Composer

:

Guillaume de Machaut

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Virelai

Compose Date

:

before 1350

Average_duration

:

2:47

"C'est force, faire le weil" is a chanson composed by Guillaume de Machaut, a French poet and composer of the 14th century. The chanson was likely composed in the 1350s and is part of Machaut's collection of secular songs known as the "Livre dou Voir Dit." The chanson is in three movements, with each movement featuring a different text and musical theme. The first movement is in a lively triple meter and features a text that describes the power of love and the difficulty of resisting its charms. The second movement is in a slower duple meter and features a text that laments the pain and suffering caused by love. The final movement returns to the lively triple meter of the first movement and features a text that celebrates the joys of love and the happiness it brings. One of the characteristics of Machaut's music is his use of complex polyphonic textures, with multiple voices singing different melodies simultaneously. This can be heard in "C'est force, faire le weil," where the different voices weave in and out of each other, creating a rich and intricate musical tapestry. Another characteristic of Machaut's music is his use of isorhythm, a technique where a repeating rhythmic pattern is used throughout a piece of music. This can be heard in the chanson's first movement, where a repeating rhythmic pattern is used in the upper voice. Overall, "C'est force, faire le weil" is a prime example of Machaut's skill as a composer and his ability to create complex and beautiful music that captures the emotions and themes of his time.

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