Marcabru (Occitan pronunciation:[maɾkaˈβɾy]; fl. 1130–1150) is one of the earliest troubadours whose poems are known. There is no certain information about him; the two vidas attached to his poems tell different stories, and both are evidently built on hints in the poems; not on independent information.[1]
A miniature portrait of Marcabru beside his vida in a 13th-century chansonnier.
According to the brief life in BnF ms. 12473, Marcabrun was from Gascony (details of the dialect of his poems support this) and was the son of a poor woman named Marcabrunela. This evidently comes from a reading of poem 293,18.[2]
According to the longer biography in MS. Vat. Lat. 5232 Marcabru was abandoned at a rich man's door, and no one knew his origin. He was brought up by Aldric del Vilar, learned to make poetry from Cercamon, was at first nicknamed Pan-perdut[a] and later Marcabru. He became famous, and the lords of Gascony, about whom he had said many bad things, eventually put him to death. This appears to be based on poems 16b,1 and 293,43 (an exchange between Aldric del Vilar and Marcabru) and guesswork; the link with Cercamon is doubted by modern scholars.
Forty-four poems are attributed to Marcabru, learned, often difficult, sometimes obscene, relentlessly critical of the morality of lords and ladies. He experimented with the pastorela, which he uses to point out the futility of lust. One tells of how the speaker's advances are reviled by a shepherdess on the basis of class. Another tells of how a man's attempt to seduce a woman whose husband was at the crusades is firmly rebuffed. He may also have originated the tenso in a debate with Uc Catola (as early as 1133) on the nature of love and the decline of courtly behaviour.[4] Marcabru was a powerful influence on later poets who adopted the obscure trobar clus style. Among his patrons were William X of Aquitaine and, probably, Alfonso VII of León. Marcabru may have travelled to Spain in the entourage of Alfonso Jordan, Count of Toulouse, in the 1130s. In the 1140s he was a propagandist for the Reconquista and in his famous poem with the Latin beginning Pax in nomine Domini! he called Spain a lavador (washer) where knights could go to have their souls cleansed fighting the infidel.[5]
Four monophonic melodies to accompany Marcabru's poetry survive; additionally, three melodies of poems that may be contrafacta of Marcabru's work may be attributed to him.[6]
Notesedit
^This nickname may come from pannem perditum (vagabond) or panem perditum (breadless). "Bread" is probably sexual innuendo. In Middle French, pain perdu is fried bread, while in Catalanpanperdut means simpleton. Many town quarters are recorded with the name Panperdut. Marcabru himself refers to guasta-pa (bread spoilers) and to pa del fol (fool's bread, probably an allusion to Psalm 52) in two poems.[3]
^Hoppin, Richard H. (1978). Medieval Music. Norton. p. 270.
Sourcesedit
Marcabru (2018). M. Albertazzi (ed.). Liriche (in Old Provençal and Italian). Lavis: La Finestra editrice. ISBN978-8895925-86-8.
Barton, Simon (1997). The Aristocracy in Twelfth-Century León and Castile. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-49727-2.
Gaunt, Simon (1989). Troubadours and Irony. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN0-521-35439-0.
Gaunt, Simon; Harvey, Ruth; Paterson, Linda M., eds. (2000). Marcabru: A Critical Edition. D. S. Brewer.
External linksedit
Selected works, some with Italian translations, and vida at RIALTO
Complete works with English translation at trobar.org
Marcabru (fl. 1129–1150) at University of Washington faculty page
December 14, 2023
marcabru, confused, with, macabre, occitan, pronunciation, maɾkaˈβɾy, 1130, 1150, earliest, troubadours, whose, poems, known, there, certain, information, about, vidas, attached, poems, tell, different, stories, both, evidently, built, hints, poems, independen. Not to be confused with Macabre Marcabru Occitan pronunciation maɾkaˈbɾy fl 1130 1150 is one of the earliest troubadours whose poems are known There is no certain information about him the two vidas attached to his poems tell different stories and both are evidently built on hints in the poems not on independent information 1 A miniature portrait of Marcabru beside his vida in a 13th century chansonnier According to the brief life in BnF ms 12473 Marcabrun was from Gascony details of the dialect of his poems support this and was the son of a poor woman named Marcabrunela This evidently comes from a reading of poem 293 18 2 According to the longer biography in MS Vat Lat 5232 Marcabru was abandoned at a rich man s door and no one knew his origin He was brought up by Aldric del Vilar learned to make poetry from Cercamon was at first nicknamed Pan perdut a and later Marcabru He became famous and the lords of Gascony about whom he had said many bad things eventually put him to death This appears to be based on poems 16b 1 and 293 43 an exchange between Aldric del Vilar and Marcabru and guesswork the link with Cercamon is doubted by modern scholars Forty four poems are attributed to Marcabru learned often difficult sometimes obscene relentlessly critical of the morality of lords and ladies He experimented with the pastorela which he uses to point out the futility of lust One tells of how the speaker s advances are reviled by a shepherdess on the basis of class Another tells of how a man s attempt to seduce a woman whose husband was at the crusades is firmly rebuffed He may also have originated the tenso in a debate with Uc Catola as early as 1133 on the nature of love and the decline of courtly behaviour 4 Marcabru was a powerful influence on later poets who adopted the obscure trobar clus style Among his patrons were William X of Aquitaine and probably Alfonso VII of Leon Marcabru may have travelled to Spain in the entourage of Alfonso Jordan Count of Toulouse in the 1130s In the 1140s he was a propagandist for the Reconquista and in his famous poem with the Latin beginning Pax in nomine Domini he called Spain a lavador washer where knights could go to have their souls cleansed fighting the infidel 5 Four monophonic melodies to accompany Marcabru s poetry survive additionally three melodies of poems that may be contrafacta of Marcabru s work may be attributed to him 6 Notes edit This nickname may come from pannem perditum vagabond or panem perditum breadless Bread is probably sexual innuendo In Middle French pain perdu is fried bread while in Catalan panperdut means simpleton Many town quarters are recorded with the name Panperdut Marcabru himself refers to guasta pa bread spoilers and to pa del fol fool s bread probably an allusion to Psalm 52 in two poems 3 References edit Texts in J Boutiere A H Schutz eds 1964 Biographies des troubadours in French Paris Nizet A Pillet H Carstens 1933 Bibliographie des Troubadours Schriften der Konigsberger Gelehrten Gesellschaft Sonderreihe 3 in German Halle Gaunt Harvey amp Paterson p 288 n 38 sfn error no target CITEREFGauntHarveyPaterson help Gaunt 1989 pp 72 73 Barton 1997 p 147 Hoppin Richard H 1978 Medieval Music Norton p 270 Sources editMarcabru 2018 M Albertazzi ed Liriche in Old Provencal and Italian Lavis La Finestra editrice ISBN 978 8895925 86 8 Barton Simon 1997 The Aristocracy in Twelfth Century Leon and Castile Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 49727 2 Gaunt Simon 1989 Troubadours and Irony Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 35439 0 Gaunt Simon Harvey Ruth Paterson Linda M eds 2000 Marcabru A Critical Edition D S Brewer External links editSelected works some with Italian translations and vida at RIALTO Complete works with English translation at trobar org Marcabru fl 1129 1150 at University of Washington faculty page Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marcabru amp oldid 1159484635, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
