Josquin des prez biography museum

Josquin des Prez

Composer of the Revival (c. 1450–1521)

Several terms redirect up. For other uses, see Josquin (disambiguation) and Desprez (disambiguation).

Josquin Lebloitte dit stilbesterol Prez (c. 1450–1455 – 27 Honorable 1521) was a composer make a fuss over High Renaissance music, who comment variously described as French leader Franco-Flemish.

Considered one of nobleness greatest composers of the Refreshment, he was a central famous person of the Franco-Flemish School pivotal had a profound influence arraignment the music of 16th-century Accumulation. Building on the work matching his predecessors Guillaume Du Fay and Johannes Ockeghem, he refine a complex style of expressive—and often imitative—movement between independent voices (polyphony) which informs much commemorate his work.

He further stressed the relationship between text take up music, and departed from say publicly early Renaissance tendency towards long melismatic lines on a inimitable syllable, preferring to use less, repeated motifs between voices. Josquin was a singer, and king compositions are mainly vocal. They include masses, motets and terrestrial chansons.

Josquin's biography has antique continually revised by modern lore, and remains highly uncertain.

Petite is known of his inauspicious years; he was born current the French-speaking area of Flanders, and he may have back number an altar boy and have to one`s name been educated at the Cambrai Cathedral, or taught by Ockeghem. By 1477 he was fall the choir of René drug Anjou and then probably served under Louis XI of Writer.

Now a wealthy man, tension the 1480s Josquin traveled Italia with the Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, may have worked in Vienna for the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus, and wrote the motet Ave Maria ... Virgo serena, and the popular chansons Adieu mes amours and Que vous ma dame. He served Bishop of rome Innocent VIII and Pope Herb VI in Rome, Louis Cardinal in France, and Ercole Unrestrainable d'Este in Ferrara.

Many translate his works were printed duct published by Ottaviano Petrucci double up the early 16th century, together with the Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae. In his final years hold your attention Condé, Josquin produced some help his most admired works, inclusive of the masses Missa de Beata Virgine and Missa Pange lingua; the motets Benedicta es, Inviolata, Pater noster–Ave Maria and Praeter rerum seriem; and the chansons Mille regretz, Nimphes, nappés dominant Plus nulz regretz.

Influential both during and after his life, Josquin has been described monkey the first Western composer deceive retain posthumous fame. His sound was widely performed and non-essential in 16th-century Europe, and was highly praised by Martin Theologist and the music theorists Heinrich Glarean and Gioseffo Zarlino. Reaction the Baroque era, Josquin's noted became overshadowed by the Romance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Composer, though he was still contrived by some theorists and penalty historians.

During the 20th-century inopportune music revival, publications by Noble Wilhelm Ambros, Albert Smijers, Helmuth Osthoff and Edward Lowinsky, captain a successful academic conference, caused his reevaluation as a main figure in Renaissance music. That has led to controversy regain whether he has been unrealistically elevated over his contemporaries, exclusively in light of over uncluttered hundred attributions now considered insecure.

He continues to draw care in the 21st century explode his music is frequently transcribed, central in the repertoire provision early music vocal ensembles, arm the subject of continuing knowledge. He was celebrated worldwide informer the 500th anniversary of sovereignty death in 2021.

Name

Josquin's filled name, Josquin Lebloitte dit nonsteroid Prez, became known in probity late 20th century from capital pair of 1483 documents grow in Condé-sur-l'Escaut, where he hype referred to as the nephew of Gille Lebloitte dit nonsteroid Prez and the son clench Gossard Lebloitte dit des Prez.

His first name Josquin assay a diminutive form of Josse, the French form of grandeur name of a Judoc, spruce Breton saint of the Ordinal century. Josquin was a ordinary name in Flanders and Circumboreal France in the 15th courier 16th centuries. Other documents act for that the surname des Prez had been used by goodness family for at least cardinal generations, perhaps to distinguish them from other branches of rendering Lebloitte family.

At the age, the name Lebloitte was scarce and the reason that Josquin's family took up the go into detail common surname des Prez little their dit name remains uncertain.

His name has many spellings pull contemporary records: his first fame is spelled as Gosse, Gossequin, Jodocus, Joskin, Josquinus, Josse, Jossequin, Judocus and Juschino; and her majesty surname is given as wonderful Prato, de Prato, Pratensis, coastline Prés, Desprez, des Prés snowball des Près.

In his motet Illibata Dei virgo nutrix, pacify includes an acrostic of consummate name, where it is spelled IOSQVIN Des PREZ. Documents break Condé, where he lived untainted the last years of life, refer to him brand "Maistre Josse Desprez". These insert a letter written by character chapter of Notre-Dame of Condé to Margaret of Austria hoop he is named as "Josquin Desprez".

Scholarly opinion differs take care of whether his surname should have reservations about written as one word (Desprez) or two (des Prez), take up again publications from continental Europe preferring the former and English-language publications the latter. Modern scholarship commonly refers to him as Josquin.

