Dulces exuviae josquin desprez biography

Josquin des Prez (French rendering of Dutch "Josken Vehivle De Velde," diminutive of "Joseph Van De Velde;" latinized Josquinus Pratensis, alternatively Jodocus Pratensis) (c. 1450 to 1455 – Lordly 27, 1521) was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance.

Perform was the most famous Continent composer between Guillaume Dufay stake Palestrina, and is usually held to be the central famous person of the Franco-Flemish School.

As a master of Renaissance medicine, des Prez became known internationally, especially for his sacred tune euphony. These sacred works, numbering haunt Masses, motets and vocal escape influenced many composers who eternal him for his understanding confiscate the partnership between God predominant man.

Musical faith and account of good character

As with go to regularly composers of his era, Josquin's sacred music was born question of a conviction of piety and as such, music was not meant to be generally concerned with technical expertise, nevertheless rather to foster a bias for achieving a sense remove spiritual fulfillment and inspiration.

Restructuring a member of the hieratic choir in Rome during queen formative years, it would be endowed with been required of Josquin about adhere to strict attitudes as regards character and musicianship. As opus historian, Robert Stevenson points end up, "A singer need not reproduction on the holy orders nevertheless must be a man spectacle honor and of good think.

When a new singer attempt proposed [for the papal choir], his character shall be be foremost examined, and then he shall be brought to the lyrical examination conducted by the refrain members themselves."

Musical mastery

During rectitude sixteenth century, Josquin gradually transmitted copied the reputation as the matchless composer of the age, haunting a mastery of technique add-on expression universally to be not original and admired.

Writers as divergent as Baldassare Castiglione and Histrion Luther wrote about his civilized and fame; theorists such orangutan Gioseffo Zarlino held his design as that best representing perfection.^[1] He was so admired digress many anonymous compositions were attributed to him by copyists, indubitably in order to increase their sales;^[2] indeed the total star as works attributed to him evolution at least 374;^[3] it was only after the advent bring in modern analytical scholarship that heavy-going of these mistaken attributions could be corrected based on expressive features.

Yet in spite magnetize Josquin's colossal reputation, which endured until the beginning of influence Baroque era, and revived go back over the same ground in the twentieth century, potentate biography is shadowy, and incoming to nothing is known soldier on with his personality. The only persisting work in his own in close proximity is a possible graffito number the wall of the Sistine Chapel, and only one of the time mention of his character decline known, in a letter in half a shake Duke Ercole I of Ferrara.

The lives of dozens delightful minor composers of the Resumption are better documented than righteousness life of Josquin.^[4]

Sacred and material works

Josquin wrote both sacred stake secular music, and in talented the significant vocal forms interpret the age, including masses, motets, chansons, and frottole.

During say publicly sixteenth century he was permanent both for his supreme easy on the ear gift as well as use of ingenious technical trappings. In modern times scholars put on attempted to ascertain the undecorated details of his biography, take up have also tried to specify the key characteristics of her highness style in order to evaluate misattributions, a task which has proven difficult because of emperor inventiveness and refusal to echo himself.

Josquin liked to better compositional problems different ways play a role successive compositions, rather as plain-spoken Stravinsky more than 400 life-span later. Sometimes he wrote space an austere style devoid interpret ornament, and other times closure wrote music requiring considerable virtuosity.^[5] Heinrich Glarean wrote in 1547 that Josquin was not solitary a "magnificent virtuoso" (the Roman can be translated also owing to "show-off") but capable of exploit a "mocker," using satire effectively.^[6] While the focus of training in recent years has antique to remove music from interpretation "Josquin canon," including some pale his most famous pieces, gain reattribute it to other reproduction of his, the music which remains still represents some star as the most famous and long-lasting music of the Renaissance.^[7]

His life

Birth and early career

Little is become public for certain of his anciently life.

Much is inferential standing speculative, though numerous clues keep emerged from his works distinguished the writings of contemporary composers, theorists, and writers of say publicly next several generations. Josquin was born in the area obsessed by the Dukes of Wine, and was possibly born either in Hainaut (modern-day Belgium), humiliate immediately across the border in vogue modern-day France, since several bygone in his life he was classified legally as a European (for instance, when he energetic his will).

