Erart [Erars], Jehan

(b 1200–10; d ?Arras, 1258 or 1259). French trouvère. He was a commoner employed by wealthy Arras burghers. Since the name Jehan Erart appears twice in the Registre de la Confrérie des jongleurs et bourgeois d'Arras, under the dates 1258 and 1259, and since the poems ascribed to Erart in the Manuscript du Roi (F-Pn fr.844) are entered in two different sections of the manuscript, it is possible that more than one trouvère of this name existed; there is, however, no substantial evidence for the conjecture. Erart wrote a ‘complainte’ on the death of one patron, Gherart Aniel, in which he asked Pierre and Wagon Wion to help him obtain the support of Henri and Robert Crespin, members of an Arras banking family. He named two Arras trouvères, Guillaume le Vinier and Jehan Bretel, in his poems, and is himself mentioned by the Arras canon, Guibert Kaukesel.

A total of 25 poems are ascribed to Erart in various manuscripts; only one is extant in more than four sources, and nine are unica. In addition to the ‘complainte’ (designated ‘serventois’ in the poem), he wrote chansons courtoises and pastourelles. It is thought that L'autrier par une valee, Mes cuers n'est mie a moi and Piec'a c'on dist par mauvais oir may be motet dupla, although they are not found within motet sources proper. The majority of the chansons employ the same line length throughout, whereas all but two of the pastourelles are heterometric. L'autrier chevauchai mon chemin and Lés le breuil appear to be complex, non-strophic poems, even though music is provided for the first section of text only. The composer shows a definite preference for lines of five to eight syllables; only Encor sui cil qui a merci s'atent, Nus chanters mais le mien and Pré ne vergier ne boscage foillu employ more stately decasyllables. Nine of the pastourelles conclude with refrains, including five with variable refrains.

The melodies associated with Erart's poems are for the most part in fairly simple style. Only the melody of L'autrier par une valee in the Chansonnier de Noailles (F-Pn fr.12615) exceeds the range of a 9th, and this may not be by Erart; a few tunes remain within the range of a 6th. There is a clear preference for modes with a major 3rd above the final; melodies in seldom used modes also occur, including some with finals on e, b and a (employing b). When melodies are given for variable refrains, these do not end on the same note. Most melodies follow bar form, the initial segments sometimes being distinguished by ouvert and clos endings. There is comparatively little reference in concluding sections to material presented earlier. L'autrier chevauchai, L'autrier une pastourele, Lés le breuil, Mes cuers and Pastorel employ non-repetitive structures. None of his works survives in mensural notation, but the very regular disposition of ligatures within Bone amour qui son repaire and Puis que d'amours m'estuet chanter and the stark simplicity of certain of the pastourelles would suggest modal interpretation.

See also Troubadours, trouvères.

Sources, MS

WORKS

Editions: The Songs of Jehan Erart, ed. T. Newcombe, CMM, lxvii (1975)Trouvère Lyrics with Melodies: Complete Comparative Edition, ed. H. Tischler, CMM, cvii (1997)

doubtful works

BIBLIOGRAPHY

K. Bartsch, ed.: Romances et pastourelles françaises des XIIe et XIIIe siècles (Leipzig, 1870/R)

L. Brandin: ‘Die Inedita der altfranzösische Liederhandschrift Pb5 (Bibl. Nat. 846)’, Zeitschrift für französische Sprache und Literatur, xxii (1900), 230–72

J. Beck: La musique des troubadours (Paris, 1910/R)

F. Gennrich: ‘Trouvèrelieder und Motettenrepertoire’, ZMw, ix (1926–7), 8–39, 65–85

T. Gérold: La musique au moyen âge (Paris, 1932/R)

T. Gérold: Histoire de la musique des origines à la fin du XIVe siècle (Paris, 1936/R)

T. Newcombe, ed.: Les poésies du trouvère Jehan Erart (Geneva and Paris, 1972)

For further bibliography see Troubadours, trouvères.

THEODORE KARP