{"id":1652,"date":"2020-11-02T16:24:08","date_gmt":"2020-11-02T16:24:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/malcolm-hill.co.uk\/?page_id=1652"},"modified":"2020-11-02T16:24:08","modified_gmt":"2020-11-02T16:24:08","slug":"agincourt-mj341","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/malcolm-hill.co.uk\/wp\/notes\/agincourt-mj341\/","title":{"rendered":"Agincourt mj341"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Field of Agincourt<\/em><\/strong> mj341 : <\/em>a setting of Caroline Heaton\u2019s poem<\/p>\n

In the early 20th<\/sup> century, Waller Goodworth composed a series of motets based on the extended compass of late plainsong \u2013 most plainsong had been limited to the compass of an octave (plus a note at times) while maintaining the early Greek modes, but in later plainsong, five more notes of the scale were added at the top, one of which might not be an octave above the lowest five notes (so that there might be a low B flat but a high B natural in the scale). Goodworth accompanied this set of notes within a plainsong environment by a single drone, reminiscent of the 13th<\/sup> century or hurdy-gurdy. This technique forms the basis for the setting of the first section of Caroline Heaton\u2019s poem, where contrast is evident by quasi early 15th<\/sup> century three-part chordal singing and by accompanied solo parts where more recent scales are incorporated.<\/p>\n

After some discussion with the poet, a coda was added to address more precisely the French feeling about the end of chivalry.<\/p>\n

Caroline Heaton wrote,<\/p>\n

\u201cI have taken my inspiration for the Coda to my poem Agincourt <\/em>from the Mediaeval French poem, Le Livre des quatre dames <\/em>by Alain Chartier, which appeared just a year after the Battle of Agincourt, although I have not used Chartier\u2019s words (though I approach them in one stanza spoken by the \u2018dishonoured\u2019 lady)<\/p>\n

Chartier\u2019s poem was one of a number of French responses to what was widely conceived as national tragedy at the time. He exploits the tradition of courtly love verse to explore French losses through the voices of four noble ladies, who debate whose is the greatest grief after the loss of their lords in battle.
\nI have created some new personages for Agincourt. <\/em>\u00a0The first of my additions is a robust and sceptical Beldame who has the controlling voice, while the second introduction is of a \u2018humbly-born\u2019 lady, the Fourth Woman, who acts as the voice of \u2018Everywoman\u2019. The latter implicitly undercuts residual sentiments of chivalric destiny and sacrifice, which the Beldame and other ladies more strongly challenge.<\/p>\n

The Fourth Woman also voices the poignant consideration that the opposing French and English armies was composed of many men whose lineages are closely interwoven.<\/p>\n

woman<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 All our warriors,<\/p>\n

bloodying the ground<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> woman\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Alen\u00e7on, Bar, Brabant, Fauquemergue, Blamont<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nevers, Roucy, Vaucourt, Vaud\u00e9mont \u2013<\/em><\/p>\n

Ist Woman<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Grandpr<\/em>\u00e9, Marle, Pousaye <\/em>
\nFinally, I make an explicit link to the tragedies of modern warfare in the concluding stanza, which references the nearby lands of the Somme, crossed and re-crossed by the English to reach Agincourt.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Field of Agincourt mj341 : a setting of Caroline Heaton\u2019s poem In the early 20th century, Waller Goodworth composed a series of motets based on the extended compass of late plainsong \u2013 most plainsong had been limited to the compass of an octave (plus a note at times) while maintaining the early Greek modes, … <\/p>\n

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