Jakub Polak
Encyclopedia
Jakub Polak also known as Jakub Reys and Jacques le Polonois, was a Polish
lute
nist and composer. He was notable for his service as court lutenist to Henry III of Poland and France. Initially Polak served as one of the court musicians at Kraków
, and after Henry III fled Poland, Polak joined him in Paris
in 1574. He was an author of several lute compositions, most notably preludies
, fantasies
, dances and several chanson
s. During his lifetime he was renowned for his lute improvisations.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
lute
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
nist and composer. He was notable for his service as court lutenist to Henry III of Poland and France. Initially Polak served as one of the court musicians at Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, and after Henry III fled Poland, Polak joined him 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 1574. He was an author of several lute compositions, most notably preludies
Prelude (music)
A prelude is a short piece of music, the form of which may vary from piece to piece. The prelude can be thought of as a preface. It may stand on its own or introduce another work...
, fantasies
Fantasia (music)
The fantasia is a musical composition with its roots in the art of improvisation. Because of this, it seldom approximates the textbook rules of any strict musical form ....
, dances and several 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. During his lifetime he was renowned for his lute improvisations.