Josquin Desprez Music Overview
Josquin Desprez is also known as Josquin was gospel and a secular music writer. During his time he wrote much music and had a unique talent that was appraised by many. In the 16th century, Josquin was recognized as the best writer of those times and received many awards and praises to that effect. He was a social man who was also dedicated to his career. He was able to succeed in his career because he was deeply in love with it and all his efforts were direct to it. Josquin was a franco-flemish and was well recognized with the Franco-Flemish school which he helped in its establishment. He was a European composer who operated in the areas of Guillaume and Palestina.
His fame rose in the 16th century where he was part of the Renaissance. His success was attributed to the fact that he had mastered his music techniques in such a way that left many people in amazement. He was admired by many and many people wanted to emulate his character and intelligence. Other writers commented about his art of writing and wrote books of praise. Martin Luther and Baldassare Castiglione were among the writers that wrote books of Josquin reflecting his success and mastery of techniques. Theologies were not left behind, they observed Josquin’s success in music and recognized them as the best composer of his time. According to Lowinsky Edward, Blackburn Bonnie, American Musicological Society, International Musicological Society, Renaissance Society of America (p.90), he was a perfectionist.
Josquin Early life
There is not much information about the exact year that he was born, but many authors think that he was born between 1450 and 1455. He was born in a village called Dukes of Burgundy which there is no clear information whether it was in current Belgium or at the border of Belgium and France. His parents are not mentioned in the books but a lot of credit is accorded to his uncle and aunt who named him as the heir of their products in their will.
This was perhaps 1466, around the same time it is believed that his father died. The names of the uncle and aunt were Gilles Lebloitte Desprez and Jacque Banestonne. It was in the will that he acquired his surname as Deloitte. Although he preferred to use his nickname as “des Prez” he conducted himself in the French way. In 1483, Josquin returned to his uncle’s resident to claim his inheritance after the death of his uncle and aunt. They died in May 1478 after being murdered by the army of Franchinus Gaffurius, who was maestro di cappella of the cathedral thereafter He died on Aug. 27 1521
Career life
Josquin started his career life as a choir boy in 1460 where he used to be the head of the music in the church. It is believed that this was the time when he realized his dream. His education is seen to have been influenced by Okeghen who acted as a role model to him. He studied counterpoint through him. In April 1497, he got his first employment as a singer at the chapel of René, Duke of Anjou, in Aix-en-Provence. He remained there until 1478. Much is not recorded about his movement after living his job in the chapel but we find his career life again in 1483. In 1483 or 1484, it is believed that he was in the service of Sforza family in Milan.
Here he made trips to Rome, Paris, and also made friendship with Franchinus Gaffurius (the maestro di cappella of the cathedral there). It was in 1489 under Pope Innocent vii and later under Borgi Pope Alexander VI where he was a member of papal choir. He returned to Milan and it is believed that he was the one who curved his name into the wall of a chapel called Sitine. His fame started around the same time in Milan where he drew attention from Italians when he played Italian secular musicals. On the other hand, in Rome, his sacred music was being refined and attracted a large magnitude also. He departed from Rome to France and wrote two of his most secular compositions called Domine Spravi (this was based on psalms 30 “I have placed my hopes in you lord”) the other composition was the Frottola El Grillo.
Most of his compositions were done in France until 1503 when he was in the service of Louis XII. An outbreak elated in Ferrara in 1503, the outbreak was of plague. It made Josquin move away to Conde-sur-Iescaut which is present between the border of Belgium and France (Josquin and Warburton 123). He took his family along with him. He became the provost of the Sollegiat church and later to Notre dame in 1504
In his last twenty years, he was lucky that the technology of printing had been developed and it made his music known even more. His music spread abroad. He was a favorite to many of the early printers and a success story was printed by Petrucci as one of its publications, this was in 1502. It was so successful and rewarding that the same publication was published in other volumes in 1504 and 1514. Again it was a success story.
It is on his death bed that evidence – that he was French – is drown from when he requested that after his death to be recorded as a foreigner in the efforts that his properties won’t be passed to lords and ladies of Conde. His famous tunes that moved the masses were Lyomme Arme and “Fantcia on the theme of the armed man” the tune was MissaLhommarmesexti Toni. The masses were not moved by only a single of his tunes but the entire song (Hoffer 245).
He did not have a single style but adapted various styles which included homophonic settings, syllabic, texts, declaration, and Psalms setting. He wrote many of his works for four voices. Josquin did not leave behind a written life history. However, out of the people that he interacted with, they came up with enough information that created his biography. He is seen to have lived during the transition period of music and some even today consider him as the father of Italian secular music.
He wrote towards the end of mass predominant of sacred composition in Europe. He is a man who lived up to his dreams and all his efforts were dedicated to his career. He has set a good example for modern composers. Josquin is regarded as among the first composers of Chanson to make all voices equal parts of the texture. His most chansons were Fauletdargent which means the problem with money.
Works Cited
Hoffer, Charles. Music Listening Today. London: Cengage Learning, 2008.
Josquin des Prez, and Warburton Thomas. Keyboard in tabulations of music by Josquin Des Prez. A-R Editions, Inc. 1980.
Lowinsky Edward, Blackburn Bonnie, American Musicological Society, International Musicological Society, Renaissance Society of America. Josquin des Prez: proceedings of the International Josquin Festival-Conference held at the Julliard School at Lincoln Center in New York City, 1971, Volume 1. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1976.