Machaut's peer, Thomas Paien

Journal article

One of the texts of Machaut's double balade, Quant Theseus/Ne quier (B34) is ascribed in Machaut's Voir dit to a certain Thomas Paien. The present article suggests that this Thomas was one of Machaut's peers, being like him a canon of Reims and a court secretary. Figures with similar names (and the pervasive idea that a character cited in a work of fiction might not be a real person at all) have confused earlier attempts at identification. A possible occasion for the composition of B34's texts also involving a balade on the same refrain by Jehan Froissart can be found in a shared patronclient link between Machaut and Thomas, both of whom had associations with John, Duke of Berry. © 2009 Copyright Cambridge University Press.

Authors: Leach, E

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: PLAINSONG and MEDIEVAL MUSIC
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 91-112
• Publication date: 2009-10-01
• DOI: 10.1017/S0961137109990027
• EISSN: 1474-0087
• ISSN: 0961-1371
• Language: English