Guillaume de Machaut

Guillaume de Machaut (also Machault, * 1300-1305; † April 13, 1377 in Reims ) was a French composer and poet of the Middle Ages.

Life and literary creation

The date of birth and place of birth are not known for sure Machaut. He probably came from the area of Reims, from the Ardennes village Machault, as a son of a non- noble family, but clearly was wealthy enough to allow him a good education. After studying at the cathedral school of Reims, he joined one at 1323 in the service of the Duke John of Luxembourg, who was also King of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia and whom he accompanied as secretary on his many journeys through his territories and on numerous military campaigns. Thanks to him, he received in 1333, although never ordained a priest, the expectation of a profitable Domherrenpfründe in the cathedral chapter of Reims, which he occupied in 1337. Here he lived from about 1340 predominantly, although he continues traveled around a lot.

As 1346 Johann in the Anglo- French Battle of Crécy on the part of Philip VI. died of France, Machaut entered the service of Jutta von Luxembourg, the daughter of John and Philip's daughter. When Jutta died in 1349, Machaut was a poet famous enough to need no fixed position in addition to his Domherrenpfründe more. Instead, he joined loosely changing princely patrons to, such as the French Crown Prince Charles ( King Charles V 1364-1380 ) or its kunstliebendem younger brother Duke John of Berry († 1416), at whose courts he guested and he - of course against pay - his works devoted.

Machaut's literary work consists in part of usually shorter, mostly allegorical narrative poems and novels, which generally use the I - shape and have many autobiographical elements. He also dabbled in the genre verse chronicle with La Prise d' Alexandrie, a report from the ( temporary ) conquest of Alexandria in 1365, he from 1370 to 1371 in honor of the Conqueror in 1369 murdered Pierre de Lusignan, King of Cyprus, wrote. Above all, he was a prolific, his art reflective poet, of the 234 ballads, 76 Rondeau, and around 100 other poems have been preserved. Main subject of this lyricism, formally and thematically predominantly in the wake of the courtly poetry of 12-13. Century, minnesongs stands, is " the praise of the ladies ." Machaut was actually one of the last poet who has set to music many of his poems.

Of interest, he is also the author of the well first autobiographical romance novel in French literature, Le Livre du voir dit ( = the book of the true seal), a 1362 written love story about the young Peronne d' Armentieres and the already elderly poet, with this same time, the emergence of his work with theme.

As a document of the widespread medieval anti-Judaism was mentioned ( the judgment of the King of Navarre =) Machaut's narrative poem Le Jugement du Roi de Navarre. Herein, the great plague of the year 1349/1350 is presented as a series of well poisoning by the Jews and the pogroms seen as just punishment.

Among his contemporaries Machaut was regarded as a masterpiece, especially the lyrical art. His influence on the poets after him, and in particular Jean Froissart, Eustache Deschamps and Christine de Pizan was great.

Its existence as an artist in the service of courts and princely patrons should be typical of his successors in the late Middle Ages.

The composer

Machaut is the most significant composer of the Ars nova. Because of the complicated harmonies, and Isoperiodik Isorhythmie, as well as the separation from the cantus firmus in the tenor and the appreciation of the Cantilena in his work, he is regarded as " avant-garde " of the 14th century. His Messe de Nostre Dame ( 1360 /65) is considered the first full four -part setting of the Ordinariumsteile as one cycle. Until then, it was common for the individual Ordinariumsteile unanimously (partly alternating choral solo ) singing. The novelty of polyphonic composition technique - not only in Machaut - the church was a thorn in the side. In a bull of Pope John XXII in 1325 criticized. the new style and demanded under threats of ecclesiastical penalties to restore the unanimous song, which is probably based on the then Tonmystik in which the unanimity symbolized the unity and simultaneous multiplicity of God. According to the Pope should ( symbol of perfection and salvation of all saints in God ), fourth (Find action on earthly imperfection, the unfinished ) and the fifth as pure interval using as intervals in music, only the octave.

However, the main work of Guillaume de Machaut form the secular compositions: Virelais (from Machaut to his new structuring of the ballad ballad called in distinction also Chanson ), Rondeau, and ballads. The novelty of the song structure is the task of the cantus firmus, that is until his work was the tenor as the lowest voice of melody carrier. However Machaut now faces the Cantilena, the upper voice, the melody, while tenor ( middle voice ) and countertenor have accompanying function. The Cantilena is fictitious in contrast to the Cantus Firmus. That is the first time the freedom of all votes in a contrapuntal writing, which, as we are used to today, the upper voice, the most important function that the melody holds. The freedom of the melody finding enabled Machaut also an optimal musical arrangement of his love poetry. The music gives the text an extraordinary individuality, they support the statements and is closely related in structure to the verses of the text. This he achieved inter alia through the Isoperiodik which divided the individual voices in uniform periods, and through the Isorhythmik that the voices also brings in rhythmic unison. With the use of Isoperiodik and Isorhythmie Guillaume de Machaut builds on the Notre- Dame school under Léonin and Perotin.

Machaut's work - poetry and compositions - must be considered in the context of contemporary society. The recipients of his work were the princely courts. Therefore, in his work is the delectare clearly the focus of what he noticed in retrospect in his writing also Prologue 1360-1370. In this "Preface" to the manuscripts of his works, which he has had to submit and represent a unique source location of a medieval composers, also its self is seen as an artist. He tells them that he accepted the job of the personified Nature, ' le bien qui sont en honneur Amours " to bring more to display than was previously the case. From the Nature put to him as a condition and means of designing three basic forms to: scens, Retorique and Musique. This shows the great self Machaut. Machaut tried with his courtly musica reservata, including his poetry through music with, to build on the troubadours and Trouvères.

Works

• Seal Le jugement dou Roy de Navarre, narrative verse
• Livre dou voir dit, verse novel
• La Prise d' Alexandrie, Chronicle
• 234 ballades, 76 rondeaus to the 100 other poems

• Music Messe de Nostre lady with the parts of the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, Ite, missa est ( 4-part )
• 23 motets
• Hoquetus David ( 3-part )
• Songs in Kantilenensatz: there are known 42 ballads
• 21 Rondeau
• 34 Virelais

• 33 Lais