Jeune gallant

Pierre de Manchicourt's Jeune gallant is a French chanson for four voices (SATT). The music opens with a lively interplay between the voices, establishing a sense of playful argument. The text expresses the singer's defiance against a rival suitor who tries to turn her away from her beloved. She declares that the more the rival criticises her beloved, the more she will insist on loving him without fear. The chanson is a fine example of secular Renaissance part-music, where the composer uses imitative and homophonic textures to highlight the text's passionate and spirited message.