Marot set to music, mainly in 20th century
[and 21st century ?]
In the 16th (and part of the 17th) century Marot was one of the most popular lyricists when music is concerned. In the 18th century I can't think of any composer bothering to turn to Marot for lyrics, and in the 19th there is only one: Napoléon-Henri Reber (1807-1880), an exceptional composer in more than one way. Chronologically Maurice Ravel's compositions on two epigrams of Marot also belong to the 19th century but his music to the next. Below a list of the compositions I was able to trace, in alphabetical order. The sources consulted are: Graham Johnson, Richard Stokes, A French Song Companion (OUP) and Grove's Dictionary of Music. [and 21st century...] On the internet I found an uptempo recitation of the "petite épitre au Roy", put to music...very nice: just follow this link (opens new window).
Jean Binet (1893-1960) born in Geneva
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1928: Six mélodies (to texts of Marot): no. 1. La plus belle des trois sera no. 2. Puisque de vous je n’ai autre visageno. 3. J'aime le cœur de ma mie no. 4. J'ai trouvé moyen et loisirno. 5. Vous perdez temps de me dire mal d'elle
no. 6. Pour le jour de Noël
George Enescu (1881-1955)
- 1908: Sept chansons de Clément Marot 1v, pf
- Estreines à Anne (see on this website epigrams)
- Languir me fais (see on this website: chansons, nr. XIII)
- Aux Damoyselles paresseuses d'escrire à leurs Amys
- Estreine de la Rose
- Present de Couleur blanche
- Changeons propos, c'est trop chanté d'Amours (see on this website: chansons XXXII)
- Du Conflict en Douleur (= rondeau)
Jean Françaix (1912-1997)
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1938: Trois épigrammes (one of C. Marot, A une Demoiselle malade), the others by C. d’Orléans, J. du Bellay), 4vv, str qnt, (the French Song Companion gives as date 1961, typo?). A Special page on this website is
devoted to this poem: Ma
Mignonne -
1941: Adolescence Clémentine (5 poems), vv, pf, 1941
1. De Jehan Jehan (see on this website: epigrams)
2. Mon coeur est tout endormy
3. D’une vieille dame fort pâle et d’un vieil gentilhomme
4. Complainte (= Adieu, ce bel oeil & Plaisir n'ay plus)
5. Avantnaissance (see on this website: Avant-naissance) -
1947: Chanson (Marguerite d'Alençon et de soi-même ?), 1v, pf/gui, 1947 [to celebrate the 60th birthday of Nadia Boulanger]
Jacques de Menasce (1905-1960)
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195.?: Quatre chansons (Molière, Marot (Epigramme de soy-mesme), Villon, D'Orléans) 1v (tenor), stringorchestra
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
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1900: Deux épigrammes de Clément Marot
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D'Anne, jouant de l'espinette (written in 1896) (performed with a harp iso a piano!)
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D'Anne, qui me jecta de neige (written in 1899), 1v, pf.
(soloist: Elly Ameling)
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Both songs were dedicated to Madame Hardy-Thé, who gave their first performance at the Salle Érard in Paris in January 1900, with Ravel accompanying her on the piano. They were orchestrated by Maurice Delage.
Napoléon-Henri Reber (1807-1880)
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18..? : a number of chansons by Marot (among which l'Ermite - I presume: Chanson XXXIV)
Reber (known from his Traité d'harmonie (1862)) was described by his friend Saint-Saens as a kind of musical anachronism, bewilderd by the way music and art was treated and developed in his own times. According to Johnson & Stokes, his music "is worthy of reassessment. A group of his songs, simple, yet lacking sentimentality and pathos (the besetting sin of his period), would make an unusual and appropriate beginning to a melodie recital." (French Song Companion, p. 429)
Jean Rivier (1896-1987)
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1944: Trois poèmes de Ronsard et un de Clément Marot (I. Bel Aubépin - II. Rossignol, mon mignon - III. Le Tombeau de Ronsard - IV. Dedans Paris, ville jolie (Clément Marot)), 1v (high), pf. A nice interpretation by Christopher Goldsack with Clare Toomer at the piano:
[the odd one out:] Arthur Honegger: Trois psaumes (Pss xxxiv, cxl, cxxxviii), 1940–41. (1v, piano) The first two are texts by Th. de Bèze, the last one is Psalm 138 by Marot: Il faut que de tous mes esprits . Listen to Jean-François Gardeil https://culture.wursten.be/arthur-honegger-psalm-138/