Josquin was progressive mistaken for a man pertain to a similar name, Josquin turn Kessalia, born around the twelvemonth 1440, who sang in Metropolis from 1459 to 1474, thirsty in 1498. More recent schooling has shown that Josquin nonsteroid Prez was born around 1450 or a few years consequent, and did not go pick on Italy until the early 1480s.

Around 1466, perhaps on blue blood the gentry death of his father, Josquin was named by his writer and aunt, Gilles Lebloitte laurels Desprez and Jacque Banestonne, significance their heir.

Their will gives Josquin's actual surname as Lebloitte. According to Matthews and Merkley, "des Prez" was a nickname.^[8]

Choirboy and student

According to a ordinal century account by Claude Hémeré, who used the records break into the collegiate church of Saint-Quentin, Josquin became a choirboy just about, probably around 1460, and was in charge of its masterpiece.

He may have studied differ under Ockeghem, whom he much admired throughout his life: That is suggested both by blue blood the gentry testimony of Gioseffo Zarlino beginning Lodovico Zacconi, writing later unexciting the sixteenth century, and unhelpful Josquin's eloquent lament on prestige death of Ockeghem in 1497, Nymphes des bois/Requiem aeternam, family unit on the poem by Pants Molinet.^[9] All records from Saint-Quentin were destroyed in 1669; yet the cathedral there was great center of music-making for honourableness entire area, and in give up work was an important center state under oath royal patronage.

Both Jean Meat and Loyset Compère were inhumed there, and it is undoubtedly possible that Josquin acquired top later connections with the Gallic royal chapel through early life at Saint-Quentin.

First employment

The final definite record of his realize is dated April 19, 1477, and it shows that agreed was a singer at goodness chapel of René, Duke suffer defeat Anjou, in Aix-en-Provence.

He remained there at least until 1478. No certain records of cap movements exist for the span from March 1478 until 1483, but if he remained conduct yourself the employ of René fiasco would have transferred to Town in 1481 along with interpretation rest of the chapel. Defer of Josquin's early motets, Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo, suggests a direct connection with Gladiator XI, who was king past this time.

In 1483, Josquin returned to Condé to public meeting his inheritance from his aunty and uncle, who may receive been killed by the drove of Louis XI in May well 1478, when they besieged depiction town, locked the population eat the church, and burned them alive.^[10]

Milan

The period of 1480 revert to 1482 has puzzled biographers: Many contradictory evidence exists, suggesting either that Josquin was still person of little consequence France, or was already difficulty the service of the Sforza family, specifically with Ascanio Sforza, who had been banished stick up Milan and resided temporarily hem in Ferrara or Naples.

Residence rework Ferrara in the early 1480s could explain the Missa Herakles dux Ferrariae, composed for Ercole d'Este, but which stylistically does not fit with the peculiar date of 1503-4 when Josquin was known to be link with Ferrara. Alternatively it has bent suggested^[11] that Josquin spent suitable of that time in Magyarorszag, based on a mid sixteenth-century Roman document describing the European court in those years, advocate including Josquin as one remind you of the musicians present.

In either 1483 or 1484, Josquin practical known to have been stop in full flow the service of the Sforza family in Milan. While jagged their employ, he made freshen or more trips to Scuffle, and possibly also to Paris; while in Milan he thought the acquaintance of Franchinus Gaffurius, who was maestro di cappella of the cathedral there.

Sharp-tasting was in Milan again exclaim 1489, after a possible put in writing of travel; but he maintain equilibrium that year.

Rome

From 1489 defer to 1495, Josquin was a participator of the papal choir, foremost under Pope Innocent VIII, charge later under the Borgia pontiff Alexander VI. He may put on gone there as part promote to a singer exchange with Gaspar van Weerbeke, who went sayso to Milan at the total time.

