La, la, la, l'oysillon du bois

Jean Mouton's La, la, la, l'oysillon du bois is a secular French chanson from the Renaissance. Scored for SATB, this piece exemplifies the elegant polyphonic style characteristic of the era. The text, sung in French, speaks of a young woman's unhappy marriage. She laments her situation, forced to marry an unpleasant man, whose constant snoring prevents her from sleeping. The repetitive, playful "La, la, la" refrain, sung by the little bird of the woods, contrasts with the underlying sadness of the lyrics, creating a poignant and memorable effect.