Pastorela Explained

The pastorela (pronounced as /pastuˈɾɛla/, "little/young shepherdess") was an Occitan lyric genre used by the troubadours. It gave rise to the Old French pastourelle. The central topic was always the meeting of a knight with a shepherdess, which could lead to any of a number of possible conclusions. They were usually humorous pieces. The genre was allegedly invented by Cercamon, whose examples do not survive, and was most famously taken up by his (alleged) pupil Marcabru.

Table of pastorelas

Only a few pastorelas have survived; Audiau counts 24 "true" Old Occitan examples, mentioning 10 others which resemble them but belong to other genres and one which is a translation from French.[1] Zemp reduces this number further, to 17.[2]

ComposerIncipitNotes
MarcabruL'autr' ier jost' una sebissa
MarcabruL'autr' ier, a l'issida d'abriu
Giraut de BornelhL'autrier, lo primier jorn d'aost
Giraut de BornelhLo dous chan d'un auzel
GavaudanDesamparatz, ses companho
GavaudanL'autre dia per un mati
CadenetL'autrier lonc un bosc folhos
Gui d'UsselL'autre jorn cost' una via
Gui d'UsselL'autr' ier cavalcava
Gui d'UsselL'autre jorn per aventura
Paulet de MarselhaL'autrier manei ab cor pensiu
Guiraut RiquierL'autre jorn m'anava1260
Guiraut RiquierL'autr' ier trobei la bergeira d'antan1262
Guiraut RiquierGaia, pastorela1264
Guiraut RiquierL'autr' ier trobei la bergeira1267
Guiraut RiquierD'Astarac venia1276
Guiraut RiquierA Sant Pos de Tomeiras1282
Joan EsteveL'autr' ier al gai tems de Pascor1275
Joan EsteveEl dous tems quan la flor sesplan1285
Joan EsteveOgan al freg que fazia1288
Guiraut d'Espanha ?Per amor soi gai
Cerverí de GironaEntre Lerida e Belvis
Cerverí de GironaEntre Caldes e Penedes
Cerverí de GironaEn mai, can per la calor
Cerverí de GironaPres d'un jardi, encontrei l'altredia
Joyos de TolosaL'autr' ier el dous tems de Pascor
Guilhem d'AutpolL'autr' ier a l'issida d'abril
AnonymousL'autrier al quint jorn d'Abril
AnonymousQuant escavalcai l'autr' erCalled a balada.
AnonymousMentre per una ribeiraEntitled Porquieira.

References

Notes and References

  1. Book: Audiau, Jean. La pastourelle dans la poésie occitane du Moyen Âge. 1923. E. De Boccard. Paris. 6.
  2. Book: Zemp, Josef. Les poésies du troubadour Cadenet. 1978. Peter Lang. Berne. 3-261-03019-4. 108.