The Italian Trecento: Finding Other Ways to Occupy Blind Men

Album: The Second Circle: Love Songs of Francesco Landini
Track: "Che chos'è quest'amor" (Track #3)
Composer: Francesco Landini
Instruments: 3 voices
Musical Form: Ballata
Year: ~1350-1370

The late medieval period is most often represented by the French ars nova, but a parallel musical movement was occurring in Italy in the 14th century. Known as the "Trecento," this period in Italian music is characterized by its "love songs," sweet but simple polyphonic compositions with fixed poetic forms. Although there is a certain grace associated with its expression, Trecento love has little to offer the modern ear and its quaint charm quickly becomes tiresome on repeated exposure.

The most popular composer of the Trecento was Francesco Landini, a blind organist from Florence with a penchant for ballate and cadential escape tones (more on both subjects later). Many of his compositions utilize only two voices and venture little from the simple parallel motion that was so abundant in early polyphony. His three-voice ballate, such as "Che chos'è quest'amor" are marginally more titillating, but still fall short of the poetry and sophistication of their French counterparts. I can imagine the subtlety and grace of Trecento music might appeal to a dancer, but whether these works are themselves dancable I could not say.

Admittedly, my prejudice against this music may be more due to personal taste than any failing of the composer. Whether it be in minimalist music or folk rock, I am often happy to indulge in stripped-down arrangements of well-crafted music. However, these ballate feel oversimplified in more than just their arrangement -- their mood is almost stubborn in its optimism, as if fearful of expressing vulnerability. Indeed, this may have been a sign of the times, the Black Death having swept through Europe from 1348 to 1350. Perhaps people were themselves fearful of expressing vulnerability and sought escape in their music.