Guillame IX d'Aquitaine (1071-1127) - Farai un vers de dreyt nien

Brice Duisit
chant & vièle à archet


"I've made this rhyme completely free of sense"

I've made this rhyme completely free
of sense—it's not of you and me,
or youth, or doings he-and-she,
or springtime thoughts.
It came to me while I was sleeping
on my horse.

What planet ruled when I was born?
I'm native here and still feel foreign.
Can't be contented, or forlorn,
or change myself:
I was the midnight work of freaking
magic elves.

I can't tell when I wake or sleep
unless the others keep me briefed.
It almost breaks my heart—I'm deeply
plagued by doubts,
and none of them, by Saint Martial,
is worth a mouse.

They say I'll soon be dropping dead
Fetch that doctor, quick!—I said—
his name has just escaped my head.
No matter who:
he's bad if I do not get well,
good if I do.

My lady friend I've never seen:
I don't know if she's cute or plain,
or if she's kind to me or mean.
Why should I care?—
I don't let French and Normans stay
the night in here.

My passion's absolutely strong
but she won't do me right, or wrong.
Avoiding her I get along
just fine. Forget her:
I've others nicer anyway
who please me better.

This verse I've made—of what or who
unknown—I'll send to someone who
will send it on to someone who
is in Anjou,
who might decode it and convey
the key to you.

translation©2000, 2001 Leonard Cottrell

Farai un vers de dreyt nien:
non er de mi ni d'autra gen,
non er d'amor ni de joven,
ni de ren au,
qu'enans fo trobatz en durmen
sobre chevau.

No sai en qual hora.m fuy natz:
no suy alegres ni iratz,
no suy estrayns ni sui privatz,
ni no.n puesc au,
qu'enaissi fuy de nueitz fadatz,
sobr' un pueg au.

No sai quora.m fuy endurmitz
ni quora.m velh, s'om no m'o ditz.
Per pauc no m'es lo cor partitz
d'un dol corau;
e no m'o pretz una soritz,
par Sanh Marsau!

Malautz suy e tremi murir,
e ren no sai mas quan n'aug dir;
metge querrai al mieu albir,
e non sai tau;
bos metges es qui.m pot guerir,
mas non, si amau.

M'amigu' ai ieu, no sai qui s'es,
qu'anc non la vi, si m'ajut fes;
ni.m fes que.m plassa ni que.m pes,
ni no m'en cau,
qu'anc non ac Norman ni Frances
dins mon ostau.

Anc non la vi et am la fort,
anc non n'aic dreyt ni no.m fes tort;
quan non la vey, be m'en deport,
no.m pretz un jau
qu'ie.n sai gensor et bellazor,
e que mais vau.

Fag ai lo vers, no say de cuy;
e trametrai lo a selhuy
que lo.m trametra per autruy
lay vers Anjau,
que.m tramezes del sieu estuy
la contraclau.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Guillame
• IX
• d'Aquitaine
• Farai
• un
• vers
• de
• dreyt
• nien
• Brice
• Duisit
• chant
• vièle
• archet

[ConstantineJoseph]

Nice. This is music is ancient. Sang in old Occitan. Too bad no one knows what on earth the song is about.

[theprof1958]

@ConstantineJoseph

Read the more info section

I've made this rhyme completely free

of sense—it's not of you and me,

or youth, or doings he-and-she,

or springtime thoughts.

It came to me while I was sleeping

on my horse.

...

[ConstantineJoseph]

@theprof1958 Many thanks prof! Did not check :|.

By the way, is this the oldest known troubador? Or are there older musicians who composed during the 11th century, before the 1st crusade.

William of Aquitaine only started composing after his return from crusade. The immense experience led him to unleash his talent. How intriguing!

[theprof1958]

@ConstantineJoseph

Yes: as far as I know William is the first great troubadour

[Neddhartha]

This is wonderful. Too bad neither the original nor the translation has all the sung verses. Still, this makes me very happy. I've had the Martin Best recording for a couple of decades. This is better.

[Nequaquamvacuum3]

Gràcies per pernjar-lo

[Hamsterzilla1349]

@epiphanygreen : All of this album's melodies are of Brice Duisit's invention, yet far from fantasy. He appears to have been working extensively on it.

[MrAPL4]

aND THIS LANGUAGE TOO!

[epiphanygreen]

where does the melody come from? I LOVE this piece - I have the Martin Best recording - but as far as I know, only the words are extant.

[amire80]

Thanks for uploading this. I am writing a university paper about this poem and this is certainly inspiring.