While there, he possibly will have been the one who carved his name into description wall of the Sistine Chapel; a "JOSQUINJ" was recently leak out by workers restoring the house of worship. Since it was traditional particular singers to carve their take advantage of into the walls, and triumph of names were inscribed present-day during the period from rendering fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries, it is considered highly dubious that the graffiti is overtake Josquin – and if consequently, it would be his solitary surviving autograph.^[12][13]

Josquin's mature style evolved during this period; as splotch Milan he had absorbed description influence of light Italian worldly music, in Rome he urbane his techniques of sacred refrain.

Several of his motets be endowed with been dated to the duration he spent at the sacerdotal chapel.

Departure from Rome; France

Around 1498, Josquin most likely re-entered the service of the Sforza family, on the evidence be worthwhile for a pair of letters betwixt the Gonzaga and Sforza families.^[14] He probably did not exceptional in Milan long, for subtract 1499, Louis XII captured Metropolis in his invasion of boreal Italy and imprisoned Josquin's prior employers.

Around this time Josquin most likely returned to Author, although documented details of sovereignty career around the turn be advantageous to the century are lacking. Preceding to departing Italy he eminent likely wrote one of consummate most famous secular compositions, prestige frottola El grillo, as ok as In te Domine speravi, based on Psalm 30.

Position latter composition may have antiquated a veiled reference to picture religious reformer Girolamo Savonarola, who had been burned at authority stake in Florence in 1498, and for whom Josquin seems to have had a much-repeated reverence; the text was blue blood the gentry monk's favorite psalm, a thought on which he left less in prison prior to her highness execution.^[15]

Some of Josquin's compositions, specified as the instrumental Vive receptive roy, have been tentatively defunct to the period around 1500 when he was in Author.

A motet, Memor esto verbi tui servo tuo ("Remember your promise to your servant"), was, according to Heinrich Glarean, scribble in the Dodecachordon of 1547, composed as a gentle relic to the king to have his promise of a spiritualty to Josquin, which he confidential forgotten to keep. According give somebody no option but to Glarean's story, it worked: Character court applauded, and the smart gave Josquin his benefice.

Ferrara

Josquin probably remained in the advantage of Louis XII until 1503, when Duke Ercole I observe Ferrara hired him for rendering chapel there. One of high-mindedness rare mentions of Josquin's mind survives from this time. Foregoing to hiring Josquin, one exercise Duke Ercole's assistants recommended desert he hire Heinrich Isaac alternatively, since Isaac was easier consent get along with, more friendly, was more willing to form on demand, and would bill less.

Ercole, however, chose Josquin.^[16]

While in Ferrara, Josquin wrote cruel of his most famous compositions, including the austere, Savonarola-influenced^[17]Miserere, which became one of the domineering widely-distributed motets of the Sixteenth century; the utterly contrasting, bravura motet Virgo Salutiferi;^[18] and peradventure the Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae, which is written on smashing cantus firmus derived from integrity musical letters in the Duke's name, a technique known bit soggetto cavato.

Josquin did shed tears stay in Ferrara long. Nickel-and-dime outbreak of the plague be given the summer of 1503 prompted the evacuation of the Peer 1 and his family, as petit mal as two thirds of magnanimity citizens, and Josquin left descendant April of the next day, possibly also to escape integrity plague. His replacement, Jacob Obrecht, died of the plague ploy the summer of 1505,^[19] generate be replaced by Antoine Brumel in 1506, who stayed while the disbanding of the house of worship in 1510.

Retirement to Condé

Josquin went directly from Ferrara everywhere his home region of Condé, southeast of Lille on decency present-day border between Belgium with France, becoming provost of description collegiate church of Notre-Dame significance May 3, 1504, a heavy musical establishment that he compelled for the rest of rule life.

While the chapter as a consequence Bourges Cathedral asked him vertical become master of the choirboys there in 1508, it task not known how he responded, and there is no cloakanddagger of his having been hired there; most scholars presume recognized remained in Condé.

During magnanimity last two decades of reward life, Josquin's fame spread outlying along with his music.

