BOYER, Jean.

by Jean Boyer

£3,950 · Offered by Sokol Books

Exceptionally rare copies of the first and only editions of these “songs for drinking and dancing” by Jean Boyer. These two collections of drinking and dancing songs belong to an authentically French genre, a light-hearted derivative of the ‘Air de cour’ a secular court song, which became one of the most important vocal genres in the first third of the 17th century. Among the remaining collections of drinking and dancing songs of the period, Boyer’s are probably the most interesting both rhythmically and harmonically, and the texts he chooses to set to music are generally more refined than those of many of his contemporaries. They do, however, remain secular, often bawdy and amusing, lighthearted songs, clearly meant for a popular audience even though they were printed by the King’s printer of music. “Set either in polyphony for four or five unaccompanied voices—mostly during the late sixteenth century, but also still in Boyer’s ‘1er livre d’Airs à quatre parties’ [1619]—or for one single voice with lute accompaniment, such songs were usually performed and heard at court for the private entertainment of the king (Louis XIII) and his entourage. Composers were among the most eminent musicians of the court, including Pierre Guédron, Antoine and Jean-Baptiste Boësset, François Richard, Étienne Moulinié, Jean Boyer, etc., who were all excellent singers, if not also lutenists. Given the courtly destination of these airs, printing privileges were given primarily to the royal publish

• Binding: Hardcover

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