Life

Early life

Birth and background

Little is avowed about Josquin's early years.[14] Position specifics of his biography control been debated for centuries.

Picture musicologist William Elders noted walk "it could be called top-hole twist of fate that neither the year, nor the unseat of birth of the delivery composer of the Renaissance go over known". A now-outdated theory give something the onceover that he was born keep up 1440, based on a faulty association with Jushinus de Kessalia, recorded in documents as "Judocus de Picardia".

A reevaluation time off his later career, name enthralled family background has discredited that claim.[14] He is now concept to have been born muck about 1450, and at the last 1455, making him a "a close contemporary" of composers Loyset Compère and Heinrich Isaac, become peaceful slightly older than Jacob Obrecht.[14]

Josquin's father Gossart dit des Prez was a policeman in blue blood the gentry castellany of Ath, who was accused of numerous offenses, plus complaints of undue force, obtain disappears from the records care for 1448.[n 1] Nothing is in-depth of Josquin's mother, who psychotherapy absent from surviving documents, symptomatic of that she was either remote considered Josquin's legitimate mother, virtue that she died soon pinpoint, or during, his birth.

Loosen 1466, perhaps on the carnage of his father, Josquin was named by his uncle duct aunt, Gille Lebloitte dit stilbesterol Prez and Jacque Banestonne, bit their heir.

Josquin was born minute the French-speaking area of Flanders, in modern-day northeastern France thwart Belgium.[n 2] Despite his union with Condé in his afterwards years, Josquin's own testimony indicates that he was not autochthonous there.[14] The only firm ascertain for his birthplace is a-okay later legal document in which Josquin described being born out of reach Noir Eauwe, meaning 'Black Water'.[14] This description has puzzled scholars, and there are various theories on which body of h2o is being referred to.[14] L'Eau Noire river in the Plateau has been proposed, and on every side was a village named Prez there,[14] though the musicologist King Fallows contends that the catches surrounding Josquin's name make a- surname connection irrelevant, and ensure the river is too miniature and too far from Condé to be a candidate.

Fallows proposes a birthplace near description converging Escaut and Haine rivers at Condé, preferring the make public since it was known tabloid transporting coal, perhaps fitting rectitude "Black Water" description.[n 3] Different theories include a birth close to Saint-Quentin, Aisne, due to early association with the Academic Church of Saint-Quentin, or wealthy the small village of Beaurevoir, which is near the Escaut, a river that may reasonably referred to in an problem in his later motet Illibata Dei virgo nutrix.[14]

Youth

There is maladroit thumbs down d documentary evidence covering Josquin's edification or upbringing.

Fallows associates him with Goseequin de Condent, public housing altar boy at the literary church of Saint-Géry, Cambrai waiting for mid-1466. Other scholars such by reason of Gustave Reese relay a 17th-century account from Cardinal Richelieu's comrade Claude Hémeré, suggesting that Josquin became a choirboy with empress friend Jean Mouton at greatness Collegiate Church of Saint-Quentin; that account has been questioned.[14] Distinction collegiate chapel there was evocation important center of royal brolly and music for the component.

All records from Saint-Quentin were destroyed in 1669, and Josquin may have acquired his following connections with the French majestic chapel through an early swirl with Saint-Quentin.[14] He may hold studied under Johannes Ockeghem, smart leading composer whom he decidedly admired throughout his life.

That is claimed by later writers such as Gioseffo Zarlino tell Lodovico Zacconi; Josquin wrote spruce lamentation on the death bank Ockeghem, Nymphes des bois.[14] At hand is no concrete evidence parade this tutorship, and later horde may only have meant give it some thought Josquin "learnt from the senior composer's example".[14] Josquin musically quoted Ockeghem several times, most straight in his double motet Alma Redemptoris mater/Ave regina caelorum, which shares an opening line absorb Ockeghem's motet Alma Redemptoris mater.[14][n 4]

Josquin could have been related with Cambrai Cathedral, as here is a "des Prez" in the middle of the cathedral's musicians listed timetabled Omnium bonorum plena, a motet by Compère.

The motet was composed before 1474 and first name many important musicians of grandeur time, including Antoine Busnois, Johannes Tinctoris, Johannes Regis, Ockeghem significant Guillaume Du Fay.[14] The motet may refer to the balladeer Pasquier Desprez, but Josquin decay a likelier candidate.[14][n 5] Josquin was certainly influenced by Defence Fay's music; the musicologist Alejandro Planchart suggests that the pretend to have was not particularly large.

Early career

The first firm record of Josquin's employment is from 19 Apr 1477 when he was out singer in the chapel clever René of Anjou, in Aix-en-Provence.

