A short piece by the gay Renaissance composer, Dominique Phinot, who was put on trial and executed for being openly gay. It is likely that Phinot was executed as much for his musical criticism of corruption and venality in the Catholic church as his queerness, as several contemporary composers who were also tried for homosexuality were either given lighter sentences or acquitted altogether.

This particular text is a commentary on the sexual impurity of priests and the meaning of “you know very well what young men (and women) do in the hay together” implies that Father John is both lascivious (want her to tell him every detail) and impure (he should know because he himself pursues young ladies - and/or young men - in the hay, himself).

Phinot was a highly regarded, prolific composer, who wrote over 89 liturgical pieces alone in his short lifetime. His musical work was remarked upon as an influence by later composers such as Palestrina. His other works, of which this is an example, are biting, satirical “joke” songs, wherein corrupt clergy and their venal habits are skewered.

Midtempo, polyphonic, short!

Translated from the French (and sung in French)

A young lady went to her vicar for confession
And told him of the young men she’d met in the hay fields that summer.

“Well, well,” said the Father. “And what did you do there? You must tell every detail in confession!”

The young lady giggled behind her hands. “Oh, Father John, I heard you know very well what young men do with young women in the hay!”