Chevalier Mult Estes Guariz - French Crusader Song

Arrangement and vocals by Farya Faraji. This one is effectively a Medieval propaganda song from 1145, composed as a means to motivate men to join in the Second Crusade, led in France by Louis VII, in response to the fall of the Fortress of Edessa in 1144, which sees the Pope Eugene III launching the Crusade. The song was found in the Codex Amplonianus 8 ° 32, manuscript in Germany, and given the language used, it seems to have been copied by an Anglo-Normand. The arrangement, as far as my intent is concerned, is meant to be entirely historically accurate, and therefore showcases the highly heterophonic and melodic nature of European Medieval music, without any of the modern accoutrements of chords and harmony. The instrumentation consists of a Greek lavta standing in for a Medieval lute (they were effectively the same instrument in the broad strokes, a flute, fidule and hammered dulcimer.) I especially wanted the vocals to be historically accurate, and they reflect the well documented reality of Medieval singing being very different from its usual depiction in most modern performances, which use an anachronistic, modern conservatory style of singing: clear, fully diatonic singing with almost no pitch inflection, rapid changes or sudden articulation; typical “Western“ sounding singing to our modern ears. Western European medieval singing however was far closer to Balkanic, Andalusian or Middle-Eastern practice, full of ornamentation, micro-tonal inflections, trills and pulsating sounds, see my video where I explain this aspect in more detail: The pronunciation however is bound to be inaccurate in many parts: I could find very little resources for Old French pronunciation, and therefore followed that used in most renditions such as Jordi Savall’s, I however cannot confirm their own accuracy in terms of pronunciation, so this may be a case of the blind leading the blind. Generally however, Old French was far closer to what we would think of as a typical Romance-language pronunciation, and sounded very different from today’s French pronunciation: Lyrics in Old French: Chevalier, mult estes guariz, Quant Deu a vus fait sa clamur Des Turs e des Amoraviz, Ki li unt fait tels deshenors. Cher a tort unt ses fîeuz saiziz; Bien en devums aveir dolur, Cher la fud Deu primes servi E reconnu pur segnuur. Ki ore irat od Loovis Ja mar d’enfern avrat pouur, Char s’aime en iert en pareïs Od les angles nostre Segnor. Pris est Rohais, ben le savez, Dunt crestiens sunt esmaiez, Les mustiers ars e désertez: Deus ni est mais sacrifiez. Chivalers, cher vus purpensez, Vus ki d’armes estes preisez; A celui voz cors présentez Ki pur vus fut en cruiz drecez. Pernez essample a Lodevis, Ki plus ad que vus nen avez: Riches est e poesteïz, Sur tuz altres reis curunez: Déguerpit ad e vair e gris, Chastels e viles e citez: Il est turnez a icelui Ki pur nus fut en croiz penez. Deus ad un turnei enpris Entre Enfern e Pareïs, Si mande trestuz ses amis Ki lui volent guarantir Qu’il ne li seient failliz, Le Filz Deus al Creatur A Rohais estre ad mis un jorn. La serunt salf li pecceür! Alum conquere Moïses, Ki gist el munt de Sinaï; A Saragins nel laisum mais, Ne la verge dunt il partid La Roge mer tut ad un fais, Quant le grant pople le seguit; E Pharaon revint après: Il e li suon furent périt. English translation: Knight, your salvation is much more likely, When you have heard the clamor of God. For the Turks and Almoravids, Have greatly dishonored Him. Unjustly they have seized His fiefs; For this we must feel deep pain, Since there God was first served, And recognized as Lord. Whoever goes now with King Louis, Should not fear the sea of Hell, For his soul will go to Paradise, With the Angels and Our Lord. Rohais was taken, as you know, And Christians are discouraged, Monasteries were burned and deserted: God’s sacrifice is no longer offered there. Knight, consider this carefully, You, who are skilled in the use of arms, Offer your heart to Him, Who was placed on the Cross for you. Whoever goes now with King Louis, Should not fear the sea of Hell, For his soul will go to Paradise, With the Angels and Our Lord. Let us re-conquer the land of Moses, Who camped on Mount Sinai; Let us never allow Saracen hands, To grasp the rod he used to separate, The Red Sea’s waves with just one act, As a great multitude followed him; And when the Pharaoh came after them, He and his cohorts perished there. Whoever goes now with King Louis, Should not fear the sea of Hell, For his soul will go to Paradise, With the Angels and Our Lord.