Pavane w/ DWL by Rebsie
Genre: Renaissance

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Keywords:
pavane (1), Renaissance (23), French (13), courtly dance (1), psych folk (1)
Description:
I can take no credit for the basic arrangement of this song ... it's an unadulterated 16th century pavane (courtly dance) taken from a music and dance book called Orchésographie, published in 1588. It was written by a French priest called Thoinot Arbeau (real name Jehan Tabourot). Whether Arbeau composed the song himself I'm not quite sure ... if he was a priest he probably shouldn't have been asking to baise anyone's bouche, however doucette it was.
The words are in Renaissance French, which is pronounced slightly differently from modern French. That's my excuse, anyway.
What Arbeau left us with is an absolute gift because he arranged it in four-part harmony and even included the drum part. All I had to do was transcribe his original notation into GarageBand, then add a bit of contemporary psych-folk weirdness. In doing so I'm indebted to Dick Langford (DWL) who provided the atmospheric guitar track and a whole load of inspiration to go with it.
A pavane is a processional dance and I hope this one sprinkled with faery dust will lead you into the weird places of your imagination.
Rebsie: voices, bodhran and tambourine, penny whistle, midi instruments
Dick: guitar drones
Personnes dont la langue maternelle est français ... je m'excuse de prononciation atroce.
The words are in Renaissance French, which is pronounced slightly differently from modern French. That's my excuse, anyway.
What Arbeau left us with is an absolute gift because he arranged it in four-part harmony and even included the drum part. All I had to do was transcribe his original notation into GarageBand, then add a bit of contemporary psych-folk weirdness. In doing so I'm indebted to Dick Langford (DWL) who provided the atmospheric guitar track and a whole load of inspiration to go with it.
A pavane is a processional dance and I hope this one sprinkled with faery dust will lead you into the weird places of your imagination.
Rebsie: voices, bodhran and tambourine, penny whistle, midi instruments
Dick: guitar drones
Personnes dont la langue maternelle est français ... je m'excuse de prononciation atroce.
Lyrics:
Belle qui tiens ma vieCaptive 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 et ta grace
Et tes divins propos
Ont eschauffé la glace
Qui me geloit les os
Et ont remply mon cœur
D'une amoureuse ardeur
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
Hardware:
whatever Dick used, G5, M-Audio Keystation, percussion stuff, old penny whistle from the 1970s which isn't quite at concert pitch but fortunately I like dissonanceSoftware:
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ktb
the language your voice is just a delight. Although I will confess to not owning any 16th century pavane CD's, your post inspires me to broaden my musical horizons. If I'm 1st then I claim dibs on firsties as well :-)
Rebsie
Ker-ching! The honour of firsties is yours, John.
I must admit I don't own any 16th century pavane CDs either. It was quite strange and magical to transcribe it into GB with the pencil tool without really knowing what it was going to sound like.
Jim Bouchard
I have it on a recording of the best of the French group, Malicorne. It's much like this version, even the pronunciation, and they're French, so you are right on the mark. I love your voice, and I like the ambience and other little touches added in between the verses. You can do no wrong in my book, Rebsie, dissonance or not!
Rebsie
Ooooh Jim, you've no idea how delighted I am that you mentioned Malicorne! I LOVE Malicorne and they're one of my biggest influences in terms of style and sound, but I hardly ever come across anyone who's heard of them (such is the reluctance of English-speaking cultures to embrace non-English music). Funny thing is, although I've got most of their albums I had absolutely no idea they'd recorded this. It would have made a very useful reference! I will seek it out anyway.
And thanks for a very lovely comment which gives me a warm glow.
Jim Bouchard
It's actually on The John Renbourn Group CD, "The Enchanted Garden". And there I was looking so smart, but nonetheless, I do like Malicorne a lot. I used to listen to them a lot and their offshoots like Dan Ar Bras and Alain Stivell, when I lived in France, and it's a favorite type of music for me. I like the John Renbourn Group recording because they incorporate a tabla player, as well as the multitalented Tony Roberts. Maybe Malicorne recorded this but sorry if I sent you on a wild-goose chase!
That's what I get for trying to be a smarty-pants!
Rebsie
I'm still impressed. I have the John Renbourn Group version and I'm impressed you've heard of them too. Another of my influences. And Alan Stivell ... I saw him live about 12 years ago ... couldn't understand a word he was saying but he was brilliant. Nice to know we share a taste for all these artists.
