Johannes Fedé
Encyclopedia
Johannes Fedé (c. 1415 – 1477?) was a French
composer of the early Renaissance
. While he was mentioned by Eloy d'Amerval
as one of the greatest composers of the age, and resident in Paradise
, relatively few of his works have survived. He was a contemporary of Johannes Ockeghem
, and spent his life both in France
and Italy
.
, most likely from Douai
, based on the presence of several possible relatives of his at Cambrai Cathedral, several of whom had "of Douai" appended to their names. From 1439 to 1440 he was vicar at St. Amé in Douai. By 1443 he had gone to Italy, a region which was to become a common destination for composers from northern Europe for the next hundred fifty years: Fedé sang in the papal chapel in Rome
. From July 1445 to March 1446 he worked in Ferrara
, at the court chapel of Leonello d'Este
. Fedé thus was one of the earliest composers from northern Europe to work in Ferrara, a rich center of artistic patronage, which was to become a center of musical innovation for the remainder of the Renaissance.
Later in 1446 he was back in Cambrai, working as "petit vicar" at the cathedral there. He did not stay long, for by 1449 he was in Paris, employed by the Ste Chapelle as a chaplain, where he stayed until 1450, and in 1451 he was part of the chapel of Charles VII
(Charles d'Orléans). After the death of Charles 1461 (and a 10-year gap in his record), Fedé served in the chapel of Queen Marie d'Anjou
, until she died in 1463. In 1466 he likely returned to Italy briefly, for his name appears in the rolls of the singers at St. Peter's
in Rome in 1466, but he probably returned to France shortly thereafter. Three other employment records remain in France: a payment note at Ste Chapelle in Bourges
in 1472-1473, another at the royal chapel of Louis XI
in 1473-1473, and a series of payments between 1472 and 1477 at the Ste Chapelle in Paris. Fedé probably died in Paris in 1477, since the payments stopped then, but no exact record of his death remains.
by Fedé survive in manuscripts preserved at Ferrara. Some of his secular pieces, a rondeaux and two virelai
, survive in a chansonnier from Nivelles
, but were not recovered until the development of ultraviolet document-recovery technology in 1984, for most of them had been carefully erased. The apparent deliberate eradication of only Fedé's music from this collection suggests that the original owner of the book either did not care for the composer or the music.
Stylistically his music is typical of French music of the middle 15th century, including the use of fauxbourdon
, but no focused scholarly analysis has yet been performed on his five compositions with reliable attribution.
Music of France
France has a wide variety of indigenous folk music, as well as styles played by immigrants from Africa, Latin America and Asia. In the field of classical music, France has produced a number of legendary composers, while modern pop music has seen the rise of popular French hip hop, techno/funk,...
composer of the early 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...
. While he was mentioned by Eloy d'Amerval
Eloy d'Amerval
Eloy d'Amerval was a French composer, singer, choirmaster, and poet of the Renaissance. He spent most of his life in the Loire Valley of France...
as one of the greatest composers of the age, and resident in Paradise
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
, relatively few of his works have survived. He was a contemporary of Johannes 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 spent his life both in France
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...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Life
Fedé was probably from the region of ArtoisArtois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
, most likely from Douai
Douai
-Main sights:Douai's ornate Gothic style belfry was begun in 1380, on the site of an earlier tower. The 80 m high structure includes an impressive carillon, consisting of 62 bells spanning 5 octaves. The originals, some dating from 1391 were removed in 1917 during World War I by the occupying...
, based on the presence of several possible relatives of his at Cambrai Cathedral, several of whom had "of Douai" appended to their names. From 1439 to 1440 he was vicar at St. Amé in Douai. By 1443 he had gone to Italy, a region which was to become a common destination for composers from northern Europe for the next hundred fifty years: Fedé sang in the papal chapel in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. From July 1445 to March 1446 he worked in 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...
, at the court chapel of Leonello d'Este
Leonello d'Este
thumb|220px|Leonello D'Este portrayed by Pisanello.Leonello d'Este was marquis of Ferrara and Duke of Modena and Reggio Emilia from 1441 to 1450.-Biography:...
. Fedé thus was one of the earliest composers from northern Europe to work in Ferrara, a rich center of artistic patronage, which was to become a center of musical innovation for the remainder of the Renaissance.
Later in 1446 he was back in Cambrai, working as "petit vicar" at the cathedral there. He did not stay long, for by 1449 he was in Paris, employed by the Ste Chapelle as a chaplain, where he stayed until 1450, and in 1451 he was part of the chapel of Charles VII
Charles VII of France
Charles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
(Charles d'Orléans). After the death of Charles 1461 (and a 10-year gap in his record), Fedé served in the chapel of Queen Marie d'Anjou
Marie of Anjou
Marie of Anjou was the Queen consort of King Charles VII of France from 1422 to 1461. Her mother, Yolande of Aragon, played a leading role in the last phase of the Hundred Years' War.-Family:...
, until she died in 1463. In 1466 he likely returned to Italy briefly, for his name appears in the rolls of the singers at St. Peter's
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
in Rome in 1466, but he probably returned to France shortly thereafter. Three other employment records remain in France: a payment note at Ste Chapelle in Bourges
Bourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
in 1472-1473, another at the royal chapel of Louis XI
Louis XI of France
Louis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
in 1473-1473, and a series of payments between 1472 and 1477 at the Ste Chapelle in Paris. Fedé probably died in Paris in 1477, since the payments stopped then, but no exact record of his death remains.
Music and influence
Fedé wrote both sacred and secular music, but only a few pieces have survived of what may have been a substantial output, based on his reputation, and his appearance as one of the great composers of the age in Eloy's massive 1508 poem, which listed the composers resident in Heaven. Several two-voice settings of the MagnificatMagnificat
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...
by Fedé survive in manuscripts preserved at Ferrara. Some of his secular pieces, a rondeaux and two virelai
Virelai
A virelai is a form of medieval French verse used often in poetry and music. It is one of the three formes fixes and was one of the most common verse forms set to music in Europe from the late thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries.A virelai is similar to a rondeau...
, survive in a chansonnier from Nivelles
Nivelles
Nivelles is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. The Nivelles municipality includes the old communes of Baulers, Bornival, Thines, and Monstreux....
, but were not recovered until the development of ultraviolet document-recovery technology in 1984, for most of them had been carefully erased. The apparent deliberate eradication of only Fedé's music from this collection suggests that the original owner of the book either did not care for the composer or the music.
Stylistically his music is typical of French music of the middle 15th century, including the use of fauxbourdon
Fauxbourdon
Fauxbourdon – French for false bass – is a technique of musical harmonisation used in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance, particularly by composers of the Burgundian School. Guillaume Dufay was a prominent practitioner of the form, and may have been its inventor...
, but no focused scholarly analysis has yet been performed on his five compositions with reliable attribution.