Chasse rigueur loing de toy

This secular French chanson by Clément Janequin is set for STTB voices. It conjures a charming scene, perhaps an elegant courtly gathering or a pastoral fête, where the singers might celebrate the arrival of spring or a beloved companion. The text poetically addresses a beautiful lady, urging her to cast aside harshness and embrace gentleness. It suggests that her inherent beauty and grace are ill-suited to cruelty, and instead promise kindness and mercy. The piece urges that such loveliness should not be marred by severity, but rather that a tender heart should temper any severity, transforming it with compassion.