History of Music, Mr. Robert L. Johnston
St. Francis (Francesco Bernadone) as Troubador and Assisi
Aim:
What similarities did Francis’ life (both before and
after his conversion have with the life of a troubador?
Instructional Objectives:
At the conclusion of this unit, students will:
I.
Have reviewed secular song.
II. Have been reintroduced to Francis.
III. Have made a brief connection to Francis’ lifestyle
and his connection with the life of a troubador and
the lifestyle of the French.
IV. Have examined the Canticle of Creation (Canticle of
the Sun) as secular song.
V.
Have gained a visual perspective of modern day
Assisi through pictures and personal experiences.
VI. Have gained a stronger hold on Francis and the
tenets of Franciscanism as we approach the Feast of
St. Francis.
Motivation:
Play one of the many “pop” versions of the Prayer of
St. Francis and make connections with secular song.
Do note, this particular prayer was most likely
written in the early 20th century ironically, as you will
see, in France.
Development/Procedures:
I.
Review of secular song
a. It is the direct ancestor of today’s popular
music.
b. It was a musical expression of non-religious
(non-sacred) life.
c. It flourished in France and Germany during the
Middle Ages (Miller)
d. Miller lists the following characteristics of
secular song:
i. Monophonic
1. A better way to clarify this is there
were no backup singers.
2. Pictorial evidence shows instrumental
accompaniment, probably improvised.
ii. Metrical and mostly in triple meter.
iii. Strong and regular rhythmic feel.
1. Used recurrent and short rhythmic
patterns.
iv. Clear phrase structure (musical
sentences).
v. Clear sectional structure with verses and
refrains.
vi. Used the Church modes, but favored the
Ionian and Aeolian modes.
vii. Sung mostly in the vernacular.
e. Dealt with a wide range of subjects in
different forms. (Miller)
i. A love poem (canso).
ii. A plaint or lament on the death of an
eminent person (planh).
II.
Francis
a. Many believe his real name was John, but given
his father’s affinity to France and the French,
he was called by the name Francis.
b. His father (Pietro) was an extremely wealthy
cloth merchant who often traveled to France on
business.
i. Francis often wore extravagant and
colorful clothes of expensive fabric.
c. Francis was, into his 20’s, a typical young
Italian man, often partying as well as paying
his friends’ way.
d. Part of his “party personality” was that he
sang quite often (remember, there are no juke
boxes, etc.) and often sang French troubador
songs.
III. Canticle of the Creatures (Canticle of the Sun)
a. The poem, most likely the first of its kind in
the vernacular, was written at various stages
towards the end of Francis’ life.
i. In the Umbrian dialect:
Altissimu onnipotente bon signore. tue so le laude la
gloria e l onore et onne benedictione. Ad te solo altissimo
se konfano. et nullu homo ene dignu te mentouare.
Laudato sie mi signore cum tucte le tue creature
spetialmente messor lo frate sole. lo quale iorno et
allumini per loi. Et ellu e bellu e radiante cum grande
splendore. de te altissimo porta significatione.
Laudato si mi signore per sora luna e le stelle. in celu l
ai formate et pretiose et belle.
Laudato si mi signore per frate uento et per aere et nubilo
et sereno et onne tempo. per lo quale a le tue creature dai
sustentamento.
Laudato si mi signore per sor acqua. la quale e multo utile
et humile et pretiosa. et casta.
Laudato si mi signore per per frate focu. per lo quale
ennallumini la nocte. ed ello e bello et iucundo et robusto
et forte.
Laudato si mi signore per sora nostra matre terra. la quale
ne sustenta et gouerna. et produce diuersi fructi con
coloriti fiore et herba.
Laudato si mi signore per quelli ke perdonano per lo tue
amore. et sostengo infirmitate et tribulatione. beati
quelli ke l sosterranno in pace. ka da te altissimo sirano
incoronati.
Laudato si mi signore per sora nostra morte corporale. da
la quale nulla homo uiuente po skappare. guai a cquelli ke
morrano ne le peccata mortali. beati quelli ke trouara ne
le tue sanctissime uoluntati ka la morte secunda nol farra
male.
Laudate et benedicete mi signore et rengratiate et
seruiteli cum grande humilitate.
(Michele Faloci Pulignani (ed.). Il Cantico del Sole di San
Francesco di Assisi. Foligno: Tipografia di Pieter
Sgariglia, 1888, pp. 10-11.)
b. The composer, Sofia Gubaidulina gives the
following outline of the formal sections:
i. Glorification of the Creator, and His
Creations - the Sun and the Moon
ii. Glorification of the Creator, the Maker of
the four elements: air, water, fire and
earth
iii. Glorification of life
iv. Glorification of death
c. Examine the Canticle as presented in English by
the Santuario di San Damiano in Assisi.
d. The stanza, “Praised be You my Lord, for those
who grant pardon for love of You and bear
sickness and trial. Blessed are those who
endure in peace, by You Most High, they will be
crowned,” was added by Francis to aid in
resolving a dispute between the Bishop and
secular leaders in Assisi.
e. The stanza, “Praised be You, my Lord, through
Sister Death, from whom no-one living can
escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will, no
second death can do them harm,” was added just
prior to Francis’ death.
IV.
A brief word about Francis and Cimabue
a. Cenni di Pepo (Giovanni) Cimabue (ca. 1240-ca.
1302)
i. Born in Florence
ii. Last great painter of the Byzantine
tradition
iii. Was a pioneer in the move towards
naturalism
1. His figures were depicted with rather
more life-like proportions and
shading
iv. Teacher of Giotto, who painted the
frescoes in the Upper Basilica
b. In the Lower Basilica is a fresco, depicting
The Madonna and Christ Child enthroned with
angels and Saint Francis
i. This is considered the best artistic
likeness to Francis
ii. The Madonna of St. Francis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:San_Francesco_Cimabue.jp
g
iii. Also in the Lower Basilica is the Tomb of
St. Francis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:AssisiTomba_di_San_Francesco.JPG
V.
Pictures and Reflections
Materials of Instruction:
Smart Board
Canticle of the Creatures as illustrated by Piero
Casentini
Summary:
Francis, in many ways was as representative of the
secular world as he was of the world he created after his
conversion. His sense of song and its inherent beauty
spanned both these worlds and perhaps, there is a lesson
for us in his embrace of music.
Assisi is a magical place, regardless of your faith or
beliefs. Many world religions hold it in special esteem as
a holy place, and the world still visits it today.
Assignment:
Spend time alone reflecting on the efforts of Francis
as they relate to the world today.
Bibliography:
On the Road with Francis of Assisi, Linda Bird
Francke, Random House, New York. 2005
St. Francis of Assisi, G.K. Chesterton, Image Books,
Doubleday, New York. 1924
Pilgrims Companion to Franciscan Places, Franciscan
Pilgrimage Programs, Editrice Minerva – Assisi.
In the Footsteps of Francis and Clare, Roch Niemier,
O.F.M., St. Anthony Messenger Press, Cincinnati. 2006
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canticle_of_the_Sun
http://www.webster.edu/~barrettb/cantico.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimabue
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_San_Francesco
_d%27Assisi
Canticle of the Creatures, Santuario di San Damiano,
Assisi. 2005
Suggested Reference:
On the Road with Francis of Assisi, Linda Bird
Francke, Random House, New York. 2005
In the Footsteps of Francis and Clare, Roch Niemier,
O.F.M., St. Anthony Messenger Press, Cincinnati. 2006
Robert L. Johnston