By: Deo Indra Title: Le bon roi Dagobert Composer: Charles Ferlus First publication: 1869 Piece style: Romantic
GENERAL INFORMATION It acts as a children song to summarize and simplify the story of King Dagobert I in France. The song itself is not about the actual King Dagobert, but more to talk about times during the French Revolution. Although its not directed on King Dagobert, the characters mentioned in the song were real characters such as King Dagobert, and Saint Eloy who was the Bishop of Noyon that became the chief counselor. ROLE OF THE SONG This traditional song was a phenomenal song that has been passed on from generation to generation. Although the first recording of this song is around the 1800s, the people of France still sing this song as it is a childhood song. After the recordings on 1800, they have also made more recordings of this song but with different singers. This song was part of French heritage. IMPORTANCE AS TRADITIONAL SONG This is a good example of a traditional folk song because it has morals on the song and the song was made a long time ago. This traditional song also proved to be a song that still exists although the eras have changed. It remained to the hearts of citizens of France until this day because this song have been a part of their lives, and is one good example as one of their children songs. WHY IT IS A GOOD TRADITIONAL SONG Exactly when and exactly where this song will be sung is unidentified but those who sing it are probably parents or teachers who sing it to the children or students so they can remember it. This song was probably known to everybody who are old enough. PLACE OF THE SONG LYRICS Le bon roi Dagobert Avait sa culotte l'envers Le grand saint Eloi lui dit : "O mon roi, votre majest Est mal culotte" "C'est vrai, lui dit le roi, Je vais la remettre l'endroit. Le bon roi Dagobert Chassait dans la plaine d'Anvers Le grand saint Eloi lui dit : "O mon roi, votre majest Est bien essouffle" "C'est vrai, lui dit le roi, Un lapin courait aprs moi." "C'est vrai, lui dit le roi, Un lapin courait aprs moi." "C'est vrai, lui dit le roi, Un lapin courait aprs moi." Le bon roi Dagobert Voulait s'embarquer sur la mer
Le grand saint Eloi lui dit : "O mon roi Votre majest Se fera noyer" "C'est vrai, lui dit le roi, On pourra crier : le roi boit !" Le bon roi Dagobert Mangeait en glouton du dessert Le grand saint Eloi lui dit : "O mon roi vous tes gourmand Ne mangez pas tant" "C'est vrai, lui dit le roi, Je ne le suis pas tant que toi" Le bon roi Dagobert Avait un grand sabre de fer Le grand saint Eloi lui dit : "O mon roi, votre majest Pourrait se blesser" "C'est vrai lui dit le roi, Qu'on me donne un sabre de bois." Le bon roi Dagobert Se battait tort travers Le grand saint Eloi lui dit "O mon roi, votre majest Se fera tuer" "C'est vrai, lui dit le roi Viens vite te mettre devant moi" Le bon roi Dagobert Craignait fort d'aller en enfer Le grand saint Eloi lui dit : "O mon roi, je crois bien, ma foi Qu' vous irez tout droit" "C'est vrai lui dit le roi, Ne peux-tu pas prier pour moi ?" Quand Dagobert mourut Le diable aussitt accourut Le grand saint Eloi lui dit : "O mon roi, Satan va passer Faut vous confesser" "Hlas, lui dit le roi, Ne pourrais-tu mourir pour moi ?" The good King Dagobert Had his breeches inside out. The great Saint Eloy told him, "Oh my king, your Majesty Has his breeches inside out." "Indeed," the king told him, "I'm going to put them right side out." The good King Dagobert Was hunting in the Antwerp plain. The great Saint Eloy told him, "Oh my king, your Majesty Is out of breath." "Indeed," the king told him, "A rabbit was running after me. The good King Dagobert Wanted to sail on the sea. The great Saint Eloy told him, "Oh my king, your Majesty Will drown." "Indeed," the king told him, TRANSLATION "They might yell, 'The king drinks!' The good King Dagobert Was greedily eating his dessert. The great Saint Eloy told him, "Oh my king, you're greedy, Don't eat so much." "Indeed," the king told him, "I'm not as greedy as you are. The good King Dagobert Was writing verses the wrong way. The great Saint Eloy told him, "Oh my king, let fools Write songs." "Indeed," the king told him, "You will write them for me." The good King Dagobert Had a big iron saber. The great Saint Eloy told him, "Oh my king, your Majesty Could get hurt."