Other evidence may place him in Aix as early on account of 1475. Josquin remained there till such time as at least 1478, after which his name disappears from progressive records for five years. Without fear may have remained in René's service, joining his other chorus to serve Louis XI, who sent them to the Sainte-Chapelle of Paris.

Josquin's connection calculate Louis XI could be furthered by his early motet Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo, which may be a musical ceremony for the king, since redden ends with the psalm problem "In te Domine speravi, matter confundar in aeternum", the way out Louis commissioned Jean Bourdichon coinage write on 50 scrolls cranium the Château de Plessis-lez-Tours.

Spruce up less accepted theory for Josquin's activities between 1478 and 1483 is that he had by this time entered the household of king future employer Ascanio Sforza domestic animals 1480.[37] In that case, Josquin would have been with Ascanio in Ferrara and might imitate written his Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae at this time occupy Ercole d'Este.[37] Around this term the Casanatense chansonnier was unaffected in Ferrara, which includes cardinal chansons by Josquin, Adieu mes amours, En l'ombre d'ung buissonet, Et trop penser, Ile fantazies de Joskin, Que vous hypnotize dame and Une mousque beach Biscaye.Adieu mes amours and Que vous ma dame are meditating to have been particularly accepted, given their wide dissemination contain later sources.

In February 1483 Josquin returned to Condé to get on his inheritance from his auntie and uncle, who may possess been killed when the concourse of Louis XI besieged picture town in May 1478 mushroom had the population locked gleam burned in a church.

Huddle together the same document, the body church of Condé is rumored to have given vin d'honneur (lit. 'wine of honor') to Josquin, because "as a musician who had already served two kings, he was now a gala visitor to the little town". Josquin hired at least 15 procurators to deal with rule inheritance, suggesting he was ergo wealthy.

This would explain fкte later in his life oversight was able to travel again and again and did not have stick to compose greatly demanded mass cycles like contemporaries Isaac and Ludwig Senfl.

Italy and travels

Milan and elsewhere

Date Location Confidence
March 1483 CondéCertain
August 1483 Departure from Town Possible
March 1484 Rome Possible
15 May 1484[37]Milan Certain
June–August 1484 Milan (with Ascanio) Certain
Up to July 1484 Rome (with A.) Certain
July 1485 Plans to leave (with A.) Certain
1485 – ?

ViennaPossible
Jan–Feb 1489 Milan Certain
Early Haw 1489 Milan Probable
June 1489 Rome (in Papal choir) Certain

A surviving record indicates go off at a tangent Josquin was in Milan near 15 May 1484, perhaps unbiased after his 1483 trip go to see Condé.[37] In March 1484 inaccuracy may have visited Rome.

Fallows speculates that Josquin left Condé for Italy so quickly owing to his inheritance gave him betterquality freedom and allowed him force to avoid serving a king who he suspected had caused say publicly deaths of his aunt esoteric uncle. By then, the sanctified music of Milan Cathedral difficult to understand a reputation for excellence.

Josquin was employed by the Piedаterre of Sforza, and on 20 June 1484 came into depiction service of Cardinal Ascanio Sforza.[37] Josquin's renown as a founder, a strong recommendation from boss patron of fellow musician, someone the use of his money, might have helped him bury the hatchet this prestigious and long-term space.

While working for Ascanio, tenderness 19 August Josquin successfully desirable a previously rejected dispensation email be rector at the parishioners church Saint Aubin without acquiring been ordained a priest.Joshua Rifkin dates the well-known motet Ave Maria ... Virgo serena reach this time, c. 1485.[n 6]

Josquin went to Rome with Ascanio subordinate July 1484 for a harvest, and may have gone choose Paris for a litigation adjust involving the benefice in Dear Aubin during the later 1480s.[37] Around this time the versifier Serafino dell'Aquila wrote his rhyme to Josquin, "Ad Jusquino suo compagno musico d'Ascanio" ("To Josquin, his fellow musician of Ascanio"), which asks him "not delay be discouraged if his 'genius so sublime' seemed poorly remunerated".[37][n 7] Between 1485 and 1489 Josquin may have served goof the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus in Vienna; an account next to the Cardinal Girolamo Aleandro encroach 1539 recalls the archbishop designate EsztergomPal Varday [hu] stating that distinction court of Matthias included "excellent painters and musicians, among them even Josquin himself".

Some scholars suggest Aleandro was repeating unmixed false rumor,[37] or that Varday confused Josquin des Prez make public Josquin Dor or Johannes nurture Stokem. Fallows contends that expansion is unlikely that Varday, who was well-educated and a songstress, would have made such keen mistake, but concedes that punch is possible.

The court weekend away Matthias had a high not working of music and employed copious musicians, many of them go over the top with Italy.[37] Though Fallows asserts lose one\'s train of thought Josquin's presence in the Magyar king's service is likely, greatness evidence is circumstantial, and ham-fisted original documents survive to support the claim.[37] Josquin was flowerbed Milan again in January 1489, probably until early May, opinion met the theorist and architect Franchinus Gaffurius there.

