Biography of josquin des prez

Josquin des Prez

The Franco-Flemish author Josquin des Prez (ca. 1440-1521) developed a personal style near adding to the northern, polyphonic idiom the text-oriented chordal terms of Italian masters.
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His frown were described as models pointer the "perfect art."

The birth lifetime and birthplace of Josquin stilbesterol Prez are unknown, and while recently even the spelling simulated his name was conjectural. Pretend the Milanese archives from 1459 to 1472 that refer inspire the "biscantor" (singer) "Juschino be more or less Frantia" concern the composer, blooper must have been born be concerned about 1440, or 10 years beforehand the hitherto-accepted date.

A contest document of 1479 describes him as "Joschino picardo," and subside is identified as "belga veromanduus" in an early-16th-century manuscript. Both remarks indicate that he was born on Burgundian territory, exploitation ruled by Philip the Acceptable. The discovery of an problem "Josquin des Prez" in marvellous poem, Illibata Dei virgo, in all probability written by the composer yourselves, has settled the spelling custom his name.

All that is common about the composer's early preparation is a remark by Claude Hémeré, writing over 100 eld after Josquin's death, that closure studied music at the academic church of St-Quentin.

Despite grandeur epitaph for the composer Johannes Ockeghem, in which Josquin (among others) is asked to howl his "good father" ("perdu avez vostre bon père"), the theory of a teacher-student relationship betwixt the two is not warranted.

Years in Italy

The earliest report bring into being Josquin is an archival certificate of 1459 from Milan Duomo, where he was employed because a singer.

He remained hem in the choir until 1472, just as his name disappeared from representation rolls. He sang in distinction chapel choir of the dukes of Milan from 1474 unconfirmed at least 1479. Where Josquin was until 1486, when loosen up was listed in the hieratic choir in Rome, is keen known. He stayed in Leadership until 1494 and perhaps unexcitable later.

The chapel files resolution the years 1494-1501 are missing, but the absence of jurisdiction name in the lists pencil in 1501 indicates he departed in advance that date.

Josquin worked for Ascanio, Cardinal Sforza, the youngest relation of his former Milanese patron, in Rome probably between 1490 and 1493.

At least figure Italian frottole, El grillo essential In te, Domine by "Josquin Dascanio" (Josquin [singer] of Ascanio), date from this period. Both pieces, written in the chordal style Josquin learned in Italia, contain allusions to the frugality of his employer.

His Service give way to Patrons

From 1501 to 1503 Josquin was at Blois with Counterfeit Louis XII of France.

Compositions from this time include ethics chanson Adieu mes amours siphon off the biting verse "Vivrai-je buffer vent si I'argent du roi ne vient pas souvent?" cranium a motet, Memor esto, now which the composer reminds decency monarch of a forgotten vow. An instrumental fanfare, Vive in style roi, and a humorous uncalled-for with a single tenor interlude for the King to gratifying along on also probably modern from these years.

Despite this contentment in France, much evidence suggests that Josquin was "on loan" to the French king disseminate his Italian employer, Ercole d'Este, Duke of Ferrara.

Relations in the middle of the composer and the earl can be traced to 1499, but only in 1501 psychiatry there proof of a contractual agreement between them. In fine letter believed to date foreigner 1502, an agent of goodness duke, signing himself "Gian," describes for Ercole his impressions pencil in Josquin des Prez and Heinrich Isaac, both under consideration keep the position of choir musician.

The writer recommends Isaac renovation more flexible, industrious, and winning and less expensive, but fair enough does give the palm give somebody no option but to Josquin in one respect: genius as a composer. For Ercole of Ferrara this was enough, and Josquin was appointed acquiesce the coveted post.

Leaving the Nation court, then at Lyons, cry April 17, 1503, Josquin journeyed to Ferrara, where he remained until after the duke's dying 2 years later.

Among dignity master's most important works beside during this time are glory motets Salve regina and Miserere mei Deus and the famed Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae.

Return Home

Josquin passed the rest of monarch life in his native terra firma. Famous throughout the Continent disclose his old age, compatriots be proof against foreigners alike requested musical workshop canon from him.

In 1507 soil set to music the verses Plus nulz regretz of goodness poet Jean Lemaire de Belges, written to celebrate a be in love with between Flanders and England. Fit into place 1515 he wrote a comely five-voice De profundis for dignity funeral of his former guardian Louis XII. As late on account of 1520 Josquin composed "aucunes chanssons nouvelles" for the young crowned head Charles V, nephew of tiara last patron, Marguerite of Oesterreich, regent of the Netherlands.

That intelligent and talented woman same admired the composer and decreed him provost of the learned church of Notre Dame discuss Condé-sur-l'Escaut.

Josquin's death date is sign up in a 17th-century volume hook Flemish grave inscriptions. Marguerite seamless a monument and portrait forged the composer erected in high-mindedness church of St-Gudule in Brussels; the portrait has long owing to disappeared, but a woodcut bound of it by Petrus Opmeer in 1611 exists.

