Although a man of the cloth, Machaut in many ways exemplified the slide in fourteenth century French music toward the secular. By the fifteenth century, secular music was at the forefront of French compositional practice. This change began with the rondeaux of Adam de la Halle and continued with the career of Machaut. However, it should be noted that Machaut's secular nature is more evident in his poetry than in his music; his last great narrative poem "Voir Dit" is basically a story of an old man, a composer and poet, who is in love with an angelic young woman. Bored, the young woman abandons him to pine for her. That the story is autobiographical is a safe assumption. Similarly colorful is Je puis trop bien, one of his most fanciful and creative ballades. In the text, Machaut draws on the myth of Pygmalion, wishing that the beloved, like Pygmalion's statue, would come alive to answer his loving prayers. Hinting that the text is less personal than the others poems he set, Machaut openly delights in his inventiveness. Each aspect of the music is treated with intelligent care, creativity, and a schooled mastery. To start with, the cantus is highly melismatic, which already gives the piece a light, springy quality. In addition, many slightly odd moments, vivid rhythmic colorations (with cross rhythms), and unexpected melodic turns (e.g. sudden stops or part-crossing) strike the listener as musical witticisms. Despite the historical distance, the charm and humor are not lost on modern-day listeners. After Machaut's death, his music became extremely influential across the continent. One of the realms it influenced was the so-called ars subtilior, particularly in regards to rhythm. The seeds of that later (even outrageous!) music can be heard in this decadent, sparklingly clever secular piece.

© All Music Guide

Portions of Content Provided by All Music Guide.
© 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. All Music Guide is a registered trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.