Ce fut en mai

"Ce fut en mai"
by Moniot d'Arras
Fountain in a French garden, as described in the song's lyrics
English	"It Happened in May", "It Was in May", "In Early May", "Once in the Month of May"
Key	F major
Period	Medieval
Genre	Pastourelle
Style	Trouvère
Form	Chanson
Language	Old French (langue d'oïl)
Composed	1235

"Ce fut en mai", or "Ce fu en mai", (It happened in May) is a French trouvère song, written in the 13th century by Moniot d'Arras. Its lyrics, in Old French, describe how a man sees a knight and a maiden cavorting in a garden. He follows them, and tells them of his unrequited love; they comfort him, and he cries and commends them to God. The song is a pastourelle and chanson, and was originally accompanied by dancing and medieval instruments like the vielle. "Ce fut en mai" has recently been recorded by early music performers such as Paul Hillier and the New Orleans Musica da Camera.

Background

The Abbey of St. Vaast

The song was composed in 1235 by Moniot d'Arras (fl. 1213–1239), a monk at the Abbey of St. Vaast and one of the last trouvère musicians—these were poets from northern and central France who wrote in the langue d'oïl and worked in royal courts. Moniot himself was later patronised by Érard II, Count of Brienne. He also wrote religious poems honouring the Virgin Mary, but "Ce fut en mai" is his most famous work.

Lyrics

A love song, "Ce fut en mai" describes an unhappy lover who is comforted by religious feeling. It is a pastourelle, meaning it concerns the romance of a shepherdess. The song's narrative is written from the perspective of a man who, while playing beside a fountain on a morning in May, hears the sound of a fiddle. He sees a knight and a maiden dancing and embracing, and they leave to engage in sexual intercourse. The narrator hides and follows them, lamenting about how he has no such love. The knight notices him, and asks him what he wants; the narrator tells them of his unrequited love for a woman, to whom he is still faithful. The couple kindly console him, and tell him how they pray he will be happy. He thanks them sincerely, and commends them to God while crying.

The song's translation

Original Old French

English translation

Ce fut en mai Au douz tens gai Que la saisons est bele, Main me levai, Joer m'alai Lez une fontenele. En un vergier Clos d'aiglentier Oi une viele; La vi dancier Un chevalier Et une damoisele. Cors orent gent Et avenant Et molt très bien dançoient ; En acolant Et en baisant Molt biau se deduisoient. Au chief du tor, En un destor, Doi et doi s’en aloient ; Le jeu d’amor Desus la flor A lor plaisir faisoient. J’alai avant Molt redoutant Que mus d’aus ne me voie, Maz et pensant Et desirrant D’avoir ausi grant joie. Lors vi lever Un de lor per De si loing com j’estoie Por apeler Et demander Qui sui ni que queroie. J’alai vers aus, Dis lor mes maus, Que une dame amoie, A cui loiaus Sanz estre faus Tot mon vivant seroie, Por cui plus trai Peine et esmai Que dire ne porroie. Et bien le sai, Que je morrai, S’ele ne mi ravoie. Tot belement Et doucement Chascuns d’aus me ravoie. Et dient tant Que Dieus briement M’envoit de celi joie Por qui je sent Paine et torment : Et je lor en rendoie Merci molt grant Et en plorant A Dé les comandoie.

It happened in May, when skies are gay And green the plains and mountains, At break of day I rose to play Beside a little fountain. In the garden close where shone the rose I heard a fiddle played; then A handsome knight that charmed my sight, Was dancing with a maiden. Both fair of face, They turned with grace, To tread their May-time measure; The flowering place, Their close embrace, Their kisses brought them pleasure. But shortly they, Had slipped away, And strolled among the bowers. To ease their heart, Each played the part In love's games on the flowers. I crept ahead, All chilled with dread, Lest someone there should see me. Bemused and sad Because I had No joy like theirs to please me. Then one of those I'd seen there rose And from afar off speaking, He questioned me, Who I might be, And what I came there seeking. I stepped their way To sadly say How long I'd loved a lady, Who all my days My heart obeys, Full faithfully and steady. Though still I bore A grief so sore In losing one so lovely, That surely I Would come to die Unless she deigned to love me. With wisdom rare, With tactful air They counseled and relieved me. They said their prayer That God might spare Some joy in love that grieved me. Where all my gain Was loss and pain So I in turn extended My thanks sincere, With many a tear, And them to God commended.

Musical structure

"Ce fut en mai" is a chanson—a lyric-driven French song in the trouvere tradition. Its texture is monophonic, as it consists of a single melody. The use of instruments was improvised. The accompaniment was played on medieval instruments such as the psaltery, the dulcimer and the vielle. It is divided into five stanzas of 12 lines each, separated by short instrumental interludes. Each verses's musical form is "AABB". In the original Old French poem, each stanza has an "AAB AAB CCB CCB" rhyme scheme. However, the english translation above has a "AAB AAB CCD CCD" rhyme scheme. The music is cheerful, and does not reflect the sadness in the lyrics. In his book Music from the Earliest Notations to the Sixteenth Century, music historian Richard Taruskin called it "a consummate imitation folk song", and added: "There is little left here of the Latinate."

Performances

As a pastorelle, "Ce fut en mai" was originally accompanied by dancing and the music of a fiddle (vielle), as described in its lyrics. In recent years, the song has been recorded by many early music performers, including St George's Canzona, on their 1983 album Merry It is While Summer Lasts, the Folger Consort on A Medieval Tapestry: Instrumental and Vocal Music From the 12th Through 14th Centuries in 1990, and Paul Hillier on 2001's French Troubadour Songs. New Orleans Musica da Camera also released it in 2003 as part of The Songs of Arras, an album featuring the songs of Moniot d'Arras and Adam de la Halle.

The tune serves as the leitmotif of Saint Francis of Assisi in the ballet music Nobilissima Visione, written in 1937 by the German composer Paul Hindemith in collaboration with the Russian dancer and choreographer Léonide Massine. In the various scenes of the ballet the tune undergoes modifications reflecting the protagonist's changing attitude to what matters in life.