Gontier de Soignies

Medieval trouvère and composer

Gontier de Soignies was a medieval trouvère and composer who was active from around 1180 to 1220.

Biography

Gontier was from the region of Soignies in the County of Hainaut, a region that was then a state of the Holy Roman Empire. His life is mostly unknown, although in his works he alludes to travels in France and Burgundy, as well as the protection of the Count Palatine.^[1]

One of his works is mentioned in Le Roman de la rose ou de Guillaume de Dole by Jean Renart.^[2]

Works

Thirty-four love songs have been ascribed to Gontier, all of which have been preserved in several manuscripts, although only twenty-seven are generally considered to be his. His poetry is lyrics in the high style of the grand chant.

List of the main songs^[3]^[4]

A la joie des oiseaus
L'an ke li dous chans retentist
Au tens gent que raverdoie
Biau m'est quant voi verdir les chans
Douce amours, ki m'atalente
Doulerousement comence
Merci, amors, ore ai mestier
El mois d'esté que li tens rassoage
Quant oi el bruel
Quant oi tentir et bas et haut
Quant li tens torne a verdure
Se li oisiel baisent lor chans
Li tans noveaus et la douçors
Tant ai mon chant entrelaissié
Chanter m'estuet de recomens

References

^ Grossel, Marie-Geneviève (2004). "Trouvères du Hainaut" [Trouvères of Hainaut]. In Herbin, Jean-Charles (ed.). Image et mémoire du Hainaut médiéval [Images and Memories of Medieval Hainaut]. Zeitschrift für romanische Philologie (in French). Vol. 123. Presses universitaires de Valenciennes. pp. 85–98. ISSN 0049-8661.
^ Renart, Jean (1893). Le Roman de la rose ou de Guillaume de Dole [The Romance of the Rose of Guillaume de Dole] (in French). Paris: Firmin Didot et cie. Retrieved 2011-05-27.
^ de Soignies, Gontier (1980) [c. 1180 – 1220]. Formisano, Luciano (ed.). Il canzoniere; edizione critica a curadi Luciano Formisano [The Songbook; Critical Edition by Luciano Formisano] (in French and Italian). Milan: Ricciardi. OL 13951166M.
^ de Soignies, Gontier (1995) [c. 1180 – 1220]. Newcombe, Terence H.; Lucas, H.H.; Wilkins, Nigel (eds.). Les Chansons de GONTIER DE SOIGNIES [The Songs of GONTIER DE SOIGNIES]. Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae (in Old French and French). Vol. 103. American Institute of Musicology; Hänssler-Verlag. CMM 103.

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[1] Grossel, Marie-Geneviève (2004). "Trouvères du Hainaut" [Trouvères of Hainaut]. In Herbin, Jean-Charles (ed.). Image et mémoire du Hainaut médiéval [Images and Memories of Medieval Hainaut]. Zeitschrift für romanische Philologie (in French). Vol. 123. Presses universitaires de Valenciennes. pp. 85–98. ISSN 0049-8661.

[2] Renart, Jean (1893). Le Roman de la rose ou de Guillaume de Dole [The Romance of the Rose of Guillaume de Dole] (in French). Paris: Firmin Didot et cie. Retrieved 2011-05-27.

[3] Soignies, Gontier (1980) [c. 1180 – 1220]. Formisano, Luciano (ed.). Il canzoniere; edizione critica a curadi Luciano Formisano [The Songbook; Critical Edition by Luciano Formisano] (in French and Italian). Milan: Ricciardi. OL 13951166M.

[4] Soignies, Gontier (1995) [c. 1180 – 1220]. Newcombe, Terence H.; Lucas, H.H.; Wilkins, Nigel (eds.). Les Chansons de GONTIER DE SOIGNIES [The Songs of GONTIER DE SOIGNIES]. Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae (in Old French and French). Vol. 103. American Institute of Musicology; Hänssler-Verlag. CMM 103.