Chansonnier de Jean de Montchenu.
Valencia: Vicent García Editores, 2007.
Acquired through the Susan & Ruth Sharp Fund.

This limited facsimile edition of the well known Chansonnier cordiforme, Ms. Occ. Rothschild 2973, housed in the Bibliothèque nationale de France., is exceptional in many respects. It has an unusual heart shape when closed, and opens into the shape of a butterfly, composed of the hearts of two lovers who send love messages to one another in each of the songs. A pictogram is used whenever the word “heart” appears in the texts and there is beautiful artwork throughout the manuscript. Included are French and Italian secular pieces, by or attributed to Barbingant, Fedé, Bedingham, Dufay, Dunstable, Binchois, Frye, Busnois, Caron, Cornago, Ghizeghem, Morton, Ockeghem, Vincenet and others. The chansonnier was commissioned by Jean de Montchenu, a nobleman, apostolic prothonotary, Bishop of Agen (1477) and Later of Vivier (1478-1797).