disciplina, XLI (1987), p. 144.
Recordings
1. Ars Nova S. XIV: Missa de Barcelona, Mùsica Profana, Atrium Musicum Madrid, directed by Gregorio Paniagua: Harmonia Mundi HMF 10.033 (FRA).
2. Dictionnaire des Instruments Anciens, Clemencic Consort, Ars Musicae, Atrium Musicae,
Ensemble Ric: Harmonia Mundi HMU (3) 445.
Text
Se Alixandre et Hector fussent en vie
an toute leur prouesse et ardement,
et tenissent Acilles sans envie
qui ceulz de Troye grieva moult asprement,
sur touz tendroit au jour d'ui seignourie
cilz qui enseigne porte en champs et
batailles:
Foyx et Bearn, Castelbon et Noualles.
Son haut renon est en mainte partie,
car est ardis, couraugeus et vaillant.
En Europe en le pais d'Armenie
n'a et doubté et agouvernement,
ne qui si bien aime
chevalierie.
A ly traient ceulz qui ont contéz de vaillez,
Foyx et Bearn, [Castelbon et Noualles.]
Por ce doit bien estre sans fleterie
craint et doubté et amé chierement
[par tous gens qui sont en sa
compaignie,
et chascuns sans cesser devotement]
devroyt pour cil prier en chiere lie
qui en pais tient sa terre et sans servailles:
Foyx et Bearn, [Castelbon et Noualles.]
TranslationIf Alexander and Hector were alive
in all their prowess and valour,
and were they not envious of Achilles,
who brought such bitter grief to the Trojans,
above all he would hold this day seignioral authority
who bears the
ensign in fields and in battles:
Foix and B‚arn, Castelbon and Novailles.
He is held in high renown in many a land,
for he is brave, courageous and valiant.
In Europe, in the land of Armenia
there is none both so feared and of
such good government,
nor who loves chivalry so well.
They refer to him who have told tales of vallets:
Foix and B‚arn, [Castelbon and Novailles.]
For this reason well should he be, without weak-heartedness,
feared and held in
awe and loved dearly
[by all those people who are in his company,
and each, devoutly, without ceasing,]
ought to pray for him with good cheer
who keeps his land and that without serfs in peace:
Foix and B‚arn, [Castelbon and
Novailles.]
Text revision and translation © Robyn Smith