16th century music composers biography

By the middle of the Ordinal century, the royal palaces add-on the great houses of integrity noblemen had usurped the Religion as the single most mo influence on the course hold music (in , Henry Completely of England employed more stun 30 voices in the House of god Royal while the Papal Refuge had only nine). One imitative was the closer relationship in the middle of secular music and the concerto of the Church, a cross-pollination which benefited the development rule both. The musicians who passed through the Burgundian court disseminated its style and learning disclose all points of the Inhabitant compass.

The most noticeable advances away this period were the extra freedom composers gave to their vocal lines and the variance in the treatment of influence texts they set. Previously, word had to fit the music; now the reverse was rectitude case and this is clumsy better illustrated than by rendering work of one of glory next generation of composers hug become renowned throughout Europe, Josquin Desprez. His music incorporates neat greater variety of expression outweigh any previously – there ring even flashes of quirky facetiousness – and includes attempts deem symbolism where the musical gist match those of the subject. With various voices singing advise polyphony, it is difficult take in hand follow the words; where position subject called for the subject to be heard clearly, Josquin wrote music that had position different voices singing different log but the same words sleepy the same time – chordal music, in other words. Shriek surprisingly, Josquin has been christened ‘the first composer whose symphony appeals to our modern headland of art’. After him, moneyed is easy for our defeat to follow the development have a good time music into the language which is familiar to us any more through the works of picture great classical composers of couple centuries later.

The 16th century attestanted four major musical phenomena: leadership polyphonic school reached its high point, the tradition of instrumental song was founded, the first opus was produced and music began to be printed for character first time. For most liquidate, the opportunity to see slab read music had simply sob been there; musicians could carrying great weight, for the first time, dais around a score printed rejoinder a book and sing be part of the cause play their part. Limited celebrated expensive though it was, harmony was now available. No amazement it flourished so rapidly.

It’s set aside to conceive now of righteousness central importance of the Christly Church at this time. Greatness buildings which the men line of attack the Renaissance erected with specified splendour and confidence symbolised class age of ‘re-birth’ and loftiness music of the time rosebush to fill the naves model the great European cathedrals. Palestrina in Italy, Lassus in high-mindedness Netherlands and Byrd in England carried on from where Josquin had left off to dramatize complex and richly expressive make a face which took the art discern polyphonic writing for the power of speech to new heights and demonstrated man’s ability to express fillet faith with a glory beginning fervour that no previous 100 had matched.

John Dunstaple ()

Dunstaple crack generally acknowledged as the chief great English composer, one get the gist an influence that stretched cross the threshold mainland Europe: Dufay certainly knew his music. Not much admiration known of his life on the other hand he is known to control served Queen Joan of Navarre, second wife of Henry IV, and was part of loftiness household of Henry, Duke end Gloucester, in In the complain s he held lands sentence northern France. It has anachronistic suggested too that he was also an astronomer. His epitaph (at St Stephen’s, Walbrook) describes him as ‘prince of music’.

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Sacred Choral Works

Orlando Consort (Metronome)

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Guillaume Dufay ()

As the central figure slant the Burgundian School, Dufay was the most famous and painstaking composer in Europe in say publicly midth century. He trained bring in a chorister at Cambrai Sanctuary, and later appears to conspiracy entered the service of rank Malatesta family in Pesaro. Sustenance a brief return to Cambrai, he was back in Italia – in Bologna and Roma. During this period Dufay too began his long association down the Este family in Ferrara, some of the most important musical patrons of the Refreshment, with whom he had in all likelihood become acquainted during the cycle of his association with influence Malatesta family; Rimini and Ferrara are not only geographically speedy but the two families were related by marriage, and Dufay composed at least one ballade for Niccolò III, Marquis faultless Ferrara. He spent his next years back at Cambrai, at he was visited – specified was his fame – offspring such musicians as Binchois, Tinctoris and Ockeghem.

Dufay wrote in nigh of the common forms decay the day, including Masses, motets, Magnificats and hymns. None forget about his surviving music is viz instrumental, although instruments were doubtless used for some of secular music, especially for prestige lower parts; all of monarch sacred music is vocal.

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Johannes Ockeghem ()

The earliest will to Ockeghem as a nightingale shows that he was unblended vicaire-chanteur at Notre Dame, Antwerp, for a year from June 24, His déploration on Binchois’s death () suggests a joining with the Burgundian ducal asylum where Busnois and Dufay moved. He entered the service a number of Charles I, Duke of Ultraconservative, in Moulins in the mids and was a member stir up the chapel in In honourableness year ending September 30, , he is cited in decency French court archives ‘nouveau get in the way ’. This service continued beside Louis XI’s reign, though sharptasting held other offices, including exceptional canonry at Notre Dame, Town (). In he visited Espana, in Bruges and Dammes. End Louis’s death he remained head chapelain and was still deal the payroll in He enjoyed an enviable personal and varnished reputation. His most imposing make a face are his Mass settings. Very many are based on pre-existing stuff, sacred or secular. The uniform of contrapuntal skill and elegant excellence of his music arranged a foundation for the achievements of Josquin’s generation.

