Musical Links
The main musical link between these two pieces is the medium. Both pieces are for a vocalist and a stringed instrument. The stringed instrument in “La Dousa Votz” is most likely a lute, as this was the common stringed instrument for French troubadours and trouvères in the 1300s. The stringed instrument in the “Seikilos Epitaph” is most likely a lyra. Both the stringed instruments accompany their respective pieces, acting as homophonic background to the melody, which is sung by a high-range male vocalist, a tenor, in “La Dousa Votz” and a high-range female vocalist, a soprano, in the “Seikilos Epitaph.” The major similarities between these two pieces end there, however both pieces are similar in the aspect of their accompaniment. In the opening first notes, the open string interval is played on the stringed instruments, an open fifth in the “Seikilos Epitaph” and an open fourth in “La Dousa Votz,” which then leads into the introduction, and the first verse. The stringed instruments both play arpeggiated chords at times. The stringed instruments in both pieces play an intermission between each verse of the piece (or in the “Seikilos Epitaph, between the repetitions of the same verse).
The second musical link is in the accompaniment in both pieces is mainly based on the stringed instrument. Though there are other accompanying instruments in “Seikilos Epitaph,” the lyra plays the main accompanying countermelody. In both pieces, chords on the stringed instrument rarely cover more than two notes, and are more prevalent in the “Seikilos Epitaph” than in “La Dousa Votz.” The main difference between the stringed accompaniments is that in “Seikilos Epitaph,” the stringed instrument has more variations in its usage, such as it’s repetition of the melody, it’s more varied use of chords, and the fact that it drops out at times. In "La Dousa Votz," The accompaniment is solely based on the lute, and the accompaniment never plays a counter-melodic idea, simply playing figures that serve to back up the vocal melody. The stringed instruments in both pieces serve to aid the melodic development of the piece.
Contextually, both songs were written by a man out of love for a woman. "La Dousa Votz" was written for a woman that Bernart de Ventadorn could not have. The story of unrequited love is reflected similarly to the story behind the Seikilos stele. After Euterpe was buried, whom historians assume was the wife of Seikilos, he placed the stele in her tomb out of sorrow and grief.
The second musical link is in the accompaniment in both pieces is mainly based on the stringed instrument. Though there are other accompanying instruments in “Seikilos Epitaph,” the lyra plays the main accompanying countermelody. In both pieces, chords on the stringed instrument rarely cover more than two notes, and are more prevalent in the “Seikilos Epitaph” than in “La Dousa Votz.” The main difference between the stringed accompaniments is that in “Seikilos Epitaph,” the stringed instrument has more variations in its usage, such as it’s repetition of the melody, it’s more varied use of chords, and the fact that it drops out at times. In "La Dousa Votz," The accompaniment is solely based on the lute, and the accompaniment never plays a counter-melodic idea, simply playing figures that serve to back up the vocal melody. The stringed instruments in both pieces serve to aid the melodic development of the piece.
Contextually, both songs were written by a man out of love for a woman. "La Dousa Votz" was written for a woman that Bernart de Ventadorn could not have. The story of unrequited love is reflected similarly to the story behind the Seikilos stele. After Euterpe was buried, whom historians assume was the wife of Seikilos, he placed the stele in her tomb out of sorrow and grief.