In Poetry and Music in Medieval France, first published in 2003, Ardis Butterfield examines vernacular song in medieval France. She begins with the moment when French song first survives in writing in the early thirteenth century, and examines a large corpus of works which combine elements of narrative and song, as well as a range of genres which cross between different musical and literary categories. Emphasising the cosmopolitan artistic milieu of Arras, Butterfield describes the wide range of contexts in which secular songs were quoted and copied, including narrative romances, satires and love poems. She uses manuscript evidence to shed light on medieval perceptions of how music and poetry were composed and interpreted. The volume is well illustrated to demonstrate the rich visual culture of medieval French writing and music. This interdisciplinary study will be of interest to both literary and musical scholars of late medieval culture.
Industry Reviews
From the hardback review: 'Ardis Butterfield's new book on poetry and music in thirteenth- and fourteenth-century France gives one hope for the bright future of medieval studies. Not only does it act upon the interdisciplinarity its title preaches, but it also builds and improves on an already venerable musico-philological study...the study's magnitude and rich offerings. Butterfield's new book has shown us the rich musico-literary potential of these late French medieval repertories by offering up a model of the kind of interdisciplinary study required from now on.' John Haines, Notes and Queries From the hardback review: '... an immensely useful and illuminating study... going well beyond what others have done.' French Studies From the hardback review: 'Ardis Butterfield has created a profoundly incisive text exploring the relationship between poetry and music in thirteenth- and early fourteenth-century France. The beautifully illustrated volume has much to offer: thorough scholarship in the text, a fine appendix, glossary, and bibliography, as well as an index.' Henry H. Peyton III, Arthuriana From the hardback review: 'The immense scope of the material covered in Butterfield's book requires a scholar of her talents, eminently knowledgeable in both medieval literature and music ... Ardis Butterfield has produced a wonderfully insightful work, based on impeccable scholarship, and written in a lively and engaging fashion. It is intended for those who are familiar with medieval musical forms, medieval narrative genres, and the manuscripts of both repertories. However, generalists should find it accessible, especially with the glossary that she has provided. Specialists in narrative with lyric insertions will find this to be an invaluable resource.' The Medieval Review From the hardback review: 'This book is an extremely rich contribution to the study of medieval song, performance, and textuality. The Year's Work in Modern Language Studies 'This is an important observation ... Her rich study provides the groundwork for nuanced thinking about the relationships of form, genre, social registers and cultural meaning.' Plainsong and Medieval Music