Ars Antigua Presents: November 2011 edition

In late 17th-century France, salons were the rage among poets, musicians and intellectual women, many of whom considered the salon setting a sort of informal university. Female composers would often utilize these salons to premiere works for the liberal-minded society in attendance.

Julie Pinel, who lived from the late 17th to early 18th-century was one of those composers who found a welcome home in the Parisian Salon. Coming from a family of musicians who included Germain Pinel, court lutenist to Louis XIV, Julie Pinel published a complete book of songs titled Nouveau recueil d’airs sérieux et à boire. It is from this work that we have drawn today’s selection: “Cantatille: Le Printems”. The lyrics of this lovely air tendre are typical of contemporary salon composers, making several references to nature and pastoral life.

La Donna Musicale have released an entire album devoted to Julie Pinel and her contemporaries.

La Donna Musicale (photo by Rick Friedman)

 

Julie Pinel: “Cantatille: Le Printems

Recitatif: Le Dieu du jour nous rend lumière féconde,

Son retour enchante nos yeux

Tout rit sur la terre et sur l’onde,

Tout semble renaître en ces lieux.

Le zéphir va s’unir a flore

Bientost de leur tenders amours

Nous allons voir éclore

Mille fleurs avec les beaux jours…

Air: Chantez, dansez jeunes bergères,

A l’ombre des ses frais ormeaux,

Unissez vos danses légères

Aux doux son de nos chalumeaux.

Que l’amour qui regne en nos âmes

Nous inspire de nouveaux sons.

Célébrons l’ardeur de nos flâmes

Par les plus aimable chansons.

Recitatif: Déjà la riante verdure,

Fruit de l’haleine des zéphirs

Embellit toute la nature, et rameine

En ces lieux les jeux et les plaisirs,

Tout ressent de l’amour la Suprême puissance,

Toy seule belle Iris par ton indifférence

Veux tu payer toujours les tenders feux

De mon cœur amoureux,

Ecoute les ramages

De ces heureux oiseaux

Ils t’invittent sous ces feuillages

A soulager mes meaux.

Air: Doux Rossignols chantez dans ces boccages,

Chantez votre bonheur, je n’en suis point jaloux.

Que vos chants amoureux deviennent les présages

D’un plaisir qui me rend aussy content que vous.

Attendrissez mon aimable inhumaine

Peignez lui l’ardeur que je sens

Qu’elle partage enfin ma peine

Redoublez vos divins accens.

 

[14:02]

Podcast produced by Joshua Sauvageau

One thought on “Ars Antigua Presents: November 2011 edition”

  1. I’m also commenting to make you understand what a excellent discovery our girl gained checking your web site. She learned so many details, with the inclusion of what it’s like to have an amazing helping mindset to have others completely gain knowledge of some advanced things. You really did more than our expectations. I appreciate you for rendering the effective, trustworthy, educational not to mention fun thoughts on this topic to Jane.

Comments are closed.