The Oxford Book of French Chansons

The Chansons which make up this collection are superb examples of polyphonic settings of French secular verse, nearly ten thousand of which appeared in printed or manuscript sources during the sixteenth century. The eighty four pieces have been chosen first and foremost for their musical value, while care has been taken to represent the great masters as well as the lesser-known composers who made significant contributions to the genre. The chansons are mainly for four mixed voices, but a number of settings, from two to seven-part have been included.