F. Andrieu (fl. late 14th century; possiblyFrançois orFranciscus Andrieu) was a Frenchcomposer in thears nova style of latemedieval music. Nothing is known for certain about him except that he wroteArmes, amours/O flour des flours (Weapons, loves/O flower of flowers), a doubleballadedéploration, for the death ofGuillaume de Machaut in 1377. The work has been widely praised and analyzed; it is notable for being one of two extant medieval double ballades for four voices, the only known contemporary musical setting ofEustache Deschamps and the earliest representative of the longstanding medieval andRenaissance lamentation tradition between composers.
Andrieu may be the same person asMagister Franciscus, although the scholarly consensus on this identification is unclear. WithP. des Molins,Jehan Vaillant andGrimace, Andrieu was one of the "post-Machaut" generation whose pieces retain enoughars nova qualities to be differentiated from composers ofars subtilior.
Nothing is known for certain about Andrieu except his authorship of the doubleballade for four voices:Armes, amours/O flour des flours (Weapons, loves/O flower of flowers), adéploration for the death of poet-composerGuillaume de Machaut (c. 1300–1377),[1][2] the most significant European composer of the 14th century.[3][4] The work is adapted from two texts by a student of Machaut, the poetEustache Deschamps,[5] making Andrieu's work the only surviving contemporary musical settings of over 1,500 lyrics by Deschamps.[6][n 1]MusicologistGilbert Reaney notes that this would mean that, from what is known about Andrieu, he is a "pure musician".[8][n 2] The work is contained in theChantilly Codex from theMusée Condé.[9][n 3] While historian Gaston Raynaud dates the text between April and 28 May 1377,[11] Andrieu may have set it to music anytime from then up until 15 years later (the Chantilly Codex was likely assembled sometime during 1393 to 1395).[12]
Andrieu's association with Machaut's death in 1377 suggests he was French and flourished in the late 14th century.[2] The "F." most likely stands for either "François" or "Franciscus".[8] References to "F. Andrieu" outside of the Chantilly Codex are absent from other manuscript sources,[13] leading to speculation that he is the composerMagister Franciscus,[14] who wrote two ballades also present in the Chantilly Codex:De Narcissus andPhiton, Phiton, beste tres venimeuse.[2] The scholarly consensus on the certainty of this identification is unclear.[n 4] Reaney notes that Magister Franciscus's works are likely earlier than Andrieu's, between 1370 and 1376.[8] MusicologistGuillaume de Van proposed that the Chantilly Codex was created for use in music schools; because of this, stylistic similarities to Machaut, and the lack of additional records on Andrieu, musicologist Robert Magnan suggested Andrieu was a student or teacher, utilizing Machaut's style to honor his master.[12]
| External audio | |
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| Performances ofArmes, amours/O flour des flours | |
 Performance by theSollazzo Ensemble | |
| Performance by theMusica Nova |
Andrieu's only surviving work is the double balladedéploration for four voices:Armes, amours/O flour des flours,[2] although Reaney notes that "this work alone, however, makes him of considerable interest".[8] Written for Machaut's death, Andrieu's style is understandably similar to his,[8] with musicologistGustave Reese noting that the work shows the "vigorous survival" of Machaut's influence.[15] Andrieu's work is one of two extant four-part double ballades ofmedieval music,[16] the other beingQuant Theseus/Ne quier veoir (B 34) by Machaut.[13] Apolyphonic double ballade is a fitting homage for Machaut, since he is credited as the genre's originator.[12] As a double ballade,Armes, amours/O flour des flours has two texts sung simultaneously between the cantus voices, Cantus I beginning with "Armes, amours" and Cantus II with "O flour des flours".[17] The work's four part division—twocantus (with text),contratenor, andtenor (without text)—was an older style and atypical of the usual three part—cantus (with text), contratenor and tenor (without text)—structure that dominated the 14th-century ballade repertory.[15][18][n 5] Andrieu's decision for more traditional vocal parts may be a reflection of Deschamps's text, which is written in a "classicized high poetic style".[18]
