Mathieu Gascongne
Encyclopedia
Mathieu Gascongne was a French
composer of the Renaissance
. Contemporaries, such as Adrian Willaert
(as quoted by the renowned Venetian theorist Zarlino) grouped him with Josquin
, Ockeghem
, and Jean Mouton
as among the finest composers of the time. Compared with those others, however, little of his output has survived.
in 1515); this would have put him there at the same time as Jean Mouton
and just after Antoine de Févin
. In addition, one document describes him as a priest of the Meaux
diocese, and also associates him with the cathedral in Tours
; it also names him as a singer in the royal chapel in 1517–1518. A second theory is that he was associated with a group of composers active at Cambrai
, since his music appears in manuscripts there. Possibly both theories are correct, and he was active in Paris
in the first decades of the 16th century, and at Cambrai later.
, motet
s and chanson
s. Nine masses have been attributed to him, but not all survive complete. Of his motets, two are settings of the Magnificat
. The chansons were famous, and Gascongne has been called the inventor, along with Antoine de Févin, of the Parisian chanson rustique . Adrian Willaert
, the founder of the Venetian school, also held Gascongne in high regard, stating that he was on the level of Josquin
, Ockeghem
, and his own teacher Jean Mouton.
Most of his sacred music is for four a cappella
voices; he uses as source material chansons by Pierre de la Rue
, Jean Mouton and Josquin des Prez. His chansons are mostly for three voices, but there are numerous works which are attributed to him in one source but to another composer in other sources (Mouton is a common competitor for attribution). Stylistically his music is typical of French music of the early 16th century, with smooth, balanced polyphony
and pervasive imitation
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
composer of the Renaissance
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given that its defining characteristics were adopted only gradually; musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.Literally meaning...
. Contemporaries, such as Adrian Willaert
Adrian Willaert
Adrian Willaert was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance and founder of the Venetian School. He was one of the most representative members of the generation of northern composers who moved to Italy and transplanted the polyphonic Franco-Flemish style there....
(as quoted by the renowned Venetian theorist Zarlino) grouped him with Josquin
Josquin Des Prez
Josquin des Prez [Josquin Lebloitte dit Desprez] , often referred to simply as Josquin, was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance...
, Ockeghem
Johannes Ockeghem
Johannes Ockeghem was the most famous composer of the Franco-Flemish School in the last half of the 15th century, and is often considered the most...
, and Jean Mouton
Jean Mouton
Jean Mouton was a French composer of the Renaissance. He was famous both for his motets, which are among the most refined of the time, and for being the teacher of Adrian Willaert, one of the founders of the Venetian School....
as among the finest composers of the time. Compared with those others, however, little of his output has survived.
Life
Little is known for certain about his life, and there are two principal theories regarding where he lived and worked. The first is that he was associated with the French royal court, for he wrote several motets for official occasions (such as the coronation of King Francis IFrancis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
in 1515); this would have put him there at the same time as Jean Mouton
Jean Mouton
Jean Mouton was a French composer of the Renaissance. He was famous both for his motets, which are among the most refined of the time, and for being the teacher of Adrian Willaert, one of the founders of the Venetian School....
and just after Antoine de Févin
Antoine de Févin
Antoine de Févin was a French composer of the Renaissance. He was active at the same time as Josquin des Prez, and shares many traits with his more famous contemporary.-Life:...
. In addition, one document describes him as a priest of the Meaux
Meaux
Meaux is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located east-northeast from the center of Paris. Meaux is a sub-prefecture of the department and the seat of an arondissement...
diocese, and also associates him with the cathedral in Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
; it also names him as a singer in the royal chapel in 1517–1518. A second theory is that he was associated with a group of composers active at Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
, since his music appears in manuscripts there. Possibly both theories are correct, and he was active in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in the first decades of the 16th century, and at Cambrai later.
Music and influence
Gascongne wrote massesMass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
, motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s and chanson
Chanson
A chanson is in general any lyric-driven French song, usually polyphonic and secular. A singer specialising in chansons is known as a "chanteur" or "chanteuse" ; a collection of chansons, especially from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, is also known as a chansonnier.-Chanson de geste:The...
s. Nine masses have been attributed to him, but not all survive complete. Of his motets, two are settings of the Magnificat
Magnificat
The Magnificat — also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung liturgically in Christian church services. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn...
. The chansons were famous, and Gascongne has been called the inventor, along with Antoine de Févin, of the Parisian chanson rustique . Adrian Willaert
Adrian Willaert
Adrian Willaert was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance and founder of the Venetian School. He was one of the most representative members of the generation of northern composers who moved to Italy and transplanted the polyphonic Franco-Flemish style there....
, the founder of the Venetian school, also held Gascongne in high regard, stating that he was on the level of Josquin
Josquin Des Prez
Josquin des Prez [Josquin Lebloitte dit Desprez] , often referred to simply as Josquin, was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance...
, Ockeghem
Johannes Ockeghem
Johannes Ockeghem was the most famous composer of the Franco-Flemish School in the last half of the 15th century, and is often considered the most...
, and his own teacher Jean Mouton.
Most of his sacred music is for four a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
voices; he uses as source material chansons by Pierre de la Rue
Pierre de La Rue
Pierre de la Rue , called Piersson, was a Franco-Flemish composer and singer of the Renaissance. A member of the same generation as Josquin des Prez, and a long associate of the Habsburg-Burgundian musical chapel, he ranks with Agricola, Brumel, Compère, Isaac, Obrecht, and Weerbeke as one of the...
, Jean Mouton and Josquin des Prez. His chansons are mostly for three voices, but there are numerous works which are attributed to him in one source but to another composer in other sources (Mouton is a common competitor for attribution). Stylistically his music is typical of French music of the early 16th century, with smooth, balanced polyphony
Polyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
and pervasive imitation
Imitation (music)
In music, imitation is when a melody in a polyphonic texture is repeated shortly after its first appearance in a different voice, usually at a different pitch. The melody may vary through transposition, inversion, or otherwise, but retain its original character...
.
Note
- Lawrence Bernstein, Cantus Firmus in the French Chanson for Two or Three Voices, 1500-1550. Ph.D. dissertation, New York University, 1969.
Recording
- Capilla Flamenca, The A-La-Mi-Re Manuscripts, Flemish Polyphonic Treasures for Charles V. Naxos CD 8.554744. Contains a portion of his Missa Myn hert.