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Heloise & Abelard
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Based on the 12th century romance and the letters of these 2 remarkable characters.
celtic comedy medieval renaissance filk wizard rock
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Music inspired by my life in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), Celtic folk, Filk, and medieval history. Funny, thought provoking, childish, and beauti
What do you get when you combine Tom Leher, Dougie Maclean, Wierd-Al Yankovic, James Taylor, Spike Jones, John Denver, Jethro Tull, Monty Python, Fairport Convention, and Daffy Duck with a mild mannered minstrel in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA)? Answer: me.
Song Info
Genre
Classical • Medieval
Charts
Peak #50
Peak in subgenre #5
Author
Efenwealt Wyslte (aka Scott Vaughan)
Rights
1999
Uploaded
April 29, 2008
Track Files
MP3
MP3 2.9 MB • 96 kbps • 4:10
Story behind the song
Pierre Abelard was the pre-eminent and most controversial church scholar at Notre Dame in the early 12th century. Heloise was the niece of Canon Fulbert a merchant, and secular church leader in Paris. She had been educated at a convent, which was odd for a girl of her middle-class station. Soon after meeting, the two fell hopelessly in love. He connived his way into Fulbert's household as Heloise's tutor and not long after, their scandalous affair began. Their encounters were as equally wrought with intellectual debate as they were erotic pleasure. Abelard already had great notoriety, but this new romance just added to the talk, the gossip, and his long list of political enemies. Though not under a vow of celibacy, as a scholar it was expected of Abelard to be chaste or married. Too placate the dishonored uncle, Abelard left Fulbert's household and the lovers were secretly married. Not long after their child Astrolabe was born. The child was raised by Abelard's sister in Brittany and Heloise was sent back to a convent in Argenteuil to protect her from Abelard's enemies. Fulbert had finally had enough. To end his perceived "disgrace" and for revenge, Fulbert sent armed men to Abelard's rooms in the middle of the night and castrated him. The song begins here. A friend rides to the convent to tell Heloise of her lord's malady. She rides back to Paris to comfort her husband, but he will have nothing to do with her. He violently chases her out and asks never to see her again. Abelard feels their love and marriage have been against God's will and that he has been punished for his sins of pride and lust. At his insistence, they both take up religious orders to atone for their sins. Many years later, through their letters to each other, Abelard finally realizes that their love was (and still is) a thing much greater than he had ever believed. Their love became deeply spiritual, even divine. He wrote prayers and hymns for the nuns of Heloise's abbey, and even gifted them with the Paraclete, a monastery he had founded. Their love, now as spiritual brother and sister, remained strong and strangely Platonic. 20 years after his death, Heloise's body was buried beside her husband's and the lovers were re-united. Their tombs were later moved to Paris. To this day lovers make pilgrimages there. I highly recommend watching the movie Stealing Heaven and reading a copy of their letters (Penguin Books publishes a nice edition.)
Lyrics
Heloise and Abelard (Love Will Return) by Master Efenwealt Wystle copyright © 1999 by Scott F. Vaughan click here for a 175kb mp3 sample Standing in the fading light she waits all alone For one more chance to see The face of a memory Of a love that once had been Where has he gone? She turns away, lost in her tears And waits for her love to return Waiting for her love to return Waking from her twilight dreams at hoofbeat's fast approach Who is this messenger? Has he returned for her? "How fares my master, sir? Oh please what news?" The rider drops his gaze and quietly bids her ride, "For our lord, he needs you by his side. Our lord needs you by his side." Over hills and over fields they ride all through the night To the gates of Paris town And through the gathered crowds Around her lover's house They stand aside She walks up to the door and steps into the gloom Where the man inside hopes death will find him soon The man inside hopes death will find him soon (Abelard) "Please go away! Show me not thy face! My God has punished me For my temerity For my pride and lust for thee. I am not a man. Now please go at once and leave me to my prayers. And allow me to make peace with my God. Please allow me to make peace with my God. (Heloise) I will never leave, my love will last all time. Because this love for thee Is greater than the western sea Or any injury. Our Souls are bound. Thou wilt see my love that time will heal thy Wound, And someday Love will return. Someday Love will return.
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