Raoul de Beauvais


Raoul de Beauvais was a trouvère from northeast of Paris. His period of activity is estimated based on his works being clumped with those of other mid-13th-century trouvères in the chansonniers. Six songs are attributed to him, with three also being attributed to Jehan Erart. They exhibit great variety of poetical and musical form.
All six songs contain refrains. Both Quant la sesons renouvelle and El mois de mai par un matin are pastourelles. Especially interesting is the contrast between stanza and refrain in Deles un pre verdoiant. Each four-line stanza contains three open cadences, but the three-line refrain uses closed cadences. Melodically, however, both the opening lines of the stanzas and of the refrain are similar. Besides these three pieces, Raoul also wrote: