Antoine Busnois
Antoine Busnois was born around 1430 near Béthune in Northwestern France close to the Flemish border. The first definitive information we have is from the text of his motet, “In hydraulis”, where he claims to be a musician to Charles the Bold, Count of Charolais, soon (1467) to be Duke of Burgundy on the death of his father, Philip the Good. Busnois continues to serve Charles in the Burgundian Ducal Chapel at Dijon along with the likes of Robert Morton and Hayne van Ghizeghem. And even after Charles is killed in battle in 1477 Busnois maintains his position in the Chapel under Mary of Burgundy for another five years, when Mary is killed in a hunting accident. By this time Busnois had become a priest and he spent the last ten years of his life as “rector cantoriae” at St. Sauveur Church in Bruges . . . which is rather surprising since about 80% of his work is secular.
Est-il merchi
This rondeau is from the Mellon Chansonnier, an illuminated manuscript of chansons from c. 1470. The manuscript is at Yale University Library in New Haven, CT and is described and edited by Prof. Leeman Perkins with modern transcriptions from Yale University Press.
Unrequited love is the dominant theme of most secular songs of the period. Refrain is sung by duo . . . verse by solo.
Antoine Busnois "Est-il merchi"
Text:
Est-il merchi de quoy on peut finer?
Est-il pitie qu’on peust en vous trouver?
Est-il, m’amour, nulle riens souffissante,
Est-il chose tant sois forte ou puissante
Dont je sceusse vo grace recouvrer?
Pour fondre tout en larmes de plourer,
Ne pour paine que je sceusse endurer,
Est-il chose dont vous fussies contente?
Est-il merchi . . . etc
Quel remede puis-je a mon fait donner,
Quant je voy bien que par tant vous amer
Il ne s’ensuit que ma mort evidente?
Et toutesfoys por doleur que je sente
Je ne m’en puis tant sois peu destourner.
Est-il merchi . . . etc
Translation:
Is there mercy that can make an end?
Is there any pity to be found in you?
Is there nothing, my love, that will suffice?
Is there anything at all in my power or strength
With which I can regain your favour?
By melting in tears,
Or enduring any pain,
Is there anything that would make you happy?
Is there mercy . . . etc
What remedy can I offer for my plight?
When I can see by loving you so much,
That the only result is clearly my death.
But whatever unhappiness I might feel
I cannot turn aside from this path.
Is there mercy . . . etc
L’autrier que passa_
Antoine Busnois "L'autrier que passa"
Un plus que tous_
Antoine Busnois "Un plus que tous"
Text:
Translation: