1) Estamp… Read Full Bio ↴There are (at least) two different groups using this name:
1) Estampie is a medieval folk band from Germany, founded in 1985 by Syrah (Sigrid Hausen), Michael Popp, and Ernst Schwindl. The band took their name from a medieval dance. Estampie use a wide range of traditional instruments, including hammered dulcimers and various woodwind and stringed instruments. They write music in a primarily medieval style, but include some modern influences from pop, minimalism, and various traditions.
2) Estampie is a British early music ensemble led by Graham Derrick, specialising in lively secular music from the Middle Ages and Renaissance, founded in 1983.
chanterai por mon corage
Estampie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que je vueill reconforter,
Car avec mon grant damage
Ne vueill morir n'afoter,
Quant de la terre sauvage
Ne voi nului retorner,
Ou cil est qui m'assoage
Le cuer, quant j'en oi parler.
Sire, aidiez au pelerin
Por qui sui espoentee,
Car felon sunt Sarrazin.
Soferrai en tel estage
Tant quel voie rapasser.
II est en pelerinage,
Dont Dex le lait retorner!
Et maugré tot mon lignage
Ne quier ochoison trover
D'autre face mariage;
Folz est qui j'en oi parler!
Dex, quant crieront...
De ce sui en bone atente
Queje son homage pris,
Et quant la douce ore vente
Qui vient de cel douz païs
Ou cil est qui m'atalente,
Volentiers i tor mon vis :
Adont m'est vis que jel sente
Par desoz mon mantel gris.
Dex, quant crieront...
Mout par est fous
Ki s'en vait outre mer
Et prent congie
A sa dame a l'aler.
De ce sui mout deceüe
Que ne fui au convoier;
Sa chemise qu'ot vestue
M'envoia por embracier:
La nuit, quant s'amor m'argue.
La met delez moi couchier
Mout estroit a ma char nue
Por mes malz assoagier,
Dex, quant crieront...
The song "Chanterai por mon corage" by Estampie is about a woman who is waiting for her lover to return from a pilgrimage. The woman sings about how she wants to sing to give herself courage because she does not want to die of sadness. She is waiting for her lover to return from a faraway land, and she doesn't know if he will come back. She is also refusing to marry anyone else, even though her family urges her to, because she is still in love with her absent lover. She hopes that her lover will return to her soon so that she can feel his sweet embrace once more.
The lyrics of the song also touch on the theme of religion, as the woman asks God to help the pilgrim who is in danger while traveling in foreign lands. She refers to the Sarrazins, which are likely to be the Saracens, meaning Muslims. The woman is confident that her lover will return soon, and when he does she will be waiting for him with open arms. She also sings about how she has received a gift from her lover, which is a shirt that she now sleeps with at night to feel close to him.
Overall, the lyrics of this song explore themes of love, longing, and faith, and are a great example of medieval courtly love poetry.
Line by Line Meaning
Chanterai por mon corage,
I will sing to comfort my heart,
Que je vueill reconforter,
that I want to comfort,
Car avec mon grant damage
For with my great distress
Ne vueill morir n'afoter,
I do not want to die or lose hope,
Quant de la terre sauvage
when I do not see anyone returning from the distant land,
Ne voi nului retorner,
where the one who stole my heart lives,
Ou cil est qui m'assoage
when I hear about him.
Le cuer, quant j'en oi parler.
May God help the pilgrim who is forsaken by wicked Saracens.
Dex, quant crieront Outree,
God, when they cry Outremer,
Sire, aidiez au pelerin
Lord, help the pilgrim
Por qui sui espoentee,
For whom I have hope,
Car felon sunt Sarrazin.
because the Saracens are cruel.
Soferrai en tel estage
I will endure to return to him.
Tant quel voie rapasser.
Until I can pass this stage.
II est en pelerinage,
He is on a pilgrimage,
Dont Dex le lait retorner!
May God bring him back safely!
Et maugré tot mon lignage
And despite my family's will
Ne quier ochoison trover
I won't seek another husband.
D'autre face mariage;
Foolish are those who suggest it!
Dex, quant crieront...
God, when they cry Outremer,
De ce sui en bone atente
I hope to receive his homage,
Queje son homage pris,
And when the sweet wind from his land comes,
Et quant la douce ore vente
Where he is waiting for me,
Qui vient de cel douz païs
I will happily lift my veil:
Ou cil est qui m'atalente,
It is then that I will feel his presence
Volentiers i tor mon vis :
Under my gray mantle.
Adont m'est vis que jel sente
May God help the pilgrim who is forsaken by wicked Saracens.
Par desoz mon mantel gris.
God, when they cry Outremer.
Dex, quant crieront...
God, when they cry Outremer,
Mout par est fous
It is foolish
Ki s'en vait outre mer
To venture across the sea
Et prent congie
And leave his lady behind
A sa dame a l'aler.
without saying goodbye.
De ce sui mout deceüe
I was greatly disappointed
Que ne fui au convoier;
That I didn't accompany him out.
Sa chemise qu'ot vestue
He sent me his shirt
M'envoia por embracier:
To keep close to me at night,
La nuit, quant s'amor m'argue.
To lessen my suffering.
La met delez moi couchier
God, when they cry Outremer,
Mout estroit a ma char nue
May God help the pilgrim who is forsaken by wicked Saracens.
Por mes malz assoagier,
God, when they cry Outremer.
Dex, quant crieront...
God, when they cry Outremer
Contributed by Alexander T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.