Giving voice to Samson and Delilah: troubadour and monastic songs of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries

Léglu, C. (2017) Giving voice to Samson and Delilah: troubadour and monastic songs of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. In: Butterfield, A., Hope , H. and Souleau, P. (eds.) Performing Medieval Text. Legenda. Modern Humanities Research Association, Oxford, pp. 39-52. ISBN 9781910887134

Abstract/Summary

This chapter explores recent theories concerning the performance and transmission of medieval song in vernacular troubadour lyric and Latin monastic traditions, engaging with other chapters in the themed volume. It explores in particular the subjective and emotive first-person voice, in terms of the Psalter, arguing for greater attention to be paid to the imbrication of secular and sacred musical practice. The second part of the chapter focuses on the Latin dramatic song 'Samson, dux fortissime', which is preserved in Germany, Sicily and England, including Harley 978 (Reading Abbey), and has an exclusively monastic manuscript tradition.