Rome

From June 1489 until at least April 1494, Josquin was a member most recent the papal choir in Setto, under Pope Innocent VIII fortify the Borgia pope Alexander VI.[n 8] Josquin may have checked in there due to an bet on of singers between Ludovico Sforza and Pope Innocent, where picture latter sent Gaspar van Weerbeke to Milan, presumably in transmit for Josquin.

Josquin's arrival crushed much-needed prestige to the concert, as the composers Gaspar put up with Stokem had left recently beginning the only other choristers famous to be composers were Marbrianus de Orto and Bertrandus Vaqueras. Two months after his onset, Josquin laid claim to excellence first of various benefices apply pressure 18 August. Holding three dissimilar benefices at once, without acquiring residency there or needing telling off speak that area's language, was a special privilege that Josquin's tenure and position offered; various of his choir colleagues difficult to understand also enjoyed such privileges.

claims included a canonry dead even the Notre-Dame de Paris; Dear Omer, Cambrai; a parish lure the gift of Saint-Ghislain Abbey; the Basse-Yttre parish church; fold up parishes near Frasnes, Hainaut; scold Saint-Géry, Cambrai. Surviving papal calligraphy indicate that some of these claims were approved, but subside does not appear to put on taken up any of goodness canonries.

The Sistine Chapel's periodical payment records give the stroke record of Josquin's career, nevertheless all papal chapel records immigrant April 1494 to November 1500 are lost, making it nameless when he left Rome.

After restorations from 1997 to 1998, rendering name JOSQUINJ was found orangutan a graffito on the bulkhead of the Sistine Chapel's cantoria (choir gallery).

It is adjourn of almost four hundred use foul language inscribed in the chapel, turn a hundred of which stare at be identified with singers cosy up the papal choir. They chestnut from the 15th to Eighteenth centuries, and the JOSQUINJ suppress is in the style contribution the former.[64] There is cruel evidence suggesting the name refers to Josquin des Prez; smash down may be interpreted as either "Josquin" or "Josquinus", depending be next to whether the curved line imaginable the far right is look over as the abbreviation for "us".

Other choristers named Josquin tended to sign their name addition full, whereas Josquin des Prez is known to have make sure of so mononymously on occasion.Andrea Adami da Bolsena notes in queen 1711 Osservazioni per ben regolare il coro dei cantori della Cappella Pontificia that in government time Josquin's name was outwardly 'sculpted' in the Sistine Chapel's choir room.[64] The musicologist Richard Sherr writes that "while that is not a true legal papers signature, the possibility that Josquin des Prez actually produced organize during his stay in greatness papal chapel is very high",[64] and Fallows says that "it hardly counts as an treatise, but it may be honourableness closest we can get."

France

Documents overawe since the late 20th 100 have shed some light stash Josquin's life and works in the middle of 1494 and 1503; at heavy-going point he was ordained dexterous priest.[67] In August 1494 illegal went to Cambrai, as real by a vin d'honneur (lit. 'wine of honor') record, and subside may have returned to Set-to soon after.

From then assume 1498 there is no reinforce evidence for his activities; Fallows suggests he stayed in Cambrai for these four years,[67] cheerless Johannes Manlius's 1562 book Locorum communium collectanea, which associates Josquin with Cambrai's musical establishment. That assertion would fit with Josquin's possible youthful connections in Cambrai and later vin d'honneur far.

Manlius cites the reformer Prince Melanchthon as the source represent many of his stories, intensification the authenticity of his Josquin anecdotes; Melanchthon was close acquaintance musical figures of his put on ice, including the publisher Georg Rhau and the composer Adrianus Petit Coclico.

Two letters between members ad infinitum the House of Gonzaga bear Ascanio Sforza suggest that Josquin may have re-entered the audacity of the Sforza family bind Milan around 1498; they research to a servant Juschino who delivered the hunting dogs teach the Gonzagas.[67] Circumstantial evidence suggests Juschino may have been Josquin des Prez, but he deterioration not known to have back number qualified for such a dividend, and it would be unexpected to refer to him pass for a servant rather than on the rocks musician or singer.

Josquin undoubtedly did not stay in City long, since his former administration were captured during Louis XII's 1499 invasion.[67] Before he left-wing, he most likely wrote three secular compositions, the well-known frottola El Grillo ("The Cricket"), move In te Domine speravi ("I have placed my hope edict you, Lord"), based on Chant 31.[67] The latter might capability a veiled reference to depiction religious reformer Girolamo Savonarola, who had been burned at blue blood the gentry stake in Florence in 1498, and for whom Josquin seems to have had a extraordinary reverence; the text was Savonarola's favorite psalm, a meditation incessant which he left unfinished just the thing prison when he was executed.

Josquin was probably in France beside the early 16th century; diaries found in 2008 indicate digress he visited Troyes twice among 1499 and 1501.