Feter
Do IO love this ? ..this is magical ..haunting vocal
as ever Rebsie ..you need to do a full CD with such
music(Iknow they are not very much around and need
alot of work ) but dont you think they are just so
awesome to be experienced and arranged ..one of your
best ever .wonderful guitar sphere from Dick ..always
a nice inspirational as ever ...what a gem I bet King
(James) MacJams woudl enjoy it ..is it ok to add it
to the fest ? ... thank you thank you for sharing
this bright gem !!!!!!!
Rebsie
Yes of course it can go into the festival ... I rather dumbly didn't realise there was a festival, but I seem to have accidentally come up with something exactly right for it.
There will be a CD with lots of stuff like this on it in due course ... we've finished about half the songs for my second album now, and it will certainly have a medieval flavour to it.
MarkHolbrook
in any setting, any language, your vocals in harmony are spectacular!
I have heard much of this kind of music when my Dad was alive and I was young. He would crank the old tube stereo and this kind of stuff would bounce off the walls...
I guess I learned to like it through the deafness by drowning experience!
Nicely done Rebsie. You are a true master!
Rebsie
Thank you Mark, I really appreciate that. I love doing harmonies like this, but I don't have a very big vocal range so singing all four parts myself was a bit of a challenge. Thank God for reverb, is all I can say.
Peter Bauckham
to a new post from you and this is wonderful. Production is superbly balanced, vocally one of your very best performances and the arrangement brilliant!
Thanks for sharing this.
Peter
Rebsie
Thanks Peter. It was fascinating to put this harmony arrangement together because none of the parts sounded like they were going to fit together until I tried them. I could never have come up with harmonies like this myself and it's given me a deep respect for 16th century musicians.
peacepiano
Very well sung. The guitar adds an interesting bit of modernity to the piece. I wasn't familiar with the piece but have hear some other early pieces and everything is played just right.
Thanks
Bill
Rebsie
Thank you Bill. The midi instruments were pencil-tooled note by note from Arbeau's manuscript and I'm in awe of his harmonisation skill.
Skean
I enjoyed this from start to end... Peace
And thanks for sharing (d-loaded) you guys Rock so well together.
Take care
---
Kenta
Rebsie
Thank you very much Kenta for your kind words. For me it's a privilege to be able to rock with him.
HenriROGERsoloandbands
It's good to hear some french here :-)
You did very well . I don't know this French music period but
your prononciation sounds quite good .
I love the vocals and the arrangement "psych folk "
Thank you very much for this nice trip in history .
Rebsie
Merci bien Henri. I'm glad it doesn't sound too bad to your French ears. I sent a demo version to my dad who has a degree in medieval French literature, and he pointed out a few words that were pronounced quite differently in the 16th century, like 'pourquoy', and 'tiens' being more like 'tienne'. I tried to follow his instructions but I'm not sure how close I came to getting it right.
lengold
Rebsie and Dick for opening my ears to something I would not normally listen to. And what a lovely ear opening it is too. Fantastic spot on vocals.
Cheers
Len
Rebsie
Thanks Len. It's not necessarily something I would normally listen to either, but we like to experiment with things we haven't tried before.
BoiAfrica
I love pretty shiny things, and this certainly fits in that category. Your voice my dear sounding lovely as always. Your choice of material is always enlightening!
Rebsie
It's nice to see you back at MacJams ... I haven't seen you for a while! Thanks very much for stopping by.
Moviz
on the French pronunciation alone apart from the excellent singing and atmospherics.... I was truly transported. Beautiful harmonies and sung so well. I enjoyed reading the interesting info about the song above also, regards M
Rebsie
Glad you enjoyed it Maurice. I quite enjoy doing songs in different languages and this one was a pleasant challenge.
DWL
I did virtually nothing on this but I appreciate the credit.
Yes, you nailed it. It all came together very well.
A class act :-)
Cheers
Dick
Rebsie
Thanks Dick. You contributed so much more than you realise.
I was completely stuck with this but as soon as I heard your guitar tracks I knew exactly where I wanted to go with it.
kassia
Ah Rebsie, I don't know what I can say that hasn't already been said. This is gorgeous. Your vocals are spot on and the instrumentation is not only a perfect fit for the tune, but perfectly played as well. I really love the touches of other-worldliness that the synth/atmospheric sounds give it. A beautiful, creative song - thank you!
