Final Project
Final Project
Part I Part I
Part II
Part II
Fan fan, fre re le le lan fan feyne. Fa ri
ra ri ra. Fan fan, fre re le le lan fan. Fa ri ra ri ra.
A l’estandart tost avant.
Quickly rally to the colors/flag
Boutez selle, gens d’armes à cheval.
Into the saddle, men at arms
Fre re le le lan fan feyne
Fre re le le lan fan [etc.]
Bruyez, tonnez bombardes et canons.
Roar & thunder, bombards and cannons.
Tonnez, gros courtaux et faulcons,
Thunder, burly courtauds (non-battle
Pour secourir les compaignons, horses) and falcons,
To help our comrades,
Les cons, les cons, les compagnons.
Our com-, our com-, our comrades.
Von, von, pa ti pa toc, von, von.
Von von, pa ti pa toc [clippety-clop]
Ta ri ra ri ra ri ra reyne
Ta ri ra [etc.]
Pon pon pon pon
Pon, pon [etc.]
La la la … poin poin … la ri le ron
la la la … poin poin … la ri le ron
France courage, courage.
France, have courage.
Donnez des horions.
Deal your blows
Chipe, chope, torche, lorgne.
Squeeze them, catch them, wipe them
pa ti pa toc, tricque trac, zin zin out, stare them down.
Pa ti pa toc [etc.]
Tue! à mort: serre.
Kill them, put them death,
Courage, prenez, frapez, tuez.
Courage, take, strike, kill them.
Gentilz gallans, soyez vaillans.
Be valiant, you noble, brave men.
Frapez dessus, ruez dessus
Strike them down, hurl yourselves at
Fers émoluz, chiques dessus. Alarme, them.
alarme! Freshly cast blades, stab them. Alarm,
alarm!
Courage prenez, après suyvez, frapez,
ruez. Take courage, pursue, strike, hurl.
Ils sont confuz, ils sont perduz.
They’re muddled, they’re lost.
Ils monstrent les talons.
They’re showing their heels.
Escampe toute frelore la tintelore.
Let all the weaklings flee the field,
Ilz son deffaictz. armor tinkling.
They are defeated.
Victoire au noble roy Françoys.
Victory to the noble King Francois!
Escampe toute frelore bigot.
Let all the feeble troublemakers flee the
field.
Essay:
Clément Janequin's La Gurre, one of the representative pieces of the Parisian chanson
genre. Parisian chanson is more courtly, musically more simple and more
homophonic, as in the case of Claudin de Sermisy's Tant que vivray, a very expressive
piece. La Gurre, however, is more aggressive in style, and in a way “abandons” these
This is a Parisian chanson that describes the course of a war that was ultimately won,
as the title of the chanson, La Gurre, suggests. Who were the warring parties in this
war? There is no direct historical evidence for this question, but a simple logical
inference can be made that this is a description of the famous Battle of Marignano.
If we read the lyrics of the text carefully, we will find several occurrences of the
words, for example, at the beginning of part 1 of the piece, measure 10-14, “La
victoire du noble roy Françoys.” meaning to the victory of the noble King Francois.
Although the lyrics mention King Francois's opponents several times, they do not
once specify the names of the opponents, as in measure 120-121 of part 2, “Ils
montrent les talons. By logical inference, we know that François I came to the throne
in 1515, and this work was first published in 1528 by Attaingnant, a famous French
publisher at the time, so it must be that the war depicted in this work took place in the
period between 1515 and 1528. Unfortunately, the Battle of Marignano was the only
victory of François I during his 32-year reign, and it was Venice and France that won
The reason why Janequin chose to publish this work thirteen years after the Battle of
Marignano is not known; Janequin, at that time, he was made curé of St Michel de
Rieufret, a position he had held since 1526, but the shortage of money was a recurring
problem throughout his life. this seems to be the only description of him from this
Structurally, La Gurre differs considerably from the typical Parisian Chanson example
Tant que vivray in that La Gurre is not strophic. the piece is formally divided into two
parts, part 1 and part 2, with part 1 describing the scene from the departure of the
French soldiers until they go into battle, and part 2 describing the scene on both sides
changing needs of the plot and scene. But it is worth noting how Janequin avoids the
lack of hierarchy that would result from long lyrics, and it is Janequin's transcendent
use of meter change in each part that separates the music into small sections in one
piece, Giovanni Gabrieli's In ecclesiis, but this is a 1615 example. An example of this
point, in part 1, measure 43, the meter change from quadruple to triple, the lyrics
triple, the lyrics before are depicting soldiers preparing for battle, “Phiffres soufflez,
frappez tambours. Tournez, virez, faites vos tours.” The lyrics after measure 43 are
like cheering and encouragement for the soldiers, “Avanturiers, bons compagnons...La
lance au poing, hardis et promptz Comme lions...” This section continues until the end
of measure 76. It goes without saying that a meter change is necessary here, if we
compare the feeling of the quadruple meter, the triple meter is more moving, less
1
Brown, Howard Mayer, and Richard Freedman. "Janequin, Clément." Grove Music
Online. 2001; Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.
https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.00
01/omo-9781561592630-e-0000014127.
tension, more suitable for powerful emotional expression.
