Songs of the Troubadours and Trouveres: An Anthology of Poems and Melodies (Garland Reference Library of the Humanities) [Hardcover]

Samuel N. Rosenberg (Editor), Margaret Switten (Editor), Gerard Le Vot (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1997 | ISBN-10: 0815313411 | ISBN-13: 978-0815313410 | Edition: Har/Com

This anthology offers a broad, representative selection of lyric compositions by the poet-musicians of 12th- and 13th-century France: the Provencal troubadours of the south - the originators of "courtly love" - and their northern counterparts, the trouveres. Using both musicological and philological expertise, the collection is a valuable resource for musical performers and students of early poetry. The audio CD has recordings of 12 pieces from the anthology.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is the first published comprehensive anthology of texts, English translations, and music of Old Occitan and Old French secular song, and it surely will find a significant niche in the libraries of scholars of these repertories.
–The Medieval Review

Product Details

• Hardcover: 390 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; Har/Com edition (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815313411
• ISBN-13: 978-0815313410
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,254,141 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a welcoming anthology, January 8, 2001

By 

John Bromka (Marcellus, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Songs of the Troubadours and Trouveres: An Anthology of Poems and Melodies (Garland Reference Library of the Humanities) (Hardcover)

Expensive, yes. But there aren't a whole lot of Troubadour or Trouvère anthologies available in print, especially ones with music. And this is an excellent anthology, beautifully produced on light crème-colored 250-year acid-free paper. It's probably the next best thing to owning G, R, X, or W, one of the 4 existing Troubadour chansonniers with music. Notation is mostly the enlightened non-metrical variety proposed by Hendrik van der Werf: noteheads only, with neumes indicated by slurs. The page layout is spacious and delightful, with side-by side text and translation of Old Occitan to English by Margaret Switten and Old French to English by Samuel Rosenberg. Both text editors have given very clear, flowing translations. I especially appreciate Switten for preserving the Old Occitan syntax as much as possible, which makes it much easier to get a handle on the learning the original Occitan while working through a song.

You don't have to be a musicologist to appreciate this anthology. Though solidly researched with sources and key editorial decisions clearly indicated, most of the "critical apparatus" has been left to the editors' previous publications. Commentary is given at the section headings for the various poet-composers along with their vidas (lifes). Pronunciation guides and introductory essays give just enough linguistic, musicological, and historical background and differing opinions to encourage readers and singers to draw their own conclusions and make their own informed and inspired interpretations. To continue the tradition. A small selection of sharply-reproduced facimile pages makes the visual and spiritual link between this rare volume and the chansonniers of old.

The accompanying CD is well performed and a joy to listen to.