Rebsie
Aw, thanks Kassia for a lovely comment which I really appreciate. The otherworldly atmospherics are mostly down to Dick, who managed to get it exactly how I wanted it. He gets unguitarlike sounds out of a guitar which - well, I don't even know how he does it.
jiguma
Beautiful sound Rebsie - production is a real class result. If there had been psychedelia in the 16th century, this would have been all the rage with dry ice, lightshows and herbal accompaniments.
I'm a huge Alain Stivell fan - like others, I don't understand much of what he sings, but there's something about his music that gives me chills of foggy recognition. This had the same effect.
Rebsie, you know how much I enjoy your voice - this would be among my favourite two or three of your tunes. Dick's input was also a huge positive.
Congratulations to you both - now .. about that second CD ;)
Neil
Rebsie
Mmm yes, a 16th century musical freakout would have been quite something. Thanks for the lovely compliments. And another Alan Stivell fan too.
Ah, we're getting there with the second CD. Hopefully this is another track for it. :)
Epileptic Gibbon
As always, it's great when I get to hear the evolution of one of your tracks. It's like having a special insight into the creative process, specifically your creative process, and that's delightful. As is this track, of course. It started off sounding good when I first heard you working on it but you've been working hard on it ever since then and have virtually perfected it. I know how important Dick's contribution was, even if he doesn't, and I'm enjoying the parts and the whole. Eclatant!
Rebsie
It was always my intention to create something that would sound good through floorboards. :)
Thanks very much for all your encouragement along the way.
J.A.Stewart
a wee bit weird at times, but in an interesting way.
Nice soft harmony work, like a velvet tapestry.
The pennywhistle did make my ears a little crazy, sounding a few cents astray from the pitch, but perhaps that makes it more... authentic. ;)
Lovelerly piece. :)
--- Joe
Rebsie
Sorry about the penny whistle. It must have been sat on at some point in the last 30 years. I really ought to get myself a new one.
I appreciate you stopping by Joe, thank you.
Roxylee
And DWL added just the right touches with his guitar. Superb vocals, and I didn't even have to know what you were singing about- it was lovely to listen to. I am now interested in hearing more of this kind of music, thank you. :-)
Rebsie
I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it, but I was focused much more on how well the notes sounded together than on the meaning and expression of the song itself ... which is not how I usually do things. I'm glad you like it.
alfalpha
...not unlike what I had in mind for our collab. ;)
I wish we all had more time.
Well done you two!
Cheers,
Alf
Rebsie
Oh dear, I'm so sorry Alf. I hadn't taken on board that there was a time limit. I'm completely rubbish at getting collabs done, despite good intentions.
Mckenzie
piece. I always find it amazing how even though this may not be the chosen genre of music for lots of people, musicians can always recognise and appreciate talent and musicianship no matter what. Beautiful harmonies and perfect balance in my opinion - enjoyed every second
Fav'd!
Rebsie
Thanks Mckenzie, I appreciate that. Indeed this is a bit of a genre-bender for me and I don't feel in any way qualified to tackle Renaissance music, but I enjoy experimenting and just seeing how it turns out.
damiengh
Another pleasant suprise, though from you folks, we shouldn't be.
Always giving us different aspects of your musical personalities, which when put together, never stop giving us musical medicine for our ears, the kind that tastes great.
Really like that drone Dickie laid down as a backdrop for the "Rebsie-o-phonic-multi-layered-harmonious-voice-projector", that you play so well.
Rebsie
Thanks Damien for your unrelenting support. We aim to please. :)
Dick has a knack for coming up with exactly the right thing, even when we're working on something neither of us has tried before. He's great.
Stunningly beautiful rendition! I too have heard the John Renbourne version. I like this one better.
Brilliantly conceived. Near perfect execution. I really love the slightly psycho element that appears mid-way.
Bravo and encore!
Be well!
Rebsie
Better than the JRG version? Wow, there's a compliment. I was looking for a way to take this beyond the traditional and I'm very pleased you like it. Thanks Micheal.
dirigent
Absolutely wonderful, what an unique, extraordinary delight. Perfect sweet vocals, top-production, a charming arrangement. Enchanting bravissima!!!
Rebsie
What a wonderful collection of compliments. Thanks so much Andreas.
bud
I could listen to sing the phone book. I'm such a sucker for traditional gone psychedelic arrangements - must be my Irish blood and mushroom past. Excellent recording.
Rebsie
Thanks Bud. You may be interested in my new CD release, "British Telecom - Scunthorpe and district" which includes the hit single Grimsby 524769.
Irish blood and mushroom past ... I like that!
