Josquin des Prez

Josquin Des Prez
Josquin Des Prez

Josquin Des Prez (diminutive of "Joseph"; latinized Josquinus Pratensis) (c. 1450 to 1455 – August 27, 1521) was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance. He was the most famous European composer between Guillaume Dufay and Palestrina, and is usually considered to be the central figure of the Netherlands style.

Life

Little is known for certain of his early life. Much is inferential and speculative, though numerous clues have emerged from his works and the writings of contemporary composers, theorists, and writers of the next several generations. Josquin was born in the area controlled by the Dukes of Burgundy, and was possibly born either in Hainaut (modern-day Belgium), or immediately across the border in modern-day France, since several times in his life he was classified legally as a Frenchman (for instance, when he made his will). Josquin was long mistaken for a man with a similar name, Josquin de Kessalia, born around the year 1440, who sang in Milan from 1459 to 1474, dying in 1498. More recent scholarship has shown that Josquin des Prez was born around 1450 or a few years later, and did not go to Italy until the early 1480s. According to the article "Josquin des Prez", by Lora Matthews and Paul Merkley, in The Journal Of Musicology, Summer 1998, "des Prez" was a nickname, and Josquin’s family name was "Lebloitte".

According to 17th century records, he became a choir boy in the collegiate church of Saint-Quentin at an early age, probably around 1460, and may have studied counterpoint under Ockeghem, whom he greatly admired throughout his life (on Ockeghem's death in 1497 he wrote the impressive motet La Déploration sur la mort Ockeghem, based on the poem by Guillaume Crétin). All records from Saint-Quentin were destroyed in 1669; however the cathedral there was a center of music-making for the entire area, and in addition was an important center of royal patronage. Both Jean Mouton and Loyset Compère were buried there, and it is certainly possible that Josquin acquired his later connections with the French royal chapel through early experiences at Saint-Quentin.

In 1477, the first definite record of his employment shows that he was a singer at the chapel of René, Duke of Anjou, in Aix-en-Provence; he may have transferred to Paris in 1481 along with the rest of the chapel, though there is no specific evidence of this. From 1489 to 1494 Josquin was a member of the papal choir under Pope Innocent VIII. In the later 1490s he was in France, probably in the service of Louis XII for most of the time, and he likely stayed there until 1503, when Duke Ercole I of Ferrara hired him for the chapel there; so Josquin returned to Italy.

In Ferrara Josquin wrote the exquisite Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae, which is written on a cantus firmus derived from the musical letters in the Duke's name. While there he also wrote a setting of the Miserere, Psalm 50, for five voices, widely acknowledged to be one of his masterpieces.

Josquin only stayed in Ferrara for a year, departing in 1504, possibly fleeing an outbreak of the plague (the Duke, his family, and two thirds of the citizens fled as well). His position at Ferrara was filled by Jacob Obrecht in 1505, who died of the plague that year, and by Antoine Brumel in 1506, who stayed until the disbanding of the chapel in 1510. Josquin went directly from Ferrara to his home region of Condé, southeast of Lille on the present-day border between Belgium and France, becoming provost of the cathedral there. During this time he had immense fame, and although he was well known to the Netherlands court and his works were often performed there, no direct connection to them has been discovered by researchers. He remained at Condé until his death in 1521.

Works and influence

Josquin dominated the musical world of his time, not only on account of his learning, skill, and originality, but because of his singular ability to bring together the many streams of contemporary musical practice. He possessed a vivid conception of the meaning and dramatic possibilities of the sacred texts, as well as polyphonic dexterity and supreme melodic skill. During his lifetime he acquired immense popularity and fame, and was much in demand. Duke Ercole I sent an (undated) letter to his secretary with the interesting comment "It may be true that Josquin is a better composer, ...but Isaac is better able to get along with his colleagues." His fame lasted long after his death; Zarlino, writing in the 1580s, was still using examples from Josquin in his treatises on composition; and his fame was only eclipsed after the beginning of the Baroque era, with the decline of the polyphonic style.

Josquin's fame was overshadowed by Palestrina and his school until the 20th century, but his reputation has grown steadily for the last hundred years, and Josquin's music is often sung and recorded today. A possible reason for his current popularity is that his music contains, to many listeners, a direct emotional appeal often seen to be lacking in the austere, impersonal, but technically perfect music of Palestrina. The 19th-century trend in musicology was to consider early music as moving from primitive forms to ever increasing perfection, and thus venerated Palestrina as the peak of development of polyphony; contemporary musicology tends to consider changes in style not as changes towards or away from perfection but as trends of adaptation and influence; as such Josquin is seen as someone who simultaneously brought together most of the contemporary trends, innovated significantly, and was also able to express intense emotion with economy of means.