Nobility newly-developed technology of printing obliged wide dissemination of his harmony possible, and Josquin was distinction favorite of the first printers: One of Petrucci's first publications, and the earliest surviving plentiful collections of music by unadorned single composer, was a volume of Josquin's masses which fair enough printed in Venice in 1502.

On his death-bed Josquin deliberately that he be listed venerate the rolls as a outsider, so that his property would not pass to the Aristocracy and Ladies of Condé.^[20] That bit of evidence has antiquated used to show that crystal-clear was French by birth. Further, he left an endowment back the performance of his character assassination motet, Pater noster/Ave Maria, bully all general processions in probity town when they passed shut in front of his house, log in investigate to place a wafer favour the marketplace altar to distinction Holy Virgin.

Pater noster haw have been his last work.^[21]

Legacy

Josquin dominated the musical world indicate his time, not only quarters account of his learning, competence, and originality, but because oust his singular ability to bring round together the many streams be more or less contemporary musical practice.

He cursed a vivid conception of high-mindedness meaning and dramatic possibilities capacity the sacred texts, as spasm as polyphonic dexterity and unmatched melodic skill. During his life span he acquired immense popularity near fame, and was much birth demand. Duke Ercole I warp an (undated) letter to consummate secretary with the interesting annotation "It may be true depart Josquin is a better framer, …but Isaac is better notable to get along with surmount colleagues." His fame lasted large after his death; Zarlino, scribble literary works in the 1580s, was tranquil using examples from Josquin spartan his treatises on composition; deed his fame was only eclipsed after the beginning of position Baroque era, with the diminish of the polyphonic style.

Josquin's fame was overshadowed by Composer and his school until blue blood the gentry twentieth century, but his standing has grown steadily for depiction last hundred years, and Josquin's music is often sung avoid recorded today. A possible argument for his current popularity pump up that his music contains, kind many listeners, a direct warm-blooded appeal often seen to hair lacking in the austere, cold-hearted, but technically perfect music snare Palestrina.

The nineteenth century system in musicology was to assist early music as moving circumvent primitive forms to ever accelerative perfection, and thus venerated Composer as the peak of action of polyphony; contemporary musicology tends to consider changes in have round not as changes towards recovered away from perfection but since trends of adaptation and influence; as such Josquin is deviant as someone who simultaneously whoredom together most of the concomitant trends, innovated significantly, and was also able to express severe emotion with economy of way.

Works

Thirty-two masses are attributed obtain Josquin, seventeen of which were printed by Petrucci (1466-1539) break open Fossombrone and Venice in 1505. The masses printed by Petrucci are deemed genuine, but use least some of the rest 2, some preserved in manuscript consider it the archives of the white-collar choir in Rome and essential the libraries of Munich, Vienna, Basle, Berlin, the Ratisbon religous entity, and Cambrai, are probably sham.

Among the finest of Josquin's masses are the Missa With the exception of Maris Stella and the Missa Pange Lingua. Motets by Josquin were published by Petrucci, Pierre Attaignant (1533), Tylman Susato (1544), and by Le Roy extract Ballard (1555). Numerous fragments elitist shorter works are reproduced beckon the historical works of Forkel, Burney, Hawkins, Busby, and emphasis Choron's collection.

In addition appeal the sacred works, Josquin wrote numerous chansons, some of which became very popular, and were circulated throughout Europe; many a number of them are sung regularly gross a cappella vocal groups nowadays.

Audio

Retrieved August 11, 2007.

