The Session: Tunes - Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie (reel)

Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie (Pavane) (reel)

This tune was mentioned recently in the third post in http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/22308.

It is a fine example of a French Renaissance pavane of the 16th century. The original pavane tempo was fairly slow and stately - they couldn't move quickly in the heavy formal clothing of the time - but this tune will work well with today's faster tempi.

If it is played with a guitar accompaniment the chording should be kept as simple as possible in keeping with the style of the tune - no more than I, IV, V, root and first inversions I would suggest - and the final chord should be G major or an open chord. Music of the period almost never finished on a minor chord.

The tune was written by Thoinot Arbeau (1520-1595) as one of a number of dance tunes in his massive treatise on dancing - "L'Orchesographie" published in 1585. This work explains in great detail the dances of the time. Unusually, he gives in tabular form the instructions for the dance steps alongside the notes of the tune which is printed vertically in the margin. There are also numerous woodcuts of the varuious dance steps and other movements.

This tune is also a chanson, and is frequently sung today, both as a solo and in its original form for four voices. There are many versions on YouTube (just search for the title). The words of the complete chanson, in Renaissance French, are,

Belle qui tiens ma vie
Captive dans tes yeulx,
Qui m'as l'ame ravie
D'un soubz-ris gracieux,
Viens tost me secourir
Ou me fauldra mourir.

Pourquoy fuis tu mignarde
Si je suis pres de toy,
Quand tes yeulx je regarde
Je me perds dedans moy
Car tes perfections
Changent mes actions.

Tes beautéz & ta grace
Et tes divins propos.
Ont eschauffé la glace
Qui me geloit les os,
Et ont remply mon cœur
D'une amoureuse ardeur.

Mon ame souloit estre
Libre de passions,
Mais amour s'est faict maistre
De mes affections,
Et à mis soubs sa loy
Et mon cœur & ma foy.

Approche donc ma belle
Approche toy mon bien,
Ne me sois plus rebelle
Puis que mon cœur est tien,
Pour mon mal appaiser,
Donne moy un baiser.

Je meurs mon Angelette
Je meurs en te baisant,
Ta bouche tant doucette
Va mon bien ravissant
A ce coup mes espritz
Sont tous d'amour espris.

Plustost on verra l'Onde
Contre mont reculer
Et plustost l'œil du monde
Cessera de brusler,
Que l'amour qui m'époinct
Decroisse d'un seul poinct.

# Posted on August 10th 2009 by Trevor Jennings

I think I heard this melody on an album of Jacob van Eyck's recorder works.

# Posted on August 11th 2009 by slainte

Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie (Pavane) (reel)

Here is the original tenor voice part, which naturally fits in well with the lower register of the fiddle, or an octave higher as a descant:

B,4 B,2 A,2 | B,2 C2 D4 |D2 B,2 G,2 D2 |C2 C2 D4 :|
|: D4 C2 D2 | B,2 C2 A,4 | B,4 G,2 B,2 | A,2 A,2 G,4 :||
and at the octave as a descant voice,
B4 B2 A2 | B2 c2 d4 | d2 B2 G2 d2 | c2 c2 d4 :|
|: d4 c2 d2 | B2 c2 A4 | B4 G2 B2 | A2 A2 G4 :||

While we're about it, here is the alto, or counter-tenor, line (not all that interesting to play so it was probably the last part to be written after soprano, tenor and bass, but there you go):
D4 D2 D2 | D2 F2 F4 | F2 F2 E2 F2 | G2 F2 F4 :|
|: F4 F2 F2 | D2 _E2 D4 | F4 C2 D2 | D2 D2 =B,4 :||

The bass part is a problem for the fiddle because here, except for two notes, it lies well below the fiddle range. Putting it up an octave isn't really an option because it would then interfere with the other parts and you wouldn't have a true bass line (and because of this particular piece it wouldn't even fit properly on the viola). Anyway, here it is as it would be played as written on the cello:
G,4 G,2 D,2 | G,2 F,2 B,,4 | B,,2 B,,2 C,2 D,2 | _E,2 F,2 B,,4 :|
|: B,4 F,2 D,2 | G,2 C,2 D,4 | B,,4 C,2 G,,2 | D,2 D,2 G,,4 :||

# Posted on August 11th 2009 by Trevor Jennings

Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie

Slainte, that wouldn't surprise me. Van Eyck seems to have played and collected just about every recorder tune that was around in his time (the early Baroque period), so a well-known tune such as Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie would surely have been in his repertoire.

# Posted on August 12th 2009 by Trevor Jennings

Van Eyck

I am pretty sure this is not in the collection of works by jacob Van Eyck but it does appear in the Capriol Suite By Warlock

# Posted on August 13th 2009 by rwarford

I have a complete recording of van Eyck's works, but don't have enough time to check all the pieces. I might be wrong, but this tune could have got another title in Dutch.

# Posted on August 13th 2009 by slainte

Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie

Slainte, an approximate English translation of the first line of the chanson would be "Lover who holds my life..."
My knowledge of Dutch isn't good enough to suggest a poetical translation, but there must be members here who would be able to do so, and possibly help you identify the Dutch equivalent in Van Eyck's works, if it exists.

# Posted on August 13th 2009 by Trevor Jennings

Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie

And I'm playing it here ...
http://www.upload-mp3.com/files/81721_idyle/Belle%20Qui%20Tiens%20Ma%20Vie.mp3

# Posted on August 14th 2009 by Trevor Jennings

Access denied, so I can't see you playing it here Lazyhound.

# Posted on August 22nd 2009 by Anew

Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie

"Access denied ..." There may be a problem with upload-mp3.com. It seems that you need to be a member in order to access another member's files, but I've since had a report from someone here who joined upload-mp3 and was unable to listen to my file. I myself tried to reach the website yesterday without success, so I don't know what the problem is.

I tried upload-mp3 as an experiment - "proof of concept" if you like - to see how easy it was to record an audio file and upload it (although I'm not satisfied with the quality of my recording, so I intend to replace it - when I can get back on the website!).

BTW You need Apple's QuickTime plugin to listen to upload-mp3 files, and they're all mp3 audio, not video.

# Posted on August 31st 2009 by Trevor Jennings