Quis dabit oculis? 'Lament for Anna'

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composer

Jean Mouton (before 1459-1522)

author of text

Anonymous - Renaissance

Such was Mouton’s range of expression that he didn’t need to rely on mathematics to build an atmosphere. The motet Quis dabit oculis? stands out for its simplicity – very few pieces of this period go straight to the heart of the matter with so little fuss. Written as a funeral motet for his patron, Queen Anne of Brittany, Mouton mourns her in slow, utterly dignified and compelling lines that reduce to simple chords where her name (‘Anna’) is mentioned.

Mouton possédait un tel éventail expressif qu’il n’avait pas besoin des mathématiques pour créer une atmosphère. Le motet Quis dabit oculis? se démarque par sa simplicité – rarissimes sont les pièces contemporaines à aller droit au cœur des choses avec si peu de chichis. Dans ce motet funèbre, Mouton pleure sa mécène, la reine Anne de Bretagne, en de lentes lignes envoûtantes, d’une absolue dignité, qui se réduisent à de simples accords à la mention d’«Anna».

extrait des notes rédigées par Peter Phillips © 2012
Français: Gimell

Mouton war allerdings nicht auf die Mathematik angewiesen, wenn er eine ausdrucksvolle Atmosphäre erzeugen wollte. Die Motette Quis dabit oculis? ragt aufgrund ihrer Schlichtheit hervor – es gelingt nur sehr wenigen Werken dieser Zeit, in so unkomplizierter Weise direkt zum Kern der Sache zu gelangen. Das Werk entstand als Trauermotette für seine Gönnerin, die Königin Anne de Bretagne. Die Trauer drückt sich durch langsame, würdevolle und fesselnde Linien aus, die sich auf schlichte Akkorde reduzieren, wenn ihr Name („Anna“) genannt wird.

aus dem Begleittext von Peter Phillips © 2012
Deutsch: Viola Scheffel

Recordings

Mouton: Missa Dictes moy toutes voz pensées

The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips (conductor)

Studio Master: CDGIM047Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available

"With a musical language quite distinct from everyone else, Jean Mouton is nonetheless often compared with Josquin on account of his astonishing technique. His music is able to convey such a spirit of calm and poise that in the whole gamut of rena ...» More

Details

The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips (conductor)

Track 7 on CDGIM047 [8'35]

Quis dabit oculis nostris fontem lacrimarum?
Et plorabimus die ac nocte coram Domino?
Britannia, quid ploras?
Musica, cur siles?
Francia, cur inducta lugubri veste
moerore consumeris?

Heu nobis, Domine, defecit Anna,
gaudium cordis nostri.
Conversus est in luctum chorus noster,
cecidit corona capitis nostri.

Ergo eiulate pueri, plorate sacerdotes,
ululate senes, lugete cantores,
plangite nobiles, et dicite:
Anna requiescat in pace. Amen.