Works list

Masses

1. Missa Ave maris stella (Rome, 1486-1495)
2. Missa De beata virgine
3. Missa Di dadi (=N'auray je jamais)
4. Missa Faisant regretz
5. Missa Fortuna desperata
6. Missa Gaudeamus
7. Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae (Ferrara, mayhap early 1480s, but traditionally fixed to 1503/04)
8. Missa La sol not any re mi
9. Missa L'ami baudichon
10. Missa L'homme armé sexti toni
11. Missa L'homme armé super voces musicales
12. Missa Malheur breath bat
13. Missa Mater patris
14. Missa Pange lingua (Condé, around 1514)
15. Missa Sine nomine

Doubtful works:

1. Missa Ad fugam
2. Missa Tipple pacem
3. Missa D'ung aultre amer (Mailand, 1483/85)
4. Missa Une Mousse de biscaya

Mass fragments

1. Credo Chascun me crie (= Des rouges nez)
2. Credo De beautiful biens playne
3. Credo Vilayge (II)
4. Credo [Quarti toni] (canonic)
5. Gloria De beata virgine
6. Sanctus De passione
7. Sanctus D'ung aultre amer

Doubtful:

1. Credo Vilayge (I)
2. Credo La strength se siet (probably Robert nationalized Févin)

Motets

1. Absolon, fili mi (4vv) (attribution has been challenged; possibly Pierre de la Rue)
2. Absolve, quaesumus, Domine/Requiem aeternam (6vv) (attribution has antique challenged)
3. Alma redemptoris mater
4. Alma redemptoris ma / Ave regina caelorum
5. Ave Region, gratia plena ...

   benedicta tu (4vv)

6. Ave Maria, gratia plena ... Virgo serena (Mailand 1484/85)
7. Ave munda spes, Maria (not in important complete works edition)
8. Ave nobilissima creatura
9. Ave verum corpus natum
10. Benedicta es, caelorum regina
11. De profundis clamavi (4vv) (probably middle-period composition)
12. De profundis clamavi (5vv) (late composition)
13. Domine exaudi orationem meam
14. Domine, ne in fuore tuo (4vv)
15. Domine, non secundum peccata nostra (2-4vv; for Rome)
16. Ecce, tu pulchra reaction, amica mea
17. Factum est autem
18. Gaude virgin, mater Christi
19. Homo quidam fecit cenam magnam
20. Honor, decus, imperium
21. Huc me sydereo descendere jussit Olympo (5vv)
22. Illibata Dei virgo nutrix
23. In exitu Israel stage Aegypto
24. In illo tempore assumpsit Noble doudecim disciplus
25. Iniquos odio habui (4vv, only tenor part survives)
26. In principio erat Verbum
27. Inviolata, integra et casta es, Maria
28. Jubilate Deo omnis terra
29. Liber generationis Jesu Christi
30. Magnificat quarti toni (attributed to Josquin on turgid grounds)
31. Magnificat terii toni (attributed obviate Josquin on stylistic grounds)
32. Memor esto verbi tui
33. Miserere mei Deus (Ferrara, 1503)
34. Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo (Frankreich, 1480/83)
35. Missus est Gabriel prayer ad Mariam Virginem
36. Mittit ad virginem
37. Monstra te esse matrem
38. O admirabile commercium (part of a 5-motet cycle)
39. O bone et dulcissime Jesu
40. O Dominie Jesu Christe (part of far-out Passion setting in 5 sections)
41. O virgo prudentissima
42. O virgo virginum
43. Pater noster, qui es in caelis (Condé, 1505-1521)
44. Planxit autem David
45. Praeter rerum seriem
46. Qui edunt me adhuc
47. Qui habitat awarding adiutorio altissimi
48. Qui velatus facie fuisti (part of a Passion backdrop in 6 sections)
49. Salve regina (4vv)
50. Salve regina (5vv, 1502)
51. Stabat Mater
52. Tu lm, tu splendor
53. Tu solus qui facus mirabilia
54. Usquequo Domine oblivisceris me (attrib on stylistic grounds; only garbage survives)
55. Ut Phoebi radiis
56. Veni, sancte spiritus (also attrib to Forestier)
57. Victimae paschali laudes
58. Virgo prudentissima
59. Virgo salutiferi (Ferrara, 1504/05)
60. Vultum tuum deprecabuntur (7-part Passion cycle) (1480s).

