Dueil, double dueil

Geert van Turnhout composed this French secular chanson for three voices (STT). It belongs to a tradition of Renaissance part-music that often explored the complexities of human emotion. The text, 'Deuil, double deuil' (Grief, double grief), speaks directly of sorrow, displeasure, sadness, and troubles, portraying them as the enemy of pleasure. The singer's languor and suffering are laid bare as the bitterness of life leaves no room for enjoyment. Van Turnhout's setting captures this mood of profound melancholy, offering a poignant expression of lament.