Je suis à vous

Etienne Du Tertre was a composer of chansons in 16th-century France. This example, Je suis à vous, is a secular work for SATB choir, written in the French language. The text expresses a profound sense of devotion and surrender to a beloved, equating it to the highest form of captivity. The singer declares complete ownership by the object of their affection, finding contentment only in this complete possession. The lyrics suggest that true freedom is found not in liberty, but in willingly serving another, a sentiment characteristic of Renaissance love poetry.