Blacasset

En blancassetz si fo fills denblancatz q' fon meillor gentil hom de proenza. . .
Sir Blacasset was the son of Sir Blacatz, who was the greatest gentleman in Provence. . ."

Blacasset, Blacassetz, Blacssetz, or Blachessetz (fl. 12331242[1]) was a Provençal troubadour of the noble family of the Blacas, lords of Aulps, in the Empire. He was probably a son of the troubadour Blacatz, as his vida alleges, though this has come into doubt.[1][2] He was also distantly related to Charles I of Naples and Raymond Berengar IV of Provence.[2] According to his vida, he was like his father in merit, good deeds, and munificence, and also reputed to be a good lover.[2]

"Blacasset" is a diminutive of his father's name (Latin: Blacacius). A document of 1238 (two years after his father's death) mentions three sons of the elder Blacatz, two of which were named Blacacius.[1] Blacasset was not a professional troubadour, but, like his father, an amateur.[1] Eleven of his works survive, three sirventes, four cansos, and four coblas, including one single-stanza canso with a melody in F major, Ben volgra quem venques merces.[1] This song was appended to a manuscript of the chansonnier du roi of Theobald I of Navarre in the early fourteenth-century.[3] Among his other works are:

Sources

  • Aubrey, Elizabeth. The Music of the Troubadours. Indiana University Press, 1996. ISBN 0-253-21389-4.
  • Bertoni, G. "Il complemento del conzoniere provenzale di Bernart Amoros." Giornale storico della letteratura italiana, 34 (1899) pp. 118140.
  • Egan, Margarita, ed. and trans. The Vidas of the Troubadours. New York: Garland, 1984. ISBN 0-8240-9437-9.

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Aubrey, 23.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Egan, 23.
  3. Aubrey, 232. This is known as troubadour manuscript W or trouvère manuscript M.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bertoni, 128. Found in the chansonnier of Bernart Amoros.