"Indeed," the king told him, "Let them give me a wooden saber. The good King Dagobert Was fighting wildly. The great Saint Eloy told him, "Oh my king, your Majesty Will get killed." "Indeed," the king told him, "Come quickly and stand before me. The good King Dagobert Greatly feared going to hell. The great Saint Eloy told him, "Oh my king, I believe, by my faith, That you'll go right there." "Indeed," the king told him, "Can't you pray for me? As soon as Dagobert died The devil came running. The great Saint Eloy told him, "Oh my king, Satan's coming soon,
You have to confess." "Alas," the king told him, "Couldn't you die for me?" This song was telling the story/plot of the first King Dagoberts life into a song. This song had moral of saying to not always think that we are right, and other peoples opinion is wrong. People should not be egoistic and take time to listen to other people. Like in this song, where King Dagobert did not follow the advices of Saint Eloy and in the end Dagobert was taken away by Satan. MEANING OF LYRICS Family Instruments: Percussion and Brass Instruments: Trumpet, piano and tambourine How so?: The use of the trumpet was only at the beginning to introduce the song. The piano was the main instrument playing the melody of the song while the tambourine was just to keep the beat of the song. INSTRUMENTS/INSTRUMENT FAMILIES Melody: The melody of the song is singable and flowing because the tune repeats itself at times. Tempo: This particular piece has the tempo of Andante and it does not change throughout the whole song. Accelerando and Ritardando did not occur at all. Harmony: This piece was in major because the sounds can be distinguished. The instruments that were playing are piano, trumpet, and tambourine. All instruments played a simple tune. Meter: The meter that is in this particular song is complex duple because the beat had different variety and pattern instead of one single type of beat. Rhythm: The rhythm of the song is repeated quite a lot of times and has no different ones. The rhythm of this song is simple. MUSIC ELEMENTS Dynamics: The appropriate dynamics for this song would be mezzo forte because the song wasnt loud and wasnt soft either. Since there is no middle volume in dynamics, the song was almost loud and that is why it is mezzo forte. Timbre: For this version of the song, I can hear three instruments playing. All three of them belong to the family of percussion. The instruments were piano, trumpet, and tambourine. Texture: This song has a texture of monophonic because there is only one singer with one melody. Text setting: The text setting is syllabic because each syllable only gets one note for itself.
MUSIC ELEMENTS CONT. How does these affect the song? These music elements that are included in the song affects the music by making the song have natural flows and can be sung by many people. Which elements seemed to be most important? Some of the most important elements were the rhythm and the melody of the song. This is because these elements made most of the structure of the song. Why do you think those elements are emphasized? Since it is a children song, they wanted to make the song easier to sing and memorize although there arent any chorus but verses. If this happens, the children can know the song and have it in memory quicker. MUSIC ELEMENTS CONT. 2 "Le bon roi Dagobert, Op.60 (Ferlus, Charles)." - IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library: Free Public Domain Sheet Music. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2014. <http://imslp.org/wiki/Le_bon_roi_Dagobert,_Op.60_(Ferlus,_Charles)> Parlomes, Monique. "Good King Dagobert." Mama Lisa's World of Children and International Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2014. <http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=2977&c=22>. "Le bon roi Dagobert." YouTube. YouTube, 10 May 2010. Web. 20 Sept. 2014. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqKjdSjNgRU>. "24 Best-Loved French Folk Songs." Smithsonian Folkways . N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2014. <http://www.folkways.si.edu/andre-claveau-and-mathe- altery/24-best-loved-french-folk-songs/world/music/album/smithsonian>.