This edition was prepared by André Vierendeels — free to download, print, rehearse and perform.
Donné me fut
Staff Notation • Secular, Chansons
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Donné me fut by Joannes de Latre — Lyrics
Middle French
Donné me fut des cieulx à ma naissance,
ung tout seul poinct pour me faire douloir,
Cest une bass'et petite puissance,
en ung grant cueur remply de grant vouloir.
Tandant tousiours plus à faire valoir aultre que soy,
O, femme fortunée, contente toy
car encore mieulx vault ung grant vouloir sans puissance donnée,
que grant puissance où bon vouloir deffault.
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About Donné me fut
Joannes de Latre's Donné me fut is a secular chanson for four voices (STTB). The music opens with a gentle, imitative texture, setting the words of this 16th-century French poem. The text speaks of a perceived lack of worldly power at birth, contrasting a great heart full of desire with limited means. It offers solace to a 'fortunate woman', suggesting that good will and strong desire are more valuable than power alone, especially when that power is not guided by good intention. The chanson explores this theme with sensitivity and musical grace.
