Raoul de Ferrières
Raoul de Ferrières (fl. 1200–10), originally de Ferier, was a Norman nobleman and trouvère. He was born in Ferrières in what is today the département of Eure. A total of eleven chansons courtoises have been attributed to him.
In 1209, Raoul was mentioned in a donation to the .
The most famous of Raoul's songs is unquestionably Quant li rossignols jolis ("When the pretty nightingales"), which is probably the song Johannes de Grocheo (c.1300) describes as a cantus coronatus (crowned, meaning probably that it had received a prize in a competition). Unfortunately, this song is ascribed to the Chastelain de Couci in another manuscript. It was used as a model for the anonymous L'autrier m'iere rendormis. Musically, it starts at the upper octave, flows downwards, and establishes a centre on d.
All of Raoul's melodies, including Quant li rossignols, were recorded in bar form, save two readings Si sui du tout a fine Amour (possibly later revisions). None are recorded in mensural notation. Most of the melodies are in the D modes (authentic and plagal), but three are in the authentic G mode. Poetically, all but one of Raoul's compositions use the ABABBAAB rhyme scheme and all of his works are also octosyllabic, with the exceptions of Quant ivers a tel poissance and Quant li rossignols and the mixed octo- and heptasyllabic verses of the disputed Quant il ne pert fueille ne flours.
List of songs[]
Assigned works[]
- Encore m'estuet il chanter
- Par force chant conme esbahis
- Quant ivers a tel poissance
- Quant je voi les vergiers florir
- Se j'ai chanté, ce poise moi
- Si sui du tout a fine Amour
- Une haute amour qui esprent
Doubtful works[]
- J'ai oublié paine et travaus
- On ne peut pas a deus seigneurs servir
- Quant li rossignols jolis
- Quant il ne pert fueille ne flours
References[]
- Karp, Theodore. "Raoul de Ferrières." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Accessed 20 September 2008.
- Trouvères
- 12th-century Normans
- Male classical composers