It is also the earliest survivingdéploration for a fellow composer; the tradition was popular in medieval andRenaissance music.[15][13] Later examples includedJohannes Ockeghem'sMort, tu as navré de ton dart (1460) forGilles Binchois;Josquin des Prez'sNymphes des bois (1497) for Ockeghem; andWilliam Byrd'sYe Sacred Muses (1585) forThomas Tallis.[21][n 6] While the Chantilly Codex is a primary source ofars subtilior music,[22] withP. des Molins,[23]Jehan Vaillant andGrimace, Andrieu is part of the "post-Machaut" generation whose pieces retain enoughars nova qualities to be differentiated from those of therhythmically-complexars subtilior composers such asJohannes Cuvelier andJohannes Susay.[24]
Musicologist Eric Rice identifies two common characteristics in the text of typicaldéplorations: the "planctus" (fromLatin:planctus) and the "discourse".[25][n 7] The "planctus" refers to an involuntary sudden outburst of emotion, while the "discourse" is a calmer and clearer expression of grief.[26] Deschamps's text contains both recurring and nonrecurring "planctus" exclamations.[27]"Las!" (Old French for 'Alas!'), from the secondstrophe, is a "planctus" exclamation that is nonrecurring;[28] Rice considers this a "stereotyped exclamation of grief".[21]
Le fons Dircé et la fontayne Helie | The fount ofDirce,the fountain ofHelie, |
The text of Deschamps's two ballades share a refrain: "La mort Machaut, le noble retorique".[13][n 8] Musicologist Elizabeth Randell Upton notes that the "shared refrain receives the most striking coordination of the ballades' voices".[18] Rice considers the refrain a reoccurring "planctus" since it appears at the end of each strophe; ballades were typically in aabC form – where C is always the same.[28] Andrieu signifies the "planctus" by setting the words "La mort" and "Machaut" in long notes but followed byrests.[28] By inserting rests, Andrieu disrupts the music and signifies the sudden outburst of emotion that characterizes a "planctus".[28] The practice of using "planctus" during the refrain was abandoned by future composers who used more formal structures such as thecantus firmus.[28]
Andrieu's musical setting of the refrain also highlights the name of the dedicatee (Machaut), by giving all four voices the same rhythm for the first four syllables ("La mort Machaut").[30] Such an effect gives the phrase a "striking and singular four-voice effect".[18] The following bars give the lower voices subsidiary supporting roles, sustaining the dominance of the texted upper voices.[18] This is assisted by the refrain's repetition, which naturally emphasizes Machaut's name.[17] The designation of "le noble retorique" ("the noble rhetorician") is invented by Deschamps in order to give Machaut a formal title.[17]
The Chantilly Codex contains six works – four ballades and two motets – that include their dedicatee's name directly.[31][n 9][n 10] The dedicatee's proper name is mentioned in all four of these ballades, making them the only ballades of the 14th-century to do so.[31] Two of these –Armes, amours/O flour des flours andJacob Senleches'sFuions de ci, fuions povre campaigne forEleanor of Aragon, Queen of Castile – lament their subject's death.[32] Both works have the word "retorique"[n 8]embellished by amelisma on the "ri" for sixdouble whole notes.[18] While Senleches includes himself as part of larger group of mourners, Deschamps names himself directly in the third stanza by stating "Ce vous requiert le bayli de Valois" ("This asks of you theBaliff ofValois").[30] Nevertheless, Deschamps also includes an invitation to a large group of mourners:[17]
