Introduction:

Generally regarded as the leading composer of his time, Guillaume Dufay was born in Cambrai
around the beginning of the 15th century.1 Dufay seems to have been a fairly diverse person who
composed over 200 musical works including secular songs (French and Italian) liturgical pieces and
isorhythmic motets. Not only was he proficient in music but he was also a poet and had a degree in
canon law.2 When he returned to Cambrai, he retained a position as canon of the cathedral until his
death.3 The codex Oxford, Bodleian Library, Canonici Misc. 213 containing La Belle Se Siet is a paper
manuscript comprising mainly of chansons and some motets and sacred works and is believed to be
Italian in origin.4 Generally the notation used is white, though some black notation is used and
though it has not been conclusively demonstrated, the manuscript is believed to have been of
Venetian provenance. At Canonici's death the collection passed to his brother and then to one of his
brother's heirs, Giovanni Perisinotti. Canonici Misc. 213 amongst the various other volumes bought
from Perisinotti, is certainly unusual. In comparison to the others this one is fairly plain, decorated
only with plain ink-and-wash initials, it must not have seemed as interesting alongside some of the
more decorative manuscripts in the purchase.5 This particular transcription is called La Belle Se Siet
Originally by Dufay and found in Canonici Misc. 213. Dufay composed many songs such as this one
but he is known for a range of different styles. Dufay wrote a considerable quantity of church music
in his life. These compositions include a number of Mass settings, with one based on the most
popular secular cantus firmus Lhomme arm.6 The Ballade La Belle Se Siet is for three voices, two
cantus parts and one tenor it is laid out one after the other on a single page and the text in the top
two voices. It uses white notation and its mensuration is tempus imperfectum prolatio perfecta.

2. Editorial policy
Voices/Clefs:

All three parts of the music has been altered from their original pitch. The
prefatory stave shown at the beginning gives the original clef from the piece
and starting note. The top voices in the original have the same clef (C5) This
particular edition uses modern conventions for clefs using treble clefs. The
range of each voice is indicated at the beginning with two small note heads.

Guillaume Dufay http://www.naxos.com/person/Guillaume_Dufay/26014.htm (accessed

26/04/15)
2
Timothy Roden, Craig Wright, Bryan Simms. Anthology for Music in Western Civilization Volume I:
Media Update (Cengage Learning, 2009)
3
Guillaume Dufay http://www.naxos.com/person/Guillaume_Dufay/26014.htm (accessed
26/04/15)
4

David Fallows, Review:Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Canon. Misc. 213, Journal of the Royal Musical
Association Vol. 122, No. 2 (1997) , pp. 289-293
5
6

ibid
Guillaume Dufay http://www.naxos.com/person/Guillaume_Dufay/26014.htm (accessed

26/04/15)

Stave Signatures:

Stave signature I have decided to change to a B-flat in all parts as most of

the piece is in f major.

Mensuration:

The mensuration has been indicated in the source showing the symbol for
tempus imperfectum prolatio perfecta. In modern time signature it is
indicated using the time signature 6/4 in this edition. There is use of
proportion in the source indicated by 2 in the top two voices as well as the
original mensuration sign to indicate the end of the proportion. The same
symbols are used to indicate the changes in the edition.

Note Values:

Note values in this case have been reduced by half from the original source
for practical purposes to assist the modern performer.

Bar Lines:

The use of barlines in this addition is using modern conventions with a

double barline used to indicate the MS barline.

Accidentals:

Flats that are shown in the original manuscript appear as they would
normally in the edition, as well as flats believed to still be in effect in the
music. Bracketed accidentals are cautionary and all others that appear
above the stave are editorial suggestions.

Ligatures/Coloration:

Ligatures are indicated in the usual manner of a square bracket above the
notes and broken brackets to indicate coloration

3. Performance
The song was in essence designed for two cantus singers with a tenor. Originally it would have been
sung only by men, now it can obviously be sung by women. There is little information for this piece
in terms of performance practice as many scholars have disagreed on a variety of points. However, it
is believed that elements of performance such as tempo have a few different factors including
acoustics and rhythmic flow of individual parts. It seems that one of the main indicators of tempo
come from the ratio of text to notes and whether it is in duple or triple time. It is suggested that in
general a tempo of dotted minim = 56 would be an appropriate tempo.7 In terms of pitch I have kept
it as written from the original manuscript and though the pitch would likely have been different to
my modern edition I have kept the written values the same. It is difficult to know what performers of
medieval music would have done about expression and phrasing though a few suggestions have
been made by some writers such as singing with a steady tone not changing the pitch volume or
intensity especially for singers who tend to convey emotion by these means.8

7
8

Timothy J. McGee, Medieval and Renaissance Music, A Performers Guide (Toronto, 1985)
ibid

5. Critical Commentary:
Clefs: Cantus 1 and 2 are essentially equal as they have the same range and in this edition both use
treble clefs. Tenor uses octave lower treble clef.
Stave Signature: Stave signature is different in cantus 1 and 2, using a key signature of 1 flat
Mensuration/proportion: 7 i 1: proportion indicating rhythmic value been halved. 8 i 1: Proportion
indicating rhythmic value returned to original mensuration. 8 ii 1: proportion indicating rhythmic
value been halved. 9 ii 1: Proportion indicating rhythmic value returned to original mensuration. 26 i
1: proportion indicating rhythmic value been halved. 27 i 1: Proportion indicating rhythmic value
returned to original mensuration. 27 ii 1: proportion indicating rhythmic value been halved. 28 ii 1:
Proportion indicating rhythmic value returned to original mensuration. 32 i 1: proportion indicating
rhythmic value been halved. 33 i 1: Proportion indicating rhythmic value returned to original
mensuration. 33 ii 1: proportion indicating rhythmic value been halved. 34 ii 1: Proportion indicating
rhythmic value returned to original mensuration.
Elements of confusion: 26 iii 1: Tenor line repeats first section, but not written out in the original
manuscript.
Accidentals: 1 ii 1: Different hexachord with B natural. 11 ii 1: B natural makes double leading note.
22 i 1: Different hexachord with B natural.
Mistakes: 23 i: note did not display the correct value and so extended to end of bar to compensate