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MUSIC 301/501 Women in Music Medieval Secular Music · In earlier middle ages, women had some freedoms esp. in France, but to lesser extent in other parts of northern Europe, e.g. they could inherit land, belong to guilds and take over business if husband died · Some very powerful women: Eleanor of Aquitaine (d. 1204), her grand-daughter Blanche of Castile (d. 1252) · In late 13th/early 14th Century women's political and financial power began to decline, but as it did, power in "affairs of the heart" increased through idea of Courtly Love. · By 13th century courts often included musicians, poets, artists, etc. · Courtly Love poetry put an aristocratic woman on a pedestal: she was to be worshipped from afar, unattainable · Poems of courtly love were set to music by various musicians: Troubadours (southern France, Provençal language, beginning 12th Century), Trouvères (northern France, medieval French or Lange d’Oc, slightly later), Minnesingers in Germany · Troubadours were often aristocratic or royal; sometimes itinerant · Songs were either about courtly love, seasons, or crusades · Songs were monophonic · Women Troubadours were called Trobairitz · Performance of music by women can be extrapolated from the French Romances: in these stories women often sing and accompany themselves · Romances were stories containing poetry for songs; melodies sometimes included · Instruments used in stories were harp, vielle, antecedents to guitar · These instrument choices confirmed by pictures in manuscripts etc. · Other Women performers: · Jouglaresses were itinerant lower-class women · Servants and courtesans: mostly in Spain: centuries earlier, Arabs in Arabian conquests had made slaves of women of various races to bring music to the courts and harems. Some were sold to Spanish Nobility; eventually no longer slaves but entertainers and servants to the Spanish noble households · Other sources of info about women performers: · Professional musician guilds’ registration records · Tax records list occupations e.g. jougleresse, salterionnesse · Household accounts show payments to musicians Women as composers: · Probably women were first poets to use vernacular in poetry in middle ages · "Woman's Songs" were not necessarily by women, but a literary genre in which speaker is a woman (author could be either sex); this was more of a popular, folk type of song than courtly love songs · Troubadour (Trobairitz) songs: about 20 women's names of surviving examples; fewer female trouvères. · Adaptation of courtly love themes: many of these poems have adversarial attitude; love songs are often complaints against faithless lovers · · Several Trobairitz poems survive; they were set to music in their own day but music is now lost to all except one example: · Comtessa de Dia (b.1140)'s A chantar m'er de so que no volria. · Translation of text is in NB. Song complains of unfaithful lover; reminds him of her virtues · Melody uses formal approach common to these songs: AAB where last line of B is same as last line of A (concluding half-strophe) · A few Trouvère songs by women still exist with the music In late 14th C women's participation as composers declined: polyphonic secular music became much more popular, and women had no access to training for this. There were also fewer male composers of the same class at this time; composition became a more specialized, professional activity.