Jehan le Cuvelier d'Arras

Who is Jehan le Cuvelier d'Arras?

Jehan le Cuvelier d'Arras was a trouvère associated with the so-called "school of Arras". He may be the same person as Johannes Cuvellarius from Bapaume, a suburb of Arras, who is mentioned in documents of 1258. He was the respondent in nine jeux partis and judge of six; he also composed six chansons courtoises. His six chansons are:

Amours est une merveille

Anuis et desesperance

J'ai une dame enamee

Jolivetés et joenece

Mout me plaisent a sentir

Pour la meillour qu'onques formast Nature

This last one can be approximately dated, since it is dedicated to Wagon Wion, sheriff of Arras in 1265 and dead by February 1273. Cuvelier's chansons are predominantly heptasyllabic, although one is decasyllabic and there are pentasyllabic lines in the others. All are in bar form with the exception of Amours est, which is AA'BB'CC'DE. The use of motives in the caudae is typical. Unusual for his place and time he favoured plagal modes, save for the authentic J'ai une dame. In the readings of the music for Amours est, Mout me plaisent, and Pour la meillour found in the Chansonnier Cangé, there is evidence of modal rhythm.