Discovered in 2015, the Leuven Chansonnier is an important source for our knowledge of late-fifteenth-century French-Flemish chansons. In addition to a Latin motet, it contains forty-nine unascribed chansons – mostly rondeaux and all but one in three voices. They include twelve unica, that is pieces only transmitted by  this new source.

Nothing is known precisely about the chanonnier’s place of production and early use; but musical concordances have suggested, though not unanimously, that it may belong to a group of manuscripts originating in the Loire valley, produced in or near Tours in the 1460s-70s. Finally, some repertorial clues have suggested a dating to the years 1470-75.. 

The seminar will focus on the unica pieces, those still requiring special attention as to their possible attributions and stylistic features. Some of these – such as the virelai Si vous voullez que je vous aime – make sophisticated use of  musical and poetic quotation, supporting the hypothesis that they belonged to a repertoire in use by the cultural elites of the time.

The seminar’s main lecturer will be Anna Danilevskaia, an expert medievalist who, with her famous Ensemble Sollazzo, recently recorded the entire contents of the chansonnier. Some of the musicologists active in the exegesis of the new source will assist the seminar with presentations or round tables.

 

Organised with the contribution of the Swiss foundations Concordance, Irma Merk and L.+Th. La Roche, and the Belgian foundation Alamire, the seminar is addressed to singers and musicians selected through an international call for scholarships.
Deadline for applications: 15th April 2024.   

 

NEW DEADLINE: 30 APRIL 2024

 

DOWNLOAD THE CALL FOR SCHOLARSHIPS