Je Ne Suis Moins Aimable (My Love Is Everlasting) (arr. Patrick M. Liebergen): SAB Choral Octavo

Liebergen's arrangement brings Certon's Renaissance sensibility into an accessible SAB setting without flattening the music's elegance. The piece rewards choirs with a genuine taste of 16th-century vocal writing while remaining manageable for intermediate groups, making it an excellent choice for directors seeking repertoire that educates listeners and singers alike.

The piece unfolds with the gentle, unhurried confidence of Renaissance vocal music. A lyrical melody floats above warm harmonic support, evoking a love song that values sincerity over display. The French text carries natural grace throughout.

Intermediate to advanced choirs looking to expand beyond contemporary repertoire into art song tradition. This arrangement works well for groups comfortable with ensemble balance and text-based musical interpretation.

• Shape the melody with Renaissance proportions in mind; avoid forcing modern vibrato and let the text rhythm guide your phrasing
• Balance the three parts so the soprano line remains audible without drowning out the harmonic support from alto and bass
• Pay attention to vowel consistency across the ensemble, particularly on sustained syllables, to maintain clarity through longer phrases

Pair this with other European art songs or Renaissance works to build a concert segment exploring vocal traditions across centuries. It settles easily into a mixed repertoire program as a moment of refined lyricism, or anchor a festival performance exploring the chanson tradition.

• Reading Renaissance-style melodic contours and harmonic progressions
• French language diction and text underlay
• Balancing three independent vocal lines with different ranges
• Sustaining longer phrases without modern vibrato techniques
• Understanding harmonic function in tonal but pre-Baroque music