Jaquemin de Senleches La harpe de mellodie (virelai)
(ca. 1390 )
La harpe de mellodie (Chicago, Newberry Library)
The Medieval Ensemble of London
Peter Davies & Timothy Davies, Directors
Rogers Covey-Crump, Paul Elliott, tenors; Peter Davies, harp
from CD “Ce Diabolic Chant”
© 1982 L’Oiseau-Lyre
475 9119
La harpe de mellodie
Faite sanz merancolie
Par plaisir
Doit bien chascun resjoir
Pour l’armonie
Oir sonner et veir.
Et pour ce je sui d’acort
Pour le gracieux deport
De son douz son,
De faire sanz nul discort
Dedens li, de bon acort,
Une chanson
Pour plaire une compagnie
Pour avoir plaisanche lie
De me vir,
Pour deplaisance fuir
Que trop anuie
A ceulz qui plaist a oir.
La harpe de mellodie
Faite sanz merancolie
Par plaisir
Doit bien chascun resjoir
Pour l’armonie
Oir sonner et veir.
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The harp of melody,
made without melancholy
for pleasure,
should greatly delight
everyone to hear its
harmony sound and to see.
And therefore, I agree,
for the gracious entertainment
of its sweet sound
to compose without discord
in it a chanson of
good sentiments,
To please a company,
to have joyous pleasure
in seeing me,
to flee from unpleasantness,
which too much annoys those
who take pleasure in hearing.
The harp of melody,
made without melancholy
for pleasure,
should greatly delight
everyone to hear its
harmony sound and to see.
—Trans. Richard Hoppin
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Directions in the form of a virelai on the ribbon wound
around the harp’s post for deciphering the notation:
Se tu me veulz proprement pronuncier
Sus la tenur pour miex estre d’acort
Diapenthe te convient comencier,
Ou autrement tu seras en discort.
Pars blanc et noir per mi sans oublier
Lay le tonant, ou tu li feras tort.
Se tu me veulz proprement pronuncier
Sus la tenur pour miex estre d’acort
Puis vacassant duz temps sanz forvoier,
Premiere note en .d. prent son resort;
Harpe toudis sans espasse blechier,
Par sentement me puis donner confort
Se tu me veulz proprement pronuncier
Sus la tenur pour miex estre d’acort
Diapenthe te convient comencier,
Ou autrement tu seras en discort.
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If you would perform me properly,
You should begin a fifth above the tenor
To be in better accord,
Or otherwise you will be in discord.
Let the black and white parts (notes) sound by half,
Without forgetting, or you will do them wrong.
If you would perform me properly,
Above the tenor to be in better accord,
Then follow at two tempora without straying;
The first note takes its spring from .d.;
Harp always without touching the spaces
With feeling you can give me comfort.
If you would perform me properly,
You should begin a fifth above the tenor
To be in better accord,
Or otherwise you will be in discord.
— Trans. Richard Hoppin
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