Armes, amours, dames, chevalerie, | Weapons, loves, ladies, chivalry, |
MusicologistElizabeth Eva Leach notes that theArmes, amours/O flour des flours has both textual and musical similarities to Machaut's poetry and music respectively.[33] In the refrain, Andrieu's workimitates a passage from theGloria of Machaut'sMesse de Nostre Dame.[34][35] It also shows a resemblance to Machaut's balladeDe Fortune (B23); both works have "the same tonal emphases" and "similar tenor notes at key structure points".[33]Armes, amours/O flour des flours shares a musical theme with the anonymous balladeDame qui fust, in theReina Codex [fr], which itself is based on Machaut'sDe Fortune me doy pleindre (B 23).[33][n 11] In Andrieu's work, the shared theme appears when the two cantus voices engage inmusical imitation, something which was uncommon at the time.[33]
Leach notes that the work has been "widely discussed by literary and musical scholars alike".[36] According to Leach, the existence of thisdéploration suggests there was "interest in [Machaut's] own posterity... in the short term at least".[33] Some scholars say this remembrance of Machaut mainly concerned his poetry and suggest that Deschamps did not intendArmes, amours/O flour des flours to be set to music.[37] Magnan argues that Deschamps recognized termedmusique artificiele (vocal and instrument performance) andmusique naturele (poetry alone) as equally enjoyable.[38] Furthermore, the fact that no other of Deschamps's poems have survived with music indicate that this one would not be any different.[39] Leach disagrees, saying that it being the earliest known musical lamentation for a fellow composer recognizes his "poet-composer" status, as do the words "faysaur" (maker) and "retorique" (rhetorician).[13] The work calls on "those who hold dear the sweet art of music" to mourn Machaut's death, suggesting his musical importance.[33]
According to Leach, the line "Your name will be a precious relic" is contradictory to the traditionalPlatonism of the time: it dismisses the Platonic idea that a name is only a representation of someone, by suggesting Machaut's name alone is a "relic" and all encompassing to his being.[10]
| Title | No. of voices | Genre | Manuscript source: Folios[n 12] | Apel | Greene |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armes, amours/O flour des flours[n 13] (Weapons, loves/O flower of flowers) | 4 | (Double)ballade | Chantilly Codex: 52r[n 3] | A 2 | G Vol 19: 84 |
| No other works by Andrieu survive[n 14] | |||||
Andrieu's work is included in the following collections:
F. Andrieu'sArmes, amours/O flour des flours is included in the following albums:
| Year | Album | Performers | Director | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Music au temps des Papes en Avignon | Florilegium Musicum de Paris | Jean-Claude Malgoire | CBS Masterworks 76534 |
| 1973 | The Art of Courtly Love. Vol. I. "Guillaume Machaut and His Age" | Early Music Consort of London | David Munrow | Conte HMV SLS 863 |
| 1974 | Dufay and His Times | Syntagma Musicum | Kees Otten | Telefunken ER 6.35257 |
| 1975 | Guillaume de Machaut: 1. The Musical Art of Machaut. 2. Le Remède de | Ensemble Guillaume de Machaut of Paris | – | Adès [fr] 7078 |
| 1978 | Hommage à Machaut | Ars Cameralis | – | Panton 8111 0056 |
| 1979 [1977] | Guillaume de Machaut Messe de Nostre Dame. Trois motets latins | Séminaire Européen De Musique Ancienne | Bernard Gagnepain [fr] | Erato EFM 18041 (LP)[41] |
| 1986 | A Distant Mirror: Music of the 14th Century and Shakespeare's Music | Folger Consort | – | Delos DE1003 |
| 1987 | The Chantilly Codex | Ensemble Organum | Marcel Pérès | Harmonia Mundi HMC 1252 |
| 1987 | Codex Chantilly: airs de cour | Ensemble Organum | Marcel Pérès | HMC 901252 |
| 1989 | Ars Magis Subtiliter | Project Ars Nova (Ensemble P.A.N.) | – | New Albion Records NA 021[42] |
| 2003 | Guillaume de Machaut: Unrequited | Liber UnUsualis | – | LU 1001[43] |
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