Epitaph for a Green Lover

Description

During the 2022 tour of the Linarol Consort, supported by the Continuo Foundation and presenting works from the manuscripts of Margaret of Austria (1480-1530) entitled "Épitaphe pour un Amant Vert", the enthusiasm for this program was evident. After each performance of this magnificent unpublished music, audience members asked whether a recording existed, a demand that inspired the ensemble. Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy and Stadtholder of the Habsburg Netherlands, was a great patron of the arts who loved to dance and sing. But above all, she adored her green parrot. The program's title is taken from the remarkable song "Soubz ce tumbel", whose tragic lyrics are by Jean Lemaire de Belges, a poet of Margaret's court. This song incorporates excerpts from Jean Lemaire de Belges' "Épitaphe de l'Amant Vert", where the "green lover" refers to the beloved green parrot. This song, like all those on this album, comes from the two surviving songbooks of Margaret of Austria, now preserved at the Royal Library of Brussels. Besides these collections, Margaret's library contained over 350 treasures, including the "Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry", the "Sforza Hours", and a beautifully decorated book of basse danses (slow processional dances popular in the 15th and 16th centuries) on blackened parchment with gold and silver calligraphy. Such a collection testifies to Margaret's central role in Renaissance culture. The album invites the listener to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Margaret of Austria's court through music; it even offers a glimpse of her personality, as some of her poems were set to music by her favorite musicians, and a few of these poems appear on this album. The Linarol Consort took immense pleasure in exploring this music and sharing it with audiences in concerts, and now offers it to listeners of this album.