François Villon's Ballade des pendus: new song & music video
When in 1463 François Villon wrote the Ballade des pendus from his prison cell, he launched a poignant appeal to his fellow human beings. Speaking on behalf of those found guilty by the courts – imprisoned or put to death, he implores his neighbors to have heart and not to condemn them a second time through their contempt and ignorance. With this song, Anika Kildegaard and I relay this call, which is still highly relevant more than five centuries later. The video also evokes a work dear to Villon: the Danse macabre from the Holy Innocents’ Cemetery in Paris , which reminds us that we are all equal in the face of death, regardless of our education, pecuniary wealth, or skin color. The song belongs to Jean-François Charles's Missa brevis Abbaye de Thélème . Missa brevis Abbaye de Thélème by Anika Kildegaard & Jean-François Charles