From Harmony's point of view, it is simple from hearing, just like classical Parisian
chanson, which always has a nice cadence at the end of the phrase. However, from the
polyphony point of view, in general, Parisian chanson is known for its homophonic
and simple style. The use of mass of imitations in this example is relatively special for
the style of Parisian chanson. It reminds me about the Ars perfecta style of the Ave
Maria... virgo Serena of Josquin. Like the beginning of Ave Maria, the beginning of
La Gurre's measure is also a “perfecta” style. Like the beginning of Ave Maria, the
starting measure of La Gurre is also an imitation that brings the four voices in turn;
there is also the use of paired imitation in La Gurre, like in measure 43-52, where
superius and contra tenor make the first group of paired imitation, then, tenor and bass
follow as the first group of paired imitation, and then, tenor and bass follow as the
first group of paired imitation. then, tenor and bass follow as the second group.
Another point that should be mentioned in La Gurre is the use of sound imitation.
Their use is concentrated in Part 2, where they are used to vividly portray the sounds
of war conflicts. the biggest example starts from the measure 60-97.
[French]
Ta ri ra ri ra ri ra ri ra reyne
It is very interesting, because from the audience aspect, we seem really can hear
weapons striking each other, and Janequin uses a lot of imitation to create this effect
in this section. In the actual performance, from measure 63, there is a huge
从 Harmony 的角度,it is simple from hearing, just like classical Parisian chanson,
which always has a nice cadence at the end of the phrase. However, 从
polyphony 的 角 度 来 看 , in general, Parisian chanson is known for its homophonic
and simple style. 大量 imitation 在这个 example 里运用,对于 style of Parisian chanson 来说
显 得 相 对 特 殊 。 it remind me about the Ars perfecta 风 格 的 例 子 , the Ave Maria… virgo
Serena of Josquin. 就像 Ave Maria 的开头一样,La Gurre 的开头 measure is also imitation 的
形 式 使 四 个 声 部 依 次 进 入 ; La Gurre 中 也 有 paired imitation 的 运 用 , like in measure 43-
52 , superius and contra tenor make the first group of paired imitation, then,
tenor and bass followed as the second group。
[French]
Von, von, pa ti pa toc, von, von.
Ta ri ra ri ra ri ra reyne
Pon pon pon pon
La la la … poin poin … la ri le ron
it is very interesting, because from audience aspect, we seems really can hear
兵器相互打击所发出的声音,Janequin 在这个 section 运用了大量的 imitation 来制造这一效果。在实际的演奏中的处理中,
from measure 63, there is a huge accelerando starts, pushing the emotion
and speed 去向从未达到的高度。measure 93-97 tenor 多次高喊的“France!”更是为这一个 section
leading to a powerful ending.
Score:
Part1:
https://cim0-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/zxw1146_cim_edu/
Eepj8ktM6spOudig_rhzDkABSVGZJvwh1eDh1ELFeC9GDQ?e=9fl0h4
Part2:
https://cim0-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/zxw1146_cim_edu/
ERbjvYlOqLJLvNEwFnF6UjEBfGFbH3uBXp0VoCe8KERUQQ?e=glD7Cg
Recording Link:
Clément Janequin, La Gurre
Performance by: The Kings Singers/Anthony Rooley/Consort Of Musicke
Album: Madrigal History Tour
Released: 1984
https://open.spotify.com/track/6nqmg63VSOn4jhn5QZHoul?si=_VhC2bD_TC-
7LGFoWKUUQA&context=spotify%3Aalbum%3A3bB0LhF61QmlYfTlNmYDuD
Piece 2 (1600-1800)
Essay
Johann Sebastian Bach published his Clavier übung II for two-manual harpsichord in
1735, containing a total of two of Bach's most famous keyboards works, the Italian
Concerto and the French Overture we are analyzing today, BWV.831. Interestingly,
the earliest version of today's French Overture in d minor is written in c minor (the
BWV.831a today), and there are several possible hypotheses to explain this: the use of
the Italian concerto in F major and b minor is a continuation of the specific key
sequence used for the six partitas in Clavier übung I, which was also used in Clavier
übung II. The Partitas traverse the keys of B-Flat Major, C Minor, A Minor, D Major,
G Major, and E Minor. The addition of the F major and b minor could continue the
sequence.2
Here is the complete pattern of the sequence, the interval relation between each two
keys:
2
Luke Norell, Interpreting Bach’s Overture after the French Manner on the Modern
Piano (Doctoral document, Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music, 2014).