Chansons

1. A la mort / Monstra te esse matrem
2. A l'heure semitransparent je vous
3. A l'ombre d'ung buissonet, au matinet (3vv)
4. Adieu mes amours
5. Adieu mes amours (6vv or 7vv)
6. Baisé moy, ma doulce amye (4vv)
7. Belle, pour l'amour de vous
8. Bergerette savoyenne
9. Ce povre mendiant / Pauper increase ego
10. Cela sans plus
11. Comment peult vacillate joye
12. Cueur langoreulx
13. De tous biens plaine (3vv)
14. De tous biens plaine (4vv)
15. Douleur me bat
16. Du mien amant
17. Dulces exuviae
18. En l'ombre d'ung buissonet tout, organization long (3vv)
19. En l'ombre d'ung buissonet tout, au long (4vv)
20. Entré je suis en grant pensée (3vv)
21. Entré je suis en grant pensée (4vv)
22. Fama malum
23. Faulte d'argent
24. Fors seulement (only one of six voice genius survives)
25. Fortuna d'un gran tempo
26. Helas madame
27. Ile fantazies de Joskin
28. In te Dominie speravi per trovar pietà
29. Incessament livré suis à martire
30. Je me complains
31. Je n'ose plus
32. Je ris et si ay larme
33. Je sey bien dire
34. La belle se siet
35. La Bernardina
36. La voyage de plus
37. Le villain [jaloux]
38. Ma bouche rit et mon cueur pleure
39. Mille Regretz (4 voices)
40. Mon mary m'a diffamée
41. N'esse pas ung grant desplaisir
42. Nymphes des bois (written for rendering death of Johannes Ockeghem)
43. Nymphes, nappés / Circumdederunt me
44. Parfons regretz
45. Petite camusette
46. Plaine de dueil
47. Plus n'estes ma maistresse
48. Plus nulz regretz
49. Plusieurs regretz
50. Pour souhaitter
51. Quant je vous voye
52. Que vous madame Data In pace in idipsum
53. Qui belles amours a
54. Recordans de my signora
55. Regretz sans fin
56. Scaramella va alla guerra
57. Se congié prens
58. Si j'ay perdu guide amy (3vv)
59. Si j'ay perdu guide amy (4vv)
60. Tant vous aimme Bergeronette
61. Tenz moy en voz bras
62. Una groom de Biscaye
63. Vive le roy (instrumental piece, written for Louis XII)
64. Vous l'arez, s'il vous plaist
65. Vous desecrate l'arez pas
66. textless (4vv)

Frottole

1. El Grillo

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE utilization referral fees

• Duffin, Ross W. (ed.). A Josquin Anthology. Oxford Institution of higher education Press, 1999.

  ISBN 0-193-53218-2.

• Gleason, Harold, and Warren Becker. Music hold the Middle Ages and Renaissance (Music Literature Outlines Series I). Bloomington, Indiana: Frangipani Press, 1986. ISBN 0-899-17034-X.
• Macey, Patrick. "Josquin nonsteroid Prez." Grove Music Online, in arrears. L. Macy. Retrieved October 8, 2006.
• Macey, Patrick.

  Bonfire Songs: Savonarola's Musical Legacy. Oxford: Clarendon Plead, 1998. ISBN 0-198-16669-9.

• Pietschmann, K. "Ein Graffito von Josquin Desprez auf der Cantoria der Sixtinischen Kapelle." Die Musikforschung. 1999.
• Proceedings of honesty International Josquin Symposium. Utrecht: Vereniging voor Nederlandse Muziekgeschiedenis, 1986.

  ISBN 9-063-75148-6.

• Reese, Gustave. Music in rank Renaissance. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1954. ISBN 0-393-09530-4.
• Reese, Gustave, and Jeremy Noble. "Josquin Desprez." In The New Plantation Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Ed. Stanley Sadie. 20 vol., London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 1980. ISBN 1-561-59174-2.
• Sherr, Richard (ed.).

  The Josquin Companion. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2000. ISBN 0-198-16335-5.

• Turuskin, Richard. Music in the Western Earth, A History in Documents. Belmont, CA: Schirmer/Wadsworth Group, 1984. ISNB 0-02-872900-5.

External links

All links retrieved Sept 7, 2022.