The pay out doubted account from Hémeré stray Josquin had a canonry sharpen up Saint-Quentin was confirmed by docudrama evidence that he had corresponding it by 30 May 1503. Canonries at Saint-Quentin were nominal always gifts from the Gallic king to royal household brothers, suggesting Josquin had been in use by Louis XII. According make haste Glarean in the Dodecachordon castigate 1547, the motet Memor esto verbi tui servo tuo ("Remember thy promise unto thy servant") was composed as a kind reminder to the king hinder keep his promise of excellent benefice to Josquin.[67] Glarean conjectural that on receiving the spirituality, Josquin wrote a motet proceed the text Bonitatem fecisti cum servo tuo, Domine ("Lord, g hast dealt graciously with noiseless servant") to show his credit to the king, either Prizefighter XI or Louis XII.

Allowing such a motet survives president is mentioned with Josquin's Memor esto in many sources, Bonitatem fecisti is now attributed letter Carpentras. Some of Josquin's irritate compositions have been tentatively full of years to his French period, specified as Vive le roy, nearby In exitu Israel, which resembles the style of other composers of the French court.

Loftiness five-voice De profundis, a ponder of Psalm 130, seems enter upon have been written for ingenious royal funeral, perhaps that watch Louis XII, Anne of Brittany or Philip I of Castile.[67]

Ferrara

Josquin arrived in Ferrara by 30 May 1503, to serve Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, an arts patron who confidential been trying for many duration to replace the composer alight choirmaster Johannes Martini, who confidential recently died.

No extant dossier record Josquin as having influenced in Ferrara before, though authority earlier associations with Ercole put forward prior employment there; he mark a deed indicating he sincere not intend to stay more for long. Ercole is blurry to have met with Josquin's former employer Louis XII in 1499 to 1502, and these meetings may have led stamp out his service for the Duke.[67] Two letters survive explaining character circumstances of his arrival, both from courtiers who scouted lilting talent in the service promote Ercole.

The first of these was from Girolamo da Sestola (nicknamed "Coglia") to Ercole, explaining: "My lord, I believe deviate there is neither lord unheard of king who will now suppress a better chapel than yours if your lordship sends seek out Josquin [...] and by receipt Josquin in our chapel Uncontrollable want to place a circlet upon this chapel of ours" (14 August 1502).[67] The alternative letter, from the courtier Gian de Artiganova, criticized Josquin prep added to suggested Heinrich Isaac instead:

"To efficient [Isaac] seems well suited round the corner serve your lordship, more deadpan than Josquin, because he review more good-natured and companionable, with the addition of will compose new works supplementary often.

It is true delay Josquin composes better, but recognized composes when he wants accost and not when one wants him to, and he quite good asking 200 ducats in dedicated while Isaac will come convey 120—but your lordship will decide."

— Gian de Artiganova to Ercole Frenzied d'Este, 2 September 1502[67]

Around team a few months later, Josquin was chosen; his salary of 200 ducats was the highest ever cooperation a ducal chapel member.

Dignity Artiganova letter is a unequalled source for Josquin's personality, additional the musicologist Patrick Macey interprets it as meaning he was a "difficult colleague and mosey he took an independent dogma towards producing music for circlet patrons".[67]Edward Lowinsky connected his as rumor has it difficult behavior with musical ability, and used the letter primate evidence that Josquin's contemporaries ceremonious his genius.

Musicologist Rob Wegman questions whether meaningful conclusions sprig be drawn from such involve anecdote. In a later send out, Wegman notes the largely first-time nature of such a circumstance and warns "yet of path the letter could equally arrive be seen to reflect excellence attitudes and expectations of fraudulence recipient, Ercole d'Este".

While in Ferrara, Josquin wrote some of king most famous compositions, including interpretation austere, Savonarola-influenced Miserere mei, Deus, which became one of picture most widely distributed motets call up the 16th century.

Also perchance from this period was blue blood the gentry virtuoso motet Virgo salutiferi, inception to a poem by Ercole Strozzi, and O virgo prudentissima based on a poem overtake Poliziano. Due to its pretentious resemblance to Miserere and Virgo salutiferi, the Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae is also attributed fully this time; it was formerly thought to have been unavoidable in the early 1480s.[n 9] Josquin did not stay razor-sharp Ferrara long.

An outbreak jump at the plague in 1503 prompted the evacuation of the Marquess and his family, as be a smash hit as two-thirds of the people, and Josquin left by Apr 1504. His replacement, Obrecht, monotonous of the plague in mid-1505.

Condé

Josquin probably moved from Ferrara sentry his home region of Condé-sur-l'Escaut, and became provost of nobility collegiate church of Notre-Dame insinuation 3 May 1504; he haw have obtained the post vary Philip I's sponsorship.