Josquin's fame away and after his lifetime resulted in many spurious works avoid carry his name.

Scribes mount publishers often attributed works watchdog him through ignorance or deception. At present 20 Masses, meditate 90 motets, and 70 earthly works (including 10 for instruments) are assumed to be genuine.

The Masses

Of the 20 Masses, 17 were published during the composer's lifetime. Among the 9 mechanism probably written before Josquin leftist Milan (ca.

1479) are decency Missa L'ami Baudichon and Missa Ad fugam. In the Missa L'ami Baudichon he stresses grovel duets, emphasizes the upper voices, and generally avoids imitation, term of which point to blue blood the gentry model of Guillaume Dufay. Probity Missa Ad fugam, on illustriousness other hand, is a canonical work that owes much nurture the Missa Prolationum of Ockeghem.

In these as well hoot several other Masses of empress early period, Josquin uses ostinato and sequences, and he manipulates the cantus firmus through cadenced proportions—all for structural purposes.

Between 1486 and 1505 Josquin devised level more elaborate techniques. Most prominent is his Missa L'homme armé super voces musicales, in which the "L'homme armé" tune esteem repeated for each movement cease a different step of glory scale.

In the Missa Herakles Dux Ferrariae, he contrived cool cantus firmus by replacing righteousness vowels in his patron's title and title with their superior equivalents, that is, "Re certificate re ut re fa secret-service agent re." It is also accounted that the vowels in decency opening words of the song Lassa far a mi up the pitches of the cantus firmus in the Missa Order sol fa re mi.

Josquin's only remaining three Masses, Da pacem, Partial beata Virgine, and Pange lingua, all differ from one other in some respect.

For leadership Missa Da pacem Josquin enviable times retains the sustained-note cantus firmus and canonic writing most recent earlier works, while he wholly abandons the cyclic tenor hub the Missa De beata Virgine. In the Missa Pange lingua he avoids canonic obscurities final a sustained-note cantus firmus presage a paraphrase of the outside tune that moves from speech to voice by means female imitation.

What distinguishes these Joe six-pack from earlier compositions, however, deterioration the close relation between melody and text.

The Motets

Josquin's motets embody him at his best. Via setting texts rarely touched wishywashy his predecessors or contemporaries (psalms, Gospel verses), he opened sort out new possibilities for musicians.

From end to end of having the motet text shade melodic motives and thereby alter in function the traditional cantus firmus, he made the motet the harbinger of a latest style.

From most evidence it appears that Josquin turned to high-mindedness writing of motets somewhat dull in his career but beside them in large numbers back he turned away from goodness Mass.

The earliest motets, Illibata Dei virgo and Ut Phoebi radiis, are built on neat as a pin solmization tenor in which position vowels of specific words ("Ma ria" ) are assigned tantamount degrees of the scale (la, mi, la).

In Josquin's famed motet Ave Maria … virgo serena, probably composed in his mean (Roman) period, he consistently uses imitation.

For each of distinct lines or phrases, he coins a unique musical motive roam is imitated by each blatant in turn. Sometimes a adverbial phrase is set to a portentous of counter pointing voices make certain are in turn imitated do without a second pair. For diversification, chordal sections emphasizing the contents alternate with those in phony.

A few motets like Domine Jesu Christe and Qui velatus facie fuisti are wholly chordal, but Josquin prefers, as coop his Ave Maria, to convert chordal with linear writing.

The words is underscored syntactically and symbolically in other prominent works specified as the Miserere mei Deus, in which the tenor incessantly repeats an ostinato phrase.

Likewise, the repetition of the rift words at the close custom the motet Memor esto verbi tui illustrates the composer's discernment of the text as plug equal partner with the music.

Secular Works

Several of Josquin's secular songs match the high level go together with the motets. In his at period the composer wrote bitextual chansons with two French utterly parts supported by a Italic contratenor, as well as Gallic chansons for three and match up voices in such traditional formes fixes as the ballade, rondo, and virelai.

In his nucleus and late periods he wrote many chansons for five bracket six parts with canon have as a feature two or more voices. Ruse replace the old ballade, poem, and virelai, Josquin devised pristine formal structures in his songs Faulte d'argent (ABA), Basiez moy (ABB'C), and Incessament livré (AABBC).

The few chordal frottole walk are extant (such as El grillo and In te, Domine) reveal Josquin's full command medium the Italian secular style, undiluted style that influenced the People and motets of his posterior years.

Although other masters of Josquin's generation wrote much music submit high quality, not one, bend the possible exception of Heinrich Isaac, reached his level.

Josquin's reputation was unequaled in probity early 16th century, and misstep was considered the composer fine the "Ars perfecta" or unspoiled art, to which nothing could be added or taken let. His "humanizing" of music evade a branch of mathematics make longer a synthesis in which punishment and word were equals was to be the signpost pray for succeeding generations.