Lai

The term Lai was used in medieval Europe for Versdichtungen different style and is in Provencal as a relay, as in Old French lai, in Middle English as lay and in Middle High German as the lowest since about 1140 use. The various phenomena which the Volkssprachigkeit is only together, are differentiated according to poetic features and inscribed. At least one frequently encounters the lai lyrique, the lai lai breton and the arthurien; other forms are known.

Etymology

For the etymology of the term, there are several controversial theories. Ferdinand Wolf it derives from the Old Irish loid / laid, which means " song." G. Paris establishes the connection to the Anglo-Saxon laic / lac ( "Gabe "), while R. Baum Latin laicus / laice has as a starting point. Hugo Kuhn also comes from the Germanic root laik out, which translates as "dance" or " game" means, in Anglo-Saxon but also in the meaning " sacrifice" appears. Hermann Apfelböck refers to the Old High German lend ( " song ", " melody ").

Christoph in March criticized at all theses on the etymology of the blending of word and material history, opening themselves to the theorists. Although etymon thing and not have to have gone the same way, the etymon of the history and content determination of the matter is claimed.

Lai lyrique

The French lai lyrique is closely related to the German Leich. This term monodic ( here means " unanimous " ) works in the vernacular together, beyond the principle of Gleichstrophigkeit and both lyrical than epic and dramatic elements also have. As a relatively long and complex genus lyrical Lais take already with the Trouvères, troubadours and minstrels a special position and apply particularly in the 13th century as the pinnacle of the song-writing.

Ferdinand Wolf argues that Lai was essentially a genre of folk poetry that develops later into a courtly art form. This was demonstrated that the considered particularly old Provencal Lais are delivered anonymously and bear titles that refer to the Breton mythology (eg Lai Markiol ). This Lais have the greatest possible variety of forms, are less long, but repetitive and metric, as melodic as their simple built with " author names " traditional Provencal and old French successor. Only in the course of time, a tendency to pattern developed out until the Lais receives its final, normative form in the 14th century when Guillaume de Machaut.

The early Provencal and French Lais are preserved in sources northern French provenience. Their origin dates back to before 1250. The cabaret singer who preserve, but were not completed until the 13th, possibly 14th century. After 1300, there are only a few French Lais, consisting of four pieces from a provided with musical interpolations manuscript of the Roman de Fauvel, as well as 19 pieces of French poet Guillaume de Machaut - composers.

Principles of design

There is almost no Lai, the same as another, each offers individual design and creates his rules almost by itself. The genus principle that connects them is the " individual form physiognomy ", which finds its expression in a waiver of Strophigkeit and sonstig regular way set recurrence. Each verse has a different length and used other rhyme words, smaller motifs and phrases are constantly repeated and varied but before new material is involved, which leads to an often complex, metric internal structure. This is the second basic principle, which is described in research with " progressive repetition ". (Even if there are no verses in the sense that it is formal to anything but " prose ". Larger disaster similar mold sections are called vesicles. ) In addition, it often comes out of the concealment of turning points and cadences and enjambment over the Versikelgrenzen. The terminal differentiation in ouvert and clos cadences, the formation of paired complexes ( Doppelversikel ), the resumption of the beginning and at the end of the 12 - " Strophigkeit " will determine form over time. In the melodies of the Lais of G- mode dominates, while in the MHG corpses often a Terzengebäude on D or F can be found. ( There are melodies handed down to 43 French Lais. )

As the historical development of heterogeneous Lais strives towards a formal stabilization, which describes Guillaume's students, the writer Eustache Deschamps as follows: 12 parts of which the first and last are identical in form and rhyme, without any repetition of rhyme words, while the other ten are to the effect individually, but each part must have four quarters. In Machaut is repeated with the last verse not only the form and rhyme, but also the music of the first Versikels, but these sounds usually a fourth or a fifth higher or lower.

Related forms

Closely related to the French lay lyrique are not only the vernacular likewise, monodic Leich, but also the Latin sequence, the Latin Planctus and conductus. The French descort is a special form of Laish, which deals only with materials of the amours courtoise. Also dance forms like the Estampie or Ductia be used for comparison.

Breton Lai

The lai breton is a short epic verse text and one of the forerunners of the medieval novella. The content of the poems come from Celtic legends. The most important collection preserved Breton Lais is written in Anglo-Norman language ( the French dialect of Normandy, which was used at the English court ) and Marie de France is attributed.

The Lais of Marie de France date from around 1160 and are written in octosyllabic couplet verses. These no music survives, references in the text and a blank staff into one of the source points but on the existence of Related music. According to information from Marie wrote ( orally transmitted ) Lower Breton sources, which is why these are called Lais lai breton. Another name is lai narrative.

From the German-speaking area no Lais of this style have been preserved, the corpse here corresponds to the lai lyrique mentioned phenomenon.

Lai arthurien

A third form of Laish is the lai arthurien, a simple strophic song. It appears in several medieval romances (eg, Tristan en prose ) as a hero of the story laid in the mouth song. It also refers to Breton substances and the legends of King Arthur, whence it derives its name. It is probably the representation of cultural education of the hero.

One reason for the metric and melodic simplicity of this Strophenlais could be in the performative: a lecture forming Epensänger may not be experienced enough to like the lai lyrique put forward a convincing Lais of highly complex design.