Adam de Givenchi

Adam de Givenchi, also spelled Adan de Givenci, Givenci, Gevanche, or Gievenci (fl. 1230–1268) was a trouvère, probably from Givenchy, who was active in and around Arras.

Adam appears in charters of May and July 1230 as a clerk of the Bishop of Arras. He was still serving in the household of the bishop in 1232. In 1243 he was named as a priest and chaplain to the bishop.^[1] In 1245 he was the doyen of Lens.^[2]

He is assumed to have known the poet-composers Pierre de Corbie, Guillaume le Vinier and Jehan Bretel because he engages in one jeu-parti with Guillaume le Vinier in which Pierre is called as a witness, and another with a 'Jehan', who is assumed to be the prolific jeu-parti writer Jehan Bretel.^[3]

His songs survive mainly in MSS M (the chansonnier du roi) and T (the chansonnier de noailles), except for RS1164 which is additionally in MS a and the two jeux partis, which are more widely copied.^[4] Six other poems survive attributed to him, all with melodies. Two of these are chansons avec des refrains and two further are descorts.^[5]

Songs with music

Eight songs survive attributed to Adam in the index of MS M and all have music in at least one source. The RS numbers given here are those of the standard catalogue.^[6] In MS M, both in the index and in the main body, they occur in the order: RS1164, RS1443, RS1947, RS912, RS1660, RS1085, RS2018, and RS205. The first five songs occur in the same order in MS T, although the final three are found (in a similarly ordered group) earlier in the manuscript.

Songs

• Mar vi loial voloir et jalousie (RS1164). In MSS M, T, and fol.66v–67r in MS a. The copy in M is damaged by the removal of the initial at the opening; the version in MS a has empty staves.
• Si com fortune d’amour (RS1947). The same melody for this song is found in MSS M and T.

Chansons avec des refrains

• Assés plus que d’estre amés (RS912). Copied without staves for the subsequent stanzas' refrains in both M and T.
• Pour li servir en bone foi (RS1660). With music for later stanzas' refrains in MS M (except stanzas 2 and 4, which have empty staves) but with no space for music in the later stanzas' refrains in T.

Jeux partis

• Compains Jehan .i. jeu vous voil partir (RS1443). In MSS M, T, as well as in W and Q, which are sources of work by only Adam de la Halle. Q is a text-only copy without musical notation. Långfors suggests the inclusion in Q and W is mistaken or opportunistic, on the basis of the naming of 'Adam' by the respondent; he believes the attribution in M and T (which have no pieces by Adam de la Halle) is correct.^[7] The 'Jehan' is assumed by Långfors to be Jehan Bretel. The dilemma posed by Adam is which of two equally attractive ladies Jehan would choose: one who has never loved or one who is experienced in love? Jehan opts for the latter. Different melodies in different sources.
• Amis Guillaume, ainc si sage ne vi (RS1085). With Guillaume le Vinier, found in MSS M, T, A, fol. 136r–v in MS a, and fol.140v (formerly 150v)in MS b. MS b is a text-only MS without musical notation. The dilemma posed whether a consummated love that soon fails or a hoped-for love that is never realised is better. Guillaume opts for the latter. Different melodies.

Descorts

• Trop ai coustumiere amours (RS2018). In MSS M and T.
• La douce accordance (RS205). Different melodies in MSS M and T. The T melody is incomplete at the end. The MS M melody is copied in a slightly later hand, in mensural notation, and is shared with another late addition to M, the Marian song Iam mundus ornatur.^[8]

Notes

References

• Adam's page on Arlima.
• Luca Gatti and Christelle Cazaux, 'Un descort et une pièce latine à la Vierge: La douce acordance et Iam mundus ornatur dans les chansonniers M et T', Textus & Musica Publication online 22 Feb 2022.
• Jeanroy, A., L. Brandin and P. Aubry, Lais et descorts français du XIIIe siècle (Paris, 1901), 18–21.
• Långfors, A. with A. Jeanroy et L. Brandin, Recueil général des jeux-partis français (Paris: Champion, 1926).
• Parker, Ian R. "Adam de Givenchi." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Accessed 20 September 2008.
• Ulrix, E., ‘Les chansons du trouvère artésien Adam de Givenci’, Mélanges Camille de Borman (Liège, 1919), 499–508.