Je ne veulx point

Pierre Certon’s Je ne veulx point is a four-part French chanson for SATT voices, characteristic of secular Renaissance part-music. The vocal lines move with clarity and gentle imitation, creating a pleasing texture. The composer sets a text exploring the singer’s preferences in love, humorously dismissing both the overly passionate and the excessively demure. He prefers a partner who understands the 'art' of love, arriving neither too soon nor too late in their romantic endeavours. The piece offers a delightful example of the Parisian chanson style of the mid-16th century, with its syllabic setting and light, graceful character.