I'm always game for mangling a few traditions.
dwwave
Rebsie and DWL,
Quite a enthralling piece and with the additional
components a extremely fine piece.
Dissonance is what makes music unique(IMO)
(though a far different music type) by far Jimmy Page
was a master of the use(intentional or not) of
dissonance.
Rebsie
Thanks David. I agree, dissonance is one of the things that gives music its character, and is sadly lacking from today's over-produced commercial music.
BRILLIANT!!!!
Rebsie
Thank you.
blaky smith
nice to hear you singing in French Rebsie, and especially the language of the time of the Renaissance !
Great job, very nicely done, beautiful harmonies and as always very good vocals. Bravo et merci Rebsie...
Marc
Rebsie
Merci Marc, I was hoping you would enjoy this. I appreciate you leaving a comment too ... your English is so much better than my French.
Lightman-
What a great treasure you've found.... I really like the song... And your vocals is superb.... The french language, i don't understand.... But i understand the music-words... And can hear feelings in this song.... Great, great....
Rebsie
If you can hear the feelings in the song then I've done my job. Thanks very much Jakob.
AcetyleneJukebox
Lovely. I enjoyed listening to this. A great mix of the ancient and the modern. That's some strong faerie dust.
Rebsie
Thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it. Only the finest faery dust!
LunaTrick
Such a treat to come back here and find a new offering from you. Truly delightful delivery - and big props to Dick for his even-handed comping. On my third listen - and it gets better each time!
Best to you...
Rebsie
Nice to see you here Daniel. And multiple listens are always the biggest compliment for any song. :)
I'll be in touch by email...
Vic Holman
i haven't been around much in the last few weeks.
glad i was able to catch up and hear this song. this is awesome
vocals and harmonies are great!
and that middle section was really cool.
Rebsie
I haven't been around much for a few weeks either ... glad you could drop in anyway Vic. It's always a pleasure.
Henke
This was like going down memory lane for me. In my teens I played with a Renaissance ensamble in long brown velvet robes and with all the old instruments and this tune was one of the pieces we did, although it was instrumental with dance. I played the alto bassoon(? small trombone). We went to play in Trondheim in Norway, and later in West Berlin (1978). We did quite well I think, even if I was not that enthusiastic at the time...
Anyway, your rendition sounds a bit different, mostly because of the singing I guess, but it's sure a nice listen! Thank you so much!
/Henke
Rebsie
Wow, what an interesting story Henke. Thanks for taking a listen.
I sped up the tempo a little from its traditional stately pace too. It's nice to explore these variations and see how they affect the character of the piece.
Bubowski
I've always loved Renaissance music. This is a great rendition with just a few modern sounds thrown in to give it a contemporary feel. A wonderful job!
--Graham
Rebsie
Much appreciated Graham, thank you!
VicDiesel
Good performance, creative idea to throw in some electronic noises, and kudos for performing a true classic.
This song actually has 8 bar phrases, but they seem divided 5 3, so the next phrase everytime sounds like it comes a bar early. Nothing wrong with that, but I would have stretched the last bar by a millisecond: even accounting for that bar, the new phrase sounds like it comes a fraction of a beat early. The dangers of quantized music?
Rebsie
Thanks Vic. I know it's a bit weird, an anacrusic melody in 2/2 time where each phrase starts in the middle of a bar. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I rather like it like that.
woofer3
I could find nothing untoward about this in anyway whatsoever! - the real McCoy as they say and I would not alter a thing.
A download which I shall listen to a lot I can assure you. Your voice is absolutely perfect for this music.
A very enjoyabe recording Rebsie thanks.
John.
Rebsie
Yay! Thanks John. You know I'm a big fan of your music so I'm very pleased to see you here. Glad you enjoyed the weird timing too.
Bob Rodgers
good to hear this Rebsie, such beautiful harmonies you sing, your vocals are just perfect.
A beautiful song and so well performed. Very much enjoyed!
Rebsie
I'm really glad you got something from it Bob. This is a song which has been on my wish list for a long time and finally I decided to get on and record it. It was a lot of fun to do, which always helps.
I am not really keen on this type of music but, this sounds quite nice.
LTMP
Rebsie
Thanks Dee, glad you managed to salvage something from the listening experience.
macoco
It is always a moment of joy to hear an angel sing.
macoco.
Ren-Tin-10
I love it I love it I love it I love it I love it!
Bazz
"Ta bouche tant doucette va mon bien ravissant" says it all. And a special merci to the jangly jongleur in the background!