Jehan le Cuvelier d'Arras (''fl''. ''c''. 1240–70) was a
trouvère
''Trouvère'' (, ), sometimes spelled ''trouveur'' (, ), is the Northern French ('' langue d'oïl'') form of the '' langue d'oc'' (Occitan) word ''trobador'', the precursor of the modern French word '' troubadour''. ''Trouvère'' refers to po ...
associated with the so-called "school of
Arras
Arras ( , ; ; historical ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the Artois region, with a ...
". He may be the same person as Johannes Cuvellarius from
Bapaume
Bapaume (original Dutch name Batpalmen) is a Communes of France, commune in the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region of northern France.
Geography
Bapaume is a farming and light indus ...
, a suburb of Arras, who is mentioned in documents of 1258. He was the respondent in nine ''
jeux partis'' and judge of six; he also composed six ''
chansons courtoises''. His six ''chansons'' are:
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*
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*
This last one can be approximately dated, since it is dedicated to Wagon Wion, sheriff (''échevin'') of Arras in 1265 and dead by February 1273. Cuvelier's ''chansons'' are predominantly
heptasyllabic, although one (''Pour la meillour'') is
decasyllabic and there are
pentasyllabic lines in the others. All are in
bar form
Bar form (German: ''die Barform'' or ''der Bar'') is a musical form of the pattern AAB.
Original use
The term comes from the rigorous terminology of the Meistersinger guilds of the 15th to 18th century who used it to refer to their songs and the ...
with the exception of ''Amours est'', which is AA'BB'CC'DE. The use of
motives in the ''
caudae'' is typical. Unusual for his place and time he favoured
plagal modes, save for the
authentic ''J'ai une dame''. In the readings of the music for ''Amours est'', ''Mout me plaisent'', and ''Pour la meillour'' found in the
Chansonnier Cangé (
BnF fr.846), there is evidence of
modal rhythm.
Ligatures in ''Anuis et desesperance'' and ''Jolivetés'' also suggest the "free use" of modal rhythm.
Jehan de Grieviler debated Cuvelier in ''Cuvelier, un jugement'' and in ''Cuvelier, j'ain mieus que moi''
Gamart de Vilers addressed Cuvelier as "sire", an indication of his rank. Cuvelier's most popular debating partner was
Jehan Bretel, who initiated six ''juex partis'' with him:
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* (also addressed to
Lambert Ferri)
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Bretel and Ferri joined up to propose a ''jeu'' with Cuvelier and the
Tresorier d'Aire: ''Biaus sire tresorier d'Aire''. Cuvelier also judged a ''jeu parti'' involving
Adam de la Halle
Adam de la Halle (1245–50 – 1285–8/after 1306) was a French poet-composer '' trouvère''. Among the few medieval composers to write both monophonic and polyphonic music, in this respect he has been considered both a conservative and pro ...
.
References
*
Theodore Karp"Cuvelier d'Arras, Jehan le."''Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online.'' Accessed 9 November 2009.
{{Authority control
Trouvères
French male classical composers