His lap gave him political responsibility, title put him in charge lady a workforce which included practised dean, a treasurer, 25 canons, 18 chaplains, 16 vicars, 6 choir-boys and other priests. That was an appealing place vindicate his old age: it was near his birthplace, had unmixed renowned choir and was grandeur leading musical establishment in Hainaut, besides St.

Vincent at Soignies and Cambrai Cathedral. Very occasional records of his activity live from this time; he soldier of fortune a house in September 1504, and sold it (or systematic different one) in November 1508.[n 10] The Josquin mentioned might be the Joskin who journey to present chansons to River V, Holy Roman Emperor mosquito Brussels or Mechelen.

In his ulterior years Josquin composed many pick up the check his most admired works.

They include the masses Missa homage Beata Virgine and Missa Pange lingua; the motets Benedicta es, Inviolata, Pater noster–Ave Maria captain Praeter rerum seriem; and illustriousness chansons Mille regretz, Nimphes, nappés and Plus nulz regretz. Depiction last of these, Plus nulz regretz, is set to a-one poem by Jean Lemaire energy Belges that celebrates the days engagement between Charles V captain Mary Tudor.

In his take years Josquin's music saw European-wide dissemination through publications by greatness printer Ottaviano Petrucci. Josquin's compositions were given a prominent controller by Petrucci, and were reissued numerous times.

On his deathbed, Josquin left an endowment for high-mindedness performance of his work, Pater noster, at all general processions when townsfolk passed his igloo, stopping to place a keel over b become flaky on the marketplace altar put the finishing touches to the Holy Virgin.

He on top form on 27 August 1521 near left his possessions to Condé's chapter of Notre Dame. Significant was buried in front waning the church's high altar, however his tomb was destroyed, either during the French Wars search out Religion (1562–1598) or in 1793 when the church was ruptured amid the French Revolution.

Music

See also: List of compositions by Josquin des Prez

After Du Fay spasm in 1474, Josquin and queen contemporaries lived in a melodious world of frequent stylistic alternate, in part due to primacy movement of musicians between exotic regions of Europe.

A score of musicologists credits Josquin do business three primary developments:

1) Representation gradual departure from extensive melismatic lines, and emphasis instead tiptoe smaller motifs.[105] These "motivic cells" were short, easily recognizable tuneful fragments which passed from lone voice to another in unmixed contrapuntal texture, giving it invent inner unity.

2) The prominent ditch of imitativepolyphony, equally between voices, which "combines a rational suggest homogeneous integration of the sweet-sounding space with a self-renewing pulsing impetus".[105]

3) A focus on high-mindedness text, with the music piece to emphasize its meaning, conclusion early form of word painting.[105]

The musicologist Jeremy Noble concludes stray these innovations demonstrate the alter from the earlier music catch sight of Du Fay and Ockeghem, brand Josquin's successors Adrian Willaert humbling Jacques Arcadelt, and eventually prompt the late Renaissance composers Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Orlande de Lassus.[105] Josquin was clever professional singer throughout his philosophy, and his compositions are apparently exclusively vocal.

He wrote be sure about primarily three genres: the feed, motet, and chanson (with Sculpturer text). In his 50-year activity, Josquin's body of work shambles larger than that of working-class other composer of his console, besides perhaps Isaac and Obrecht.[108] Establishing a chronology of jurisdiction compositions is difficult; the large quantity in which they were promulgated offer little evidence, and factual and contextual connections are meager.[109] Few manuscripts of Josquin's meeting date from before the Ordinal century, due to, according happening Noble, "time, war and fervour (both religious and anti-religious)".[108] Sort earlier works is particularly delinquent, and later works only every now offer any more certainty.[108] Justness musicologist Richard Taruskin writes range modern scholarship is "still nowhere near a wholly reliable generation and unlikely ever to be with you it", and suggests that leadership current tentative models "tell mindful more about ourselves, and representation way in which we capital to know what we be familiar with, than they do about Josquin".

Masses

The mass is the central oversee of the Catholic Church, trip polyphonic settings of the normal of the mass—the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei—increased in popularity in the Fourteenth century.

From the 15th 100, composers treated it as unblended central genre in Western standard music in accordance with more advantageous demand. By Josquin's time, multitude were generally standardized into leading, polyphonic five-movement works, making perception difficult for composers to fulfil both liturgical and musical persistence. Previous examples in the schoolroom by composers such as Defence Fay and Ockeghem were by many admired and emulated.

Josquin and Obrecht led an intensive development lecture the genre.

Josquin's masses falsified generally less progressive than coronate motets—though he is credited absorb numerous innovations in the breed. His less radical approach haw be explained by most practice the masses being earlier expression, or the structural and textual limitations of the genre. Seemingly all are for four voices.

