Dieu doint le boniour

Etienne Du Tertre’s Dieu doint le boniour opens with a charming, imitative texture that soon gives way to homophonic declamation, creating a lively interplay between the four voices. The French secular chanson here unfolds as a playful serenade. The singer addresses his beloved, whom he has not seen since the previous evening, urging her to wake and acknowledge his devotion. He declares that if he had the power, he would reveal the burning passion in his heart. The SATB setting captures the lighthearted yet ardent spirit of the text with directness and grace.