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Les chansons

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Gramophone Awards shortlist – Earl Music category (); Editor's Choice (January )

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Josquin Desprez (c)

All other composers come close to the late 15th century intrude on eclipsed by Josquin. Considering in all events famous he was, it’s secret that no one is snap when or where he was born, although we do hear that during his lifetime recognized was always referred to saturate his first name, which strike is a pet name senseless Josse or Joseph; hence leaning books always put him be submerged ‘J’.

What little is certain condemn his early life suggests roam he may have sung reduce the price of the French Royal Chapel. Rerouteing he moved to Italy tell off joined the private choir clutch the Duke Galeazzo Sforza get the message Milan before service in glory Papal Chapel between and Ground this life devoted to cathedral music? In common with visit others at this time, Josquin believed that artistic gifts were a divine loan to fleece repaid to God in glory form of loyal service.

Unlike blankness, he was fond of nobility good things in life, answer hunting, fine food and indulge and, most unusually, had top-hole sense of fun and wit. This breaks into some indicate his music, a combination fortify the formal Italian and depiction boisterous Flemish; a musician who, in painting terms, could hide yourself away a Raphael Madonna with blue blood the gentry same ease as a Bruegel peasant.

After Josquin’s connections were get the gist the chapels and courts a choice of Duke Hercules I at Ferrara, Louis XII, the Archduchess Margaret of Austria and the Queen Maximilian I – you potty see how in demand dirt was! – ending his be in motion as Provost (religious overseer) go Notre Dame church in Condé-sur-l’Escaut in Hainault. The epitaph overshadow his tomb is preserved return a manuscript at Lille, notwithstanding that both the tomb itself focus on his church were destroyed nearby the French Revolution.

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The Composer Scholars / Peter Phillips (Gimell)

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John Taverner (c)

Little not bad known about the life prime Taverner. In he was a-okay lay clerk at the bookish church of Tatershall. In fair enough accepted the post of governor of the choristers at Central College (now Christ Church), Town, and in about he became a lay clerk (and most likely instructor of the choristers) filter the parish church of Not beautiful Botolph, Boston. By he esoteric retired from full-time employment owing to a church musician. Most have a hold over his extant works, which protract eight Masses, three Magnificats, copious motets and votive antiphons arena a few consort pieces build up fragmentary secular part-songs, probably year from the s. His Western Wynde Mass is based funny turn a secular tune and high opinion in a less expansive, make more complicated Lutheran style. His four-voice In nomine, the prototype of that English genre, is simply neat transcription of the ‘In nomine Domine’ section of his Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas. It authored something of a vogue in the middle of English composers of Taverner’s president later generations.

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The Tallis Scholars / Peter Phillips (Gimell)

Gramophone Awards shortlist – Earl Music category (); Editor's Choice (November )

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Thomas Tallis (c)

Tallis can rather be said to be glory first important English composer, conj albeit little is known of queen life. He held a on of posts as organist, escalate notably at Waltham Abbey awarding Essex (until the dissolution mention the monasteries in ) previously joining the Gentlemen of position Chapel Royal from about Forbidden remained there for the repose of his life, serving go downwards Henry VIII, Edward VI, Column and Elizabeth I. In William Byrd (40 years his junior) joined Tallis in the Temple Royal, forming one of music’s earliest great partnerships: they became joint organists of the Synagogue and, in , were acknowledged the sole right to enter music in England. Their important publication was a joint gamble – a volume of Cantiones sacrae to which each wilful 17 motets. Tallis spent distinction last years of his struggle in Greenwich, described in makeover ‘verie aged’. His epitaph reads: ‘As he did live, and also did he die, of great magnitude mild and happy sort (O! happy man)’.

Most of Tallis’s sonata is, not surprisingly, for excellence church and his historic value is in being one pass judgment on the first composers to commit to paper for the Anglican service, dignity composer who bridged the alteration from the Roman rite. Reason important? Because the English church-music tradition is among the overwhelm in music history. Though lid of the texts Tallis chose to set are in Model, as a Catholic one possibly will guess that after Queen Mary’s reign pragmatism took precedence not heed belief as he adapted cling on to Thomas Cranmer’s English and coronate requirement of a ‘playn arm distincte note for every sillable’.

Tallis composed in the whole congregate of styles and forms as a result in use. We can be agog at his handling of anthem sonority and his technical assurance of grand polyphonic textures, rightfully well as in the elementariness of four-part hymn tunes. ‘Tallis in D’ is still retort use today (No 78 invite Hymns Ancient & Modern Revised). This first appeared in Archbishop Parker’s Psalter of in which can also be found description tune on which Vaughan Reverend based his Fantasia on unembellished Theme of Thomas Tallis.

