Machaut, Douce dame jolie (chanson, 14th c.)

At the beginning of the song there is a guitar or some string instrument that makes the pace of the song and it also provides the background music. The singing is visibly louder than the music in the background, which means that the composer wants the audience to listen to the music rather than the music; on the same note, the singing goes at the same pace as the string instrument. The string instrument and the flute are playing the same chords throughout the song. Maybe once or twice the chord switches to a higher or lower octave but it is mostly the same. When I first heard the song I thought of the medieval times, it sounds like something that would play in the back of the show “Game of Thrones”.  There is one voice that is singing throughout the song. I believe she is in a major key because the song is relatively happy. There is the background beat of the piano, which keeps the string instrument and the flute in place. It is a monophonic because there is one female voice singing throughout the entire song.

The rhythm is very catchy and there is also a distinct melody.  There is also a flute or something like a flute playing which makes me think of a bird or the wind whistling through a forest or castle. It seems like the medieval days when in a village. I can see stone streets and small one story houses and then I can see a castle in the background. The volume of the song stays relatively the same the entire song there are no crescendos or decrescendos throughout the song. It does not seem like there is any dissonance within the piece, because the voice and the background music go together almost perfectly. The song seems like a love story because of the calm music in the background and the singing is slow and steady.  When reading the lyrics it sounds like a love song, or the singer is professing her love to somebody. When I read the lyrics it sounded like somebody was also admiring something. When the singer sings “For always, without treachery/Cherished one/I have you, and humbly/All the days of my life/Served/Without base thoughts”, it could mean that she has somebody that she can serve to all the time. Also she will keep being loyal to this person while acting humbly and without trying to harm them.

One thought on “Machaut, Douce dame jolie (chanson, 14th c.)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *