Grace, vertu, bonté, beaulté, noblesse

This charming French chanson from the Renaissance expresses ardent praise for a lady, listing her virtues: grace, virtue, kindness, beauty, and nobility. The composer, Guillaume Le Heurteur, laments any slander against her and condemns those who would harm her honor. Set for SAT voices, this secular work exemplifies the elegant and often amorous sentiments typical of the era's part-music. The vocal lines likely weave together with a refined sensibility, capturing the delicate balance between admiring the subject and defending her reputation. It is a delightful example of French chansons of the period.