Raoul de Ferrières

Who is Raoul de Ferrières?

Raoul de Ferrières, originally de Ferier, was a Norman nobleman and trouvère. He was born in Ferrières in what is today the département of Eure. A total of eleven chansons courtoises have been attributed to him.

In 1209, Raoul was mentioned in a donation to the Abbey of Noé.

The most famous of Raoul's songs is unquestionably Quant li rossignols jolis, which is probably the song Johannes de Grocheo describes as a cantus coronatus. Unfortunately, this song is ascribed to the Chastelain de Couci in another manuscript. It was used as a model for the anonymous L'autrier m'iere rendormis. Musically, it starts at the upper octave, flows downwards, and establishes a centre on d.

All of Raoul's melodies, including Quant li rossignols, were recorded in bar form, save two readings Si sui du tout a fine Amour. None are recorded in mensural notation. Most of the melodies are in the D modes, but three are in the authentic G mode. Poetically, all but one of Raoul's compositions use the ABABBAAB rhyme scheme and all of his works are also octosyllabic, with the heptasyllabic exceptions of Quant ivers a tel poissance and Quant li rossignols and the mixed octo- and heptasyllabic verses of the disputed Quant il ne pert fueille ne flours.