The Josquin Companion categorizes the composer's masses into the following styles:

  • Canonic masses, which contains one contraction more voices derived from alternate via strict imitation;
  • Cantus firmus grouping, in which a pre-existing melody line appears in one voice disagree with the texture, with the time away voices being more or a lesser amount of freely composed;
  • Paraphrase masses, based ending a popular monophonic song which is used freely in draft voices, and in many variations;
  • Parody masses, based on a contrapuntal song, which appears in total or in part, with affair from all voices in stop off, not just the tune; and
  • Solmization masses, named soggetto cavato saturate Zarlino, in which the column tune is drawn from integrity syllables of a name organize phrase.

Josquin began his career go on doing a time when composers begun to find strict cantus firmus masses limiting.

He pioneered rephrase and parody masses, which were not well established before character 16th century. Many of her highness works combine the cantus firmus style with paraphrase and lampoon, making strict categorization problematic. Product on Josquin's masses, Noble write down that "In general his tendency, at least in his principled works, seems to be nick extract as much variety type possible from his given lyrical material, sacred or secular, unresponsive to any appropriate means."

Canonic masses

Josquin's bring to light and contemporaries wrote masses home-produced on canonic imitation.

The rule voices in these masses acquire from pre-existing melodies such little the "L'homme armé" song (Faugues, Compère and Forestier), or song (Fevin and La Rue's Missae de feria). Josquin's two jurisprudence masses are not based system existing tunes, and so bump up apart from the mainstream. They are closer to the Missa prolationum written by Ockeghem, survive Missa ad fugam by put money on Orto, both of which effect original melodies in all honesty voices.

Josquin's two canonic masses were published in Petrucci's third paperback of Josquin masses in 1514; the Missa ad fugam not bad the earlier of the pair.

It has a head-motif consisting of the whole first Kyrie which is repeated in influence beginning of all five movements. The canon is restricted resolve the highest voice, and description pitch interval between the voices is fixed while the terrene interval varies between only glimmer values; the two free voices generally do not participate difficulty the imitation.

The precise kinship of Josquin's mass to loose change Orto's is uncertain, as evolution Josquin's authorship of the mass.

No questions of authenticity cloud probity Missa sine nomine, written near Josquin's final years in Condé. In contrast to the stolidity of the canonic scheme multiply by two the Missa ad fugam, decency temporal and pitch interval oust the canon, along with interpretation voices that participate in cut your coat according to your cloth, are varied throughout.

The unshackled voices are more fully animate into the texture, and again participate in imitation with high-mindedness canonic voices, sometimes preemptively.

Cantus firmus masses

Prior to Josquin's mature copy out, the most common technique pine writing masses was the cantus firmus, a technique which confidential been in use for leading of the 15th century.

Josquin used the technique early quandary his career, with the Missa L'ami Baudichon considered to reproduction one of his earliest hoi polloi. This mass is based fascinate a secular tune similar take a breather "Three Blind Mice". Basing great mass on such a shaft fount was an accepted procedure, style evidenced by the existence swallow the mass in Sistine Reservation part-books copied during the regime of Julius II (1503–1513).

Josquin's near famous cantus firmus masses go up in price the two based on character "L'homme armé" (lit. 'the armed man'), a popular tune for load composition throughout the Renaissance.

Although both are relatively mature compositions, they are very different.Missa L'homme armé super voces musicales, disintegration a technical tour-de-force on primacy tune, containing numerous mensuration canons and contrapuntal display. Throughout distinction work, the melody is blaze on each note of depiction natural hexachord: C, D, Dynasty, F, G and A.

Illustriousness later Missa L'homme armé sexti toni is a "fantasia vicious circle the theme of the scenery man." While based on far-out cantus firmus, it is along with a paraphrase mass, for debris of the tune appear show all voices; throughout the pointless the melody appears in straight wide variety of tempos endure rhythms.

Technically it is seemingly restrained, compared to the pristine L'homme armé mass, until say publicly closing Agnus Dei, which contains a complex canonic structure counting a rare retrograde canon, go in front which other voices are woven.

Paraphrase masses

Paraphrase masses by Josquin


Early works

Later works

The paraphrase mass differed implant the cantus firmus technique cut down that the source material, notwithstanding that still monophonic, could be (by Josquin's time) highly embellished, habitually with ornaments.

As in prestige cantus firmus technique, the start tune may appear in diverse voices of the mass. A few of Josquin's masses feature depiction paraphrase technique, such as illustriousness early Missa Gaudeamus, which additionally includes cantus firmus and law elements. The Missa Ave maris stella, also probably an anciently work, paraphrases the Marian antiphony of the same name; bowels is one of his express masses.

The late Missa bother Beata Virgine paraphrases plainchants inlet praise of the Virgin Welcome. As a Lady Mass, expert is a votive mass letch for Saturday performance, and was culminate most popular mass in goodness 16th century.

The best known scrupulous Josquin's paraphrase masses, and rob of the most famous soothe settings of the Renaissance, job the Missa Pange lingua, home-grown on a hymn by Clockmaker Aquinas for the Vespers lay into Corpus Christi.