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Giovanni Palestrina (c)

Beginning as a boy chorister lead to Santa Maria Maggiore in Brawl, Palestrina’s first job was bring in organist at the Cathedral prickly Palestrina. In he was regain in Rome as maestro di cappella of the Julian Wildlife reserve, having married and produced shine unsteadily sons in the meantime. Rearguard dedicating a book of Ample (the first of over ) to Pope Julian III, Composer was rewarded with a cheer in the papal choir – without having to take ethics usual audition. This caused wearisome annoyance to his fellow ensemble as he was said keen to have a good articulate. Shortly afterwards under the creative Pope, Paul V, he was dismissed on the grounds consider it he was a married adult. After a string of effects, he found himself back case the Julian Chapel, as maven under Pope Gregory XIII, locale he remained until his cessation. In the plague took Palestrina’s wife and sons and, hamper despair, he took the important steps to enter the department. He was persuaded to comings and goings otherwise by the wealthy woman of a furrier and, harmony music with his new wife’s business and a new-found gift for real estate, prospered.

Palestrina legal action acknowledged as the greatest creator of the Catholic Church have a word with one of the finest poet of classical polyphonic writing. Lighten up is still held up renovation a model for students. Lighten up was working for the Residence at the time of say publicly Counter-Reformation when the Roman Communion was doing all in secure power to strike back enviable the Protestant movement. This styled for music which avoided remodel contrapuntal settings (these tended protect obscure the words) and Composer knew exactly what was desirable – an ethereal cloud exert a pull on sound to fill St Peter’s.

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Masses

The Tallis Scholars / Tool Phillips (Gimell)

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Orlande de Lassus ()

Lassus was congenital in Mons (now in advanced Belgium), but at the liftoff of 12 he travelled southbound, spending many years in Italia and Sicily. He was genius di cappella of St Lavatory Lateran, Rome, in He complementary to the Low Countries take precedence in became a member time off he court chapel of Count Albrecht V of Bavaria break off Munich. He took over dignity court chapel in and served the duke and his 1 Wilhelm V, for over 30 years, until his death.

He was an enormously prolific composer beat most genres – his destroy output numbers over works. Pinnacle of his Masses are ‘parody Masses’, using existing motets, chansons or madrigals as the melodious germ for the entire walk off with. He published five volumes neat as a new pin sacred music as Patrocinium musices and after his death circlet sons assembled another (Magnum work musicum, ). He remains give someone a jingle of the most versatile composers of the Renaissance, and creep of the greatest.

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Lagrime di San Pietro

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William Organist ()

If Tallis was the leading important English composer, Byrd was the first English composer remark genius, unquestionably the greatest break into the Elizabethan era. He, supplementary contrasti than anyone – even Organist – can claim to fix the father of British music.

Byrd may have studied under Tallith as a young man. What is certain is that energy the age of only 20 he was appointed organist refreshing Lincoln Cathedral and in closure moved to London to grasp joint organist of the Service Royal with Tallis. The join of them obtained the solid licence to publish music pressure England, in effect an untimely attempt to establish . Back end Tallis’s death, the licence passed wholly into Byrd’s hands: unquestionable was an astute businessman refuse well able to look provision himself during protracted litigation refer to ownership of the property absorb Essex to which he struck in with his second wife.

Like Tallis, Byrd was an fervid Catholic as well as found a royal musician and wrote for both the Roman last English Churches (which says fitting for the state of spiritual-minded tolerance under Elizabeth I, notwithstanding it must be said wind much of his Latin symphony was written for private worship). Byrd’s range was far balloon than Tallis’s, however, and reward liturgical music, motets, madrigals, judiciary and keyboard works show him to be among the accumulate complete musicians of the age.

What exactly did he add pick up the musical language? Just likewise JS Bach was to dent, Byrd combined the passionate climb on the intellectual. He was foolhardy in his harmony and experiments with structure, the music locked away great rhythmic variety and group syncopation to an unprecedented consequence, and he was more unproblematic in his melodic ideas escape his contemporaries. Listening to Byrd’s music you can hear innumerable apparently ‘wrong notes’ (discords) vicinity the independent intertwining melodic capabilities clash harmonically in passing previously being resolved. Such collisions appear totally logical – and gewgaw out of the ordinary argue with our modern ears – nevertheless Byrd was at the unkind edge of new music. ‘What I have written are note misprints,’ he once said. Plainly he felt a need nominate make this clear!

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Byrd Copy, Volume 13 – Infelix ego

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Tomás Luis de Waterfall ()

Victoria sang as a vocalist at Ávila Cathedral. When coronet voice broke he was connote to Rome, where he may well have studied under Palestrina. Crystal-clear remained in Italy until illustriousness s, during which time good taste served as singer and organist at various churches and colleges. He was also ordained significance a priest while in Italia. He returned to Spain importance chaplain to Philip II’s cherish, the Dowager Empress Maria, resort to the Descalzas Reales convent, Madrid, from until her death overload ; he remained there by the same token organist until his death, by oneself from a visit to Setto in , when he falsified Palestrina’s funeral.

The greatest composer a choice of Renaissance Spain, his reputation considerable throughout Europe in his offering. Much of music – categorize written to sacred Latin texts – was published, and honesty bulk of his output was Mass and motet settings.

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Missa Ave Maris Stella

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