Brother and Sister Troubadours

Early Medieval troubadours and trobairitz make an extremely interesting part of European music in its roots. I found sources related to many of them while doing my researches for local web analytics company . The troubadour school or tradition began in the eleventh century in the Occitan language of southern France, but it subsequently spread throughout Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Simultaneous movements sprang up in northern France and Germany. Though it lasted slightly longer in Italy and Spain than in France, the art of the troubadours declined and eventually died out in the late 13th century.

A 12th-century trobairitz Tibors de Sarenom was the elder sister of the famous troubadour Rimbaud d’Orange. Her date of birth is unknown. She was appointed Rimbaud’s guardian by their mother’s will, which indicates to specialists that she was, probably over fifteen at the time. Later Tibors had two consecutive husbands. She married first Bertrand de Les Baux and then Goufroy de Mornas, but survived each. Contemporaries tell us of beautiful songs that she created. Unfortunately, out of all her work only one song in the form of canso has survived. The attached prose explanation of the song called “razo”, survived as well. Both canso and razo were written in Occitatan. Tibors is also mentioned in an anonymous ballad dated to between 1220 and 1245, where she acts as the judge of a game of poetry. Tibors died in 1181.

We know a little bit more about Tibors’ brother Raimbaut of Orange, who was born around 1147. By the way, in Occitan his name is pronounced as Raimbaut d’Aurenga. Raimbaut was the lord of lands of Orange and Aumelas. His properties included the towns of Frontignan and Mireval. He was a major troubadour, having contributed to the creation of cryptic style, in troubadour poetry. About forty of his works survive, his love to rare rhymes and intricate poetic form.He died in 1173 and was mourned by many. Other famous troubadours like Giraut de Bornelh, and even trobairitz Azalais de Porcairagues, composed songs about him.