E major - F major: descending 7th
F major - b minor: ascending augmented 4th (seems as the “end” of the sequence)
The other theory claims that this setting, the contrast between F major and b minor,
highlights the dichotomy between the French and Italian styles more clearly3
Bach never left Germany in his life, and in the era when French and Italian styles
were prevalent, as Court Composer, in order to achieve greater bargaining power with
the Leipzig council, works like French Overture As a Court Composer, Bach, in order
to achieve greater bargaining power with the Leipzig council, would undoubtedly
have had a very good bargaining chip in the form of works in the international style
This French Overture, the tittle for the whole work seems not precisely. It is not as
one piece placed before the ballet's official performance as, for example, Jean-
Baptiste Lully's French Overture, but more like a combination of the structure of the
traditional Bach French Suite. The only difference between the two seems to be the
replacement of the Allemande at the beginning of the suite with an Overture, and the
addition of an Echo after the usual ending movement Gigue. it is much longer than the
traditional French Suite, but more like his Orchestral Suite, there are eleven
3
Frederick Neumann, “The Question of Rhythm in the Two Versions of Bach’s French
Overture, BWV 831,” in Studies in Renaissance and Baroque Music in Honor of Arthur
Mendel, ed. Robert L. Marshall (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 1974), 184
1. Overture
2. Courante
3. Gavotte I/II
4. Passepied I/II
5. Sarabande
6. Bourrée I/II
7. Gigue
8. Echo
Today we are going to analyze the Overture first, the overture mainly followed the
traditional French overture, which is generally being separate in three parts. The
structure of “slow-fast-slow” is similar to the ABA form, in which the first and last
sections use nearly identical material. It is worth mentioning that in Lully's Overture,
the first A section is significantly longer than the second A section; but in Bach's
Overture, the two A sections are almost equal in length. In terms of overall length,
From the first section of Lully's Overture, we can see that over dotting is a feature of
French overture, and the use of this feature seems to be more complex in Bach's
dotted notes, such as the moderent been put on the F of the measure 1, the short trill
on the A sharp of measure 8. Plus, Bach puts a number of These embellished arpeggio
markings on the chords (these markings even appear in the earliest c minor versions),
such as the down beat of measure 1, the third beat of measure 15. These
embellishments add to the overall splendor of the music. Besides, Bach also uses a lot
of counterpoint, quick 32nd notes to connect these dotted rhythms, some of which are
patterned in verse (measure 2, 2nd beat), some in scale (measure 18, beat 2). These
make this slow section as moving as possible, while ensuring that it fulfills the
The second section (measure 21-143), a fast section in contrast to section 1, is a true
Fugue section, with a more pronounced opposition between voices than in Lully's
Overture. It must be said that one of the features of Bach's work is the large number of
In the FIRST episode, measure 32-43, the shift from G major - A major - b minor - G
major - e minor is experienced; or for example measure 89-97, a group that follows
the very traditional Circle of Fifths, i.e. from A major - e minor - b minor - f sharp
minor. the final exposition (measure 123-143) is also very noteworthy, in this section,
especially measure 123-134, where it seems that the theme, which enters every two
ability and tension, from measure 134 onwards releases, demonstrating the
accumulated energy, and the last time the theme enters at 140, it leads directly to the
next section.
The compelete pattern of the sequence, the interval relation between each
two keys:
B-flat major - C minor: ascending 2nd
C minor - A minor: descending 3rd
A minor - D major: ascending 4th
D major - G major: descending 5th
G major - E major: ascending 6th
E major - F major: descending 7th
F major - b minor: ascending augmented 4th (seems as the “end “of the
sequence)
This French Overture,the tittle for the whole work seems not precisely. 它并不是像传
统意义上的例如 Jean-Baptiste Lully 的法国序曲那样 as one piece 置于芭蕾舞正式演出前,而更像是结合运用了传统
Bach French Suite 的结构:两者唯二的区别我们似乎可以理解成以 Overture 替代了原本出现在 suite 开头的
Allemande,以及在通常的 ending movement Gigue 之后添加了一个 Echo。从 movements
setting 上来说,it is much longer than traditional French Suite,but more like his
Orchestral Suite,一共有 11 个 movements,它们的排序如下:
1. Overture
2. Courante
3. Gavotte I/II
4. Passepied I/II
5. Sarabande
6. Bourrée I/II
7. Gigue
8. Echo
Today we are going to analyze the Overture first, the overture mainly followed
the traditional French overture, which is generally being separate in three
parts. 遵循“慢-快-慢”的结构,有点类似于 ABA form,即首尾两段使用近乎相同的素材。值得一提的是在 Lully 的
Overture 中,第一个 A section 要明显比第二个 A section 长;但 Bach 的 Overture,两个 A section 却
几乎是等长的。从整体篇幅上来看,Bach 的 Overture 也比 Lully 的 Overture 要长的多。
Score:
Full Score Link:
https://cim0-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/zxw1146_cim_edu/
ES_JimLX56RAkceAaG0SxmkB65Aud00BJp4auM7cD55YDA?e=ha5GPS
Recording Link:
Johann Sebastian Bach, French Overture, BWV.831
Performance by: Szilvia Takács
Album: Johann Sebastian Bach French Overture BWV 831
Released: 2022
https://open.spotify.com/album/6ENup4Qet33vb42USPOHVw?
si=oO3NutmsR4WAe8D8bbyM8w