Guillaume Costeley
Costeley, a very accomplished composer, was one of those who seem to know when they have done enough, and go on to other pursuits . . . one thinks of John Taverner (“the Great”) and Sibelius. About 1560 Costeley had established himself in the secular music of the French Royal Court, even as teacher to the 10 year old Charles IX. In 1570 Le Roy & Ballard published a 100 chansons by Costeley along with his 3 motets . . . he was welcomed into the most learned societies in Paris lead by the likes of Ronsard and Baif and contributed to the ‘vers measuré’ movement most exemplified in the works of Claude Le Jeune. By June of that year he was married, bought a house in Evreux, Normandy, a small cathedral town halfway to the Channel; and arranged to be present at Court only from Jan. to March. He was 40 years old. In 1588 he retired from Court entirely and died in Evreux in 1606.
His music speaks for itself.
Allons, gay, gay bergeres_
A homorhythmic refrain with lively polyphony in the verses gives nice balance to this carol . . . made famous by the Robert Shaw Chorale years before the Renaissance revival.
Guillaume Costeley "Allons, gay, gay bergeres"_
Text:
Refrain:
Allons, gay, gay, gay Bergeres, allons gay,
Allons, gay, soyez legeres Suyvez moi.
Allons, allons voir le Roy, Qui du ciel,
Qui du ciel en terre est nay, gay, gay.
Refrain:
Un beau present luy feray, de quoy?
De ce flagollet que j’ay, que j’ay tant gay.
Refrain:
Un gasteau luy donneray, et mot.
Plain Hanay luy offriray, gay, gay.
Refrain:
Ho, ho, Paixla, paixla, je le voy, je le voy.
Il tette bien sans le doigt, le petit Roy,
gay, gay.
Refrain: . . . Le Roi boit.
Translation:
(Refrain)
Let’s go gaily, shepherdesses,
let’s go gaily, be light, follow me.
Let’s go see the King who
from Heaven to Earth is born.
(Refrain)
A present I will make, of what?
This flageolet that I have so gay.
(Refrain)
A cake I’ll give, a cake I’ll give.
A full drinking cup I’ll offer.
(Refrain)
Oh, oh! Peace, peace, I see Him, I see,
Him.
He is nursing well, without his thumb, the
little King.
(Refrain) . . . The King drinks.
En se beau moys
Certainly one of the most difficult and superbly constructed chansons to appear in this collection. It may be described as “virtuosic polyphony’ . . . not in the Franco-Flemish style of combining pre-exsisting melodies in clever ways, but in the interplay of the motives and melody fragments among the 5-voices, exhibiting a complete mastery of the form.
From the Le Roy et Ballard print, 1570
Guillaume Costeley "En se beau moys"_.mp3_
Text:
En ce beau moys, en ce tems nouvellet,
Qu’arbres et chams se vestent de
verdure,
On oyt au boys maint doux Rossignolet
Se degoyser tant que jour et nuit dure.
On voit Margot qui tient de leur nature,
Soubz l’aubespin les suivre de sa voix,
Et son amy gratieux et courtois
Parfait l’accord en douce cromatique.
Bref au milieu des espritz les plus gays,
On n’ouyt onc si plaisante musicque.