Thirty-two masses are attributed to Josquin, seventeen of which were printed by Petrucci (1466-1539) in Fossombrone and Venice in 1505. The masses printed by Petrucci are deemed genuine, but at least some of the others, some preserved in manuscript in the archives of the papal choir in Rome and in the libraries of Munich, Vienna, Basle, Berlin, the Ratisbon cathedral, and Cambrai, are probably spurious. Among the finest of Josquin's masses are the Missa Ave Maris Stella and the Missa Pange Lingua. Motets by Josquin were published by Petrucci, Pierre Attaignant (1533), Tylman Susato (1544), and by Le Roy and Ballard (1555). Numerous fragments and shorter works are reproduced in the historical works of Forkel, Burney, Hawkins, Busby, and in Choron's collection.

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

Works list

Masses

1. Missa ad fugam;
2. Missa Ave maris stella (Rome, 1486-1495);
3. Missa de beata virgine;
4. Missa N'auray je jamais (= Missa di dadi);
5. Missa D'ung aultre amer (Mailand, 1483/85);
6. Missa Faisant regretz;
7. Missa Fortuna desperata;
8. Missa Gaudeamus;
9. Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae (Ferrara, 1503/04);
10. Missa La sol fa re mi;
11. Missa L'ami baudichon;
12. Missa L'homme armé sexti toni;
13. Missa L'homme armé super voces musicales;
14. Missa Malheur me bat;
15. Missa Mater patris;
16. Missa Pange lingua (Condé, around 1514);
17. Missa sine nomine;
18. Missa Une Mousse de biscaya;
19. Missa da pacem (uncertain attribution)

Mass fragments

1. Credo ciascun me crie (= De rouges nez);
2. Credo de tous biens playne;
3. Credo vilayge (I);
4. Credo vilayge (II);
5. Gloria de beata virgine;
6. Sanctus de passione;
7. Sanctus D'ung aultre amer.

Motets

1. Absolon, fili mi (4vv);
2. Absolve, quaesumus, Domine/Requiem aeternam (6vv) (attribution has been challenged);
3. Alma redemptoris mater;
4. Alma redemptoris mater / Ave Regina;
5. Ave Maria, gratia plena ... benedicta tu (4vv);
6. Ave Maria, gratia plena ... Virgo serena (Mailand 1484/85);
7. Ave munda spes, Maria (not in first 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 es, amica mea;
17. Factum est autem;
18. Gaude virgo, 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 de Aegypto;
24. In illo tempore assumpsit Jesus 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 stylistic grounds);
31. Magnificat terii toni (attributed to Josquin on stylistic grounds);
32. Memor esto verbi tui;
33. Miserere mei Deus (Ferrara, 1504/05);
34. Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo (Frankreich, 1480/83);
35. Missus est Gabriel angelus 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 Domine Jesu Christe (part of a 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 in adiutorio altissimi;
48. Qui velatus facie fuisti (part of a Passion setting in 6 sections);
49. Salve regina (4vv);
50. Salve regina (5vv, 1502);
51. Stabat Mater;
52. Tu lumen, tu splendor;
53. Tu solus qui facus mirabilia;
54. Usquequo Domine oblivisceris me (attrib on stylistic grounds; only part 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).

Chansons

1. A la mort / Monstra te esse matrem;
2. A l'heure que 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 sum ego;
10. Cela sans plus;
11. Comment peult haver 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, au 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 parts survives);
25. Fortuna d'un gran tempo;
26. Helas madame;
27. Ile fantazies de Joskin;
28. In te Domine 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 plus de plus;
37. Le villain [jaloux];
38. Ma bouche rit et mon cueur pleure;
39. Mon mary m'a diffamée;
40. N'esse pas ung grant desplaisir;
41. Nymphes des bois (written for the death of Johannes Ockeghem);
42. Nymphes, nappés / Circumdederunt me;
43. Parfons regretz;
44. Petite camusette;
45. Plaine de dueil;
46. Plus n'estes ma maistresse;
47. Plus nulz regretz;
48. Plusieurs regretz;
49. Pour souhaitter;
50. Quant je vous voye;
51. Que vous madame / In pace in idipsum;
52. Qui belles amours a
53. Recordans de my signora;
54. Regretz sans fin;
55. Scaramella va alla guerra;
56. Se congié prens;
57. Si j'ay perdu mon amy (3vv);
58. Si j'ay perdu mon amy (4vv);
59. Tant vous aimme Bergeronette;
60. Tenz moy en voz bras;
61. Una mousse de Biscaye;
62. Vive le roy (written for Louis XII);
63. Vous l'arez, s'il vous plaist;
64. Vous ne l'arez pas;
65. textless (4vv).

Frottole

1. El Grillo;

References and further reading

• Gustave Reese, Music in the Renaissance. New York, W.W. Norton & Co., 1954. ISBN 0393095304
• Article "Josquin Desprez," in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie. 20 vol. London, Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 1980. ISBN 1561591742
• Harold Gleason and Warren Becker, Music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance (Music Literature Outlines Series I). Bloomington, Indiana. Frangipani Press, 1986. ISBN 089917034X
• Ross W. Duffin (editor), A Josquin Anthology. Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN 0193532182

External Links

• Josquin biography and discography
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