Celle qui ma tant

Imagine a summer garden in bloom, a setting where this charming secular chanson by Claudin de Sermisy might be heard. Its simple, elegant French text speaks of a lover whose suffering has been eased by his beloved. She has led him to her garden where all the trees are in flower, and in her kindness, she embraces him, giving him her heart so fully that he feels he could fly. This SATB setting captures the lighthearted delight of the text. Sermisy was a leading composer of French chansons in the first half of the 16th century, and this piece exemplifies the genre's graceful melodies and clear textures.