Welcome to Hyperion Records, a British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.

Hyperion offers both CDs, and downloads in a number of formats. The site is also available in several languages.

Please use the dropdown buttons to set your preferred options, or use the checkbox to accept the defaults.

Click cover art to view larger version
Track(s) taken from CDA66087

Douce dame jolie

composer
1vv; Virelai 4
author of text

Margaret Philpot (alto)
Recording details: April 1983
St Jude-on-the-Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Martin Compton
Engineered by Antony Howell
Release date: September 1987
Total duration: 2 minutes 52 seconds
 

Other recordings available for download

The Orlando Consort

Reviews

‘This is an exceptionally fine and important record. It makes Machaut’s music sound more consistently pleasing and acceptable to a wider public than any to date’ (Gramophone)

‘Superb’ (BBC Record Review)

«Une version exceptionelle de beauté» (Harmonie)
In Douce dame jolie (V4), one of the most often-recorded of Machaut’s works, the poetic speaker alternates statements of love with those of helplessness in the face of the lady’s power over him. The rhythm of this virelai is animated by a subtle tension between word-accent and musical rhythm, seemingly expressing the poet’s changing feelings.

from notes by Anne Stone & Jacques Boogaart © 2025

Dans Douce dame jolie (V4), l’une des œuvres de Machaut les plus souvent enregistrées, l’orateur poétique alterne les déclarations d’amour et celles d’impuissance face au pouvoir de la dame à son égard. Le rythme de ce virelai est animé par une tension subtile entre l’accentuation des mots et le rythme musical, exprimant apparemment les sentiments changeants du poète.

extrait des notes rédigées par Anne Stone & Jacques Boogaart © 2025
Français: Marie-Stella Pâris

In Douce dame jolie (V4), eins der meisteingespielten Werke Machauts, wechselt der Erzähler zwischen Liebesbekundungen einerseits und Klagen andererseits über seine Hilflosigkeit angesichts der Macht der Dame über ihn. Der Rhythmus dieses Virelai wird durch eine subtile Spannung zwischen Wortakzent und musikalischem Rhythmus belebt und scheint die wechselnden Gefühle des Dichters wiederzugeben.

aus dem Begleittext von Anne Stone & Jacques Boogaart © 2025
Deutsch: Viola Scheffel

Other albums featuring this work

Machaut: A lover's death
Studio Master: CDA68430Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
Waiting for content to load...
Waiting for content to load...