Antoine de Longueval
Encyclopedia
Antoine de Longueval was a French singer and composer of the Renaissance
. A contemporary of Josquin des Prez
, he was singing master of the French royal chapel under King Francis I
, and was important in the history of the polyphonic
setting of the Passion.
in the Somme
region of Picardy
(scene of much heavy fighting during the Somme battles in 1916). By 1498, court records indicate that he was employed by Anne of Brittany
, and between 1502 and 1504 he was a singer at the Savoy
court, where his high pay indicates the respect he was accorded as a musician. From there he went to Ferrara
, where he was a singer between December 1503 and September 1504; therefore he was there at the same time as Josquin des Prez. It is presumed that he wrote his most famous composition, the passion setting Passio Domini nostri for Holy Week
of 1504, the same event for which Josquin's famous Miserere
was likely written.
Why he left Ferrara is not known, but he may have fled an outbreak of the plague
, as did Josquin and a large proportion of the town's population. In 1507 he is listed as a member of the group of private musicians of the French king, Louis XII, and in 1515, Francis I promoted him to maître de chapelle (singing master) of the royal chapel. That same year he went to Italy with the French king, along with composer Jean Mouton
, where Pope Leo X made both composers apostolic notaries. On returning to France, Longueval was further honored by being made a canon of Notre Dame de Paris
, a position he resigned in 1519 in order to become abbot of the Benedictine
priory in Longueval, the probable town of his birth. Alfonso I, the Duke of Ferrara, made one more attempt to get him to return to his opulent musical establishment in Italy, but evidently was not successful. The last mention of Longueval is at the French court in 1525, and it is presumed he may have died shortly after.
s, including the famous Passion setting Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi for four voices, and secular chanson
s. He wrote at least one mass
setting, which was documented as being sent to Ferrara, but it either has not survived or has survived anonymously.
Passio Domini nostri is unusual for being a polyphonic setting of much of the Passion text from the Gospel of St. Matthew and the other three Gospels, especially that of St. John, with variation in texture, rhythmic character, scoring, and other musical attributes depending on the speaker and the context. It was enormously influential on Lutheran
musicians in Germany throughout the 16th century, and was much imitated.
The chansons by Longueval show both archaic characteristics, in that they partially abide by the 15th century convention of the formes fixes
, but they also are progressive in their use of imitation
, which may be an influence of Josquin.
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...
. A contemporary of Josquin des Prez
Josquin Des Prez
Josquin des Prez [Josquin Lebloitte dit Desprez] , often referred to simply as Josquin, was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance...
, he was singing master of the French royal chapel under King Francis I
Francis 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...
, and was important in the history of the polyphonic
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 ....
setting of the Passion.
Life
Little is known about his early life, not even his approximate birthdate, but he was probably from the village of LonguevalLongueval
Longueval is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Longueval is located 24 miles northwest of Amiens on the D919 road, at the junction with the D8....
in the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
region of Picardy
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
(scene of much heavy fighting during the Somme battles in 1916). By 1498, court records indicate that he was employed by Anne of Brittany
Anne of Brittany
Anne, Duchess of Brittany , also known as Anna of Brittany , was a Breton ruler, who was to become queen to two successive French kings. She was born in Nantes, Brittany, and was the daughter of Francis II, Duke of Brittany and Margaret of Foix. Her maternal grandparents were Queen Eleanor of...
, and between 1502 and 1504 he was a singer at the Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
court, where his high pay indicates the respect he was accorded as a musician. From there he went to Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, where he was a singer between December 1503 and September 1504; therefore he was there at the same time as Josquin des Prez. It is presumed that he wrote his most famous composition, the passion setting Passio Domini nostri for Holy Week
Holy Week
Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...
of 1504, the same event for which Josquin's famous Miserere
Miserere (Josquin)
The Miserere, by Josquin des Prez, is a motet setting of Psalm 51 for five voices. He composed it while in the employ of Duke Ercole I d'Este in Ferrara, most likely in 1503 or 1504...
was likely written.
Why he left Ferrara is not known, but he may have fled an outbreak of the plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
, as did Josquin and a large proportion of the town's population. In 1507 he is listed as a member of the group of private musicians of the French king, Louis XII, and in 1515, Francis I promoted him to maître de chapelle (singing master) of the royal chapel. That same year he went to Italy with the French king, along with composer 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....
, where Pope Leo X made both composers apostolic notaries. On returning to France, Longueval was further honored by being made a canon of Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame de Paris , also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Roman Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra of...
, a position he resigned in 1519 in order to become abbot of the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
priory in Longueval, the probable town of his birth. Alfonso I, the Duke of Ferrara, made one more attempt to get him to return to his opulent musical establishment in Italy, but evidently was not successful. The last mention of Longueval is at the French court in 1525, and it is presumed he may have died shortly after.
Works
Longueval's surviving works consist of motetMotet
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, including the famous Passion setting Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi for four voices, and secular 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. He wrote at least one mass
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
setting, which was documented as being sent to Ferrara, but it either has not survived or has survived anonymously.
Passio Domini nostri is unusual for being a polyphonic setting of much of the Passion text from the Gospel of St. Matthew and the other three Gospels, especially that of St. John, with variation in texture, rhythmic character, scoring, and other musical attributes depending on the speaker and the context. It was enormously influential on Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
musicians in Germany throughout the 16th century, and was much imitated.
The chansons by Longueval show both archaic characteristics, in that they partially abide by the 15th century convention of the formes fixes
Formes fixes
A Forme fixé is any one of three fourteenth and fifteenth centuries French poetic forms, the ballade, rondeau and virelai...
, but they also are progressive in their use of 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...
, which may be an influence of Josquin.