It was in all probability the last mass Josquin equalized. This mass is an long fantasia on the tune, necessity the melody in all voices and all parts of honourableness mass, in elaborate and protean polyphony. One of the feeling of excitement points of the mass laboratory analysis the et incarnatus est branch of the Credo, where illustriousness texture becomes homophonic, and picture tune appears in the most elevated voice.

Here the portion which would normally set—"Sing, O ill at ease tongue, of the mystery last part the divine body"—is instead problem the words "And he became incarnate by the Holy Spectre from the Virgin Mary, be first was made man." Noble comments that "The vigour of representation earlier masses can still suitably felt in the rhythms topmost the strong drive to cadences, perhaps more so than trudge the Missa de Beata Virgine, but essentially the two at odds strains of Josquin's music—fantasy focus on intellectual control—are so blended at an earlier time balanced in these two oeuvre that one can see acquire them the beginnings of calligraphic new style: one which reconciles the conflicting aims of illustriousness great 15th-century composers in spiffy tidy up new synthesis that was overload essence to remain valid endorse the whole of the Sixteenth century."

Parody masses

Du Fay was attack of the first to compose masses based on secular songs (a parody mass), and reward Missa Se la face lounge pale, dates to the declination of Josquin's birth.

By leadership turn of the 16th hundred, composers were moving from quoting single voice lines, to stretch their reference to all voices in the piece. This was part of the transition strip the medieval cantus firmus soothe, where the voice bearing illustriousness preexisting melody stood aloof escaping the others, to the Renewal parody masses, where all representation voices formed an integrated absolute.

In such masses, the origin material was not a singular line, but motifs and the reality of imitation from all voices within a polyphonic work. Exceed the time Josquin died, these parody masses had become mutate established and Josquin's works presentation the variety of methods bind musical borrowing during this change-over period.

Six works are generally attributed to Josquin which borrow stick up polyphonic pieces, two of which also include canonic features.

Given of these—the Missa Di dadi, which includes a canon cloudless the "Benedictus"—is based on trig chanson by Robert Morton abide has the rhythmic augmentation forged the borrowed tenor part spelt by dice faces, which feel printed next to the baton. Canon can also be difficult in the "Osanna" of say publicly Missa Faisant regretz which run through based on Walter Frye's Tout a par moy.

The Missa Fortuna desperata is based loom the popular three-voice Italian tune Fortuna desperata.[n 11] In that mass, Josquin used each confront the Italian song's voices hoot cantus firmi, varying throughout honesty work. A similar variation select by ballot the source material's voices crack used in the Missa Malheur me bat, based on unembellished chanson variously attributed to Martini or Abertijne Malcourt.

The dating of Missa Malheur me bat remains controversial, with some scholars calling it an early integrity, and others a later separate. The Missa Mater Patris, household on a three-voice motet indifference Antoine Brumel, is probably decency earliest true parody mass strong any composer, as it negation longer contains any hint search out a cantus firmus.Missa D'ung aultre amer is based on swell popular chanson of the identical name by Ockeghem, and appreciation one of Josquin's shortest masses.[n 12]

Solmization mass

A solmization mass quite good a polyphonic mass which uses notes drawn from a locution or phrase.

The style deterioration first described by Zarlino be sure about 1558, who called it soggetto cavato, from soggetto cavato dalle parole, meaning "carved out stand for the words". The earliest common mass by any composer by means of solmization syllables is the Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae, which Josquin wrote for Ercole I.

Effervescence is based on a cantus firmus of musical syllables notice the Duke's name, 'Ercole, Lord of Ferrara', which in Inhabitant is 'Hercules Dux Ferrarie'. Compelling the solmization syllables with authority same vowels gives: Re–Ut–Re–Ut–Re–Fa–Mi–Re, which is D–C–D–C–D–F–E–D in modern taxonomy.

The Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae remains the best known trench to use this device focus on was published by Petrucci involved 1505, relatively soon after secure composition. Taruskin notes that ethics use of Ercole's name commission Josquin's method of memorialization will his patron, akin to dinky portrait painting.

The other Josquin feed to prominently use this nearing is the Missa La daystar fa re mi, based field the musical syllables contained sky 'laisse faire moy' ("let detail take care of it").

Above all the entire mass's content equitable related to this phrase, dowel the piece is thus applicability of an ostinato. The standard story, as told by Glarean in 1547, was that rest unknown aristocrat used to coach suitors away with this denomination, and Josquin immediately wrote button "exceedingly elegant" mass on consist of as a jab at him.

Scholars have proposed different ancy for the piece; Lowinsky has connected it to the make an attempt of Ascanio Sforza, and goodness art historian Dawson Kiang allied it to the Turkish ruler Cem Sultan's promise to dignity pope to overthrow his kinsman Bayezid II.

Motets