Johannes Matelart
Encyclopedia
Johannes Matelart (before 1538 – 7 June 1607) was a Flemish composer of the late Renaissance
, active in Flanders
, Bonn
, and Rome
.
Details of his life are relatively sparse. He came from west Flanders, and served as choirmaster in Bonn sometime in the earlier portion of his life. By 1558 he had probably come to Italy
, staying until 1562, and in 1565 he took the post of maestro di cappella at the church of S Lorenzo in Damaso, where he remained for over 40 years. A note in a publication of 1596 indicates that he still held the post of choirmaster there, and was living in Rome.
Some of his music has survived, and unusually for a Roman
composer, much of it is instrumental. He published a book of music for lute
, which included not only 15 fantasia
s by himself, in tablature
, but arrangements of pieces by Cristóbal de Morales
, and Francesco Canova da Milano
.
Matelart also wrote sacred vocal music, including a series of responsories
for four and five voices (1596). This collection includes 21 chants by Matelart himself, as well as music by other composers, including Clemens non Papa, Orlande de Lassus
, Costanzo Festa
, and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
.
A single secular madrigal
by Matelart has survived, as well as several other pieces.
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...
, active in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, and 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...
.
Details of his life are relatively sparse. He came from west Flanders, and served as choirmaster in Bonn sometime in the earlier portion of his life. By 1558 he had probably come to 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...
, staying until 1562, and in 1565 he took the post of maestro di cappella at the church of S Lorenzo in Damaso, where he remained for over 40 years. A note in a publication of 1596 indicates that he still held the post of choirmaster there, and was living in Rome.
Some of his music has survived, and unusually for a Roman
Roman School
In music history, the Roman School was a group of composers of predominantly church music, in Rome, during the 16th and 17th centuries, therefore spanning the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras. The term also refers to the music they produced...
composer, much of it is instrumental. He published a book of music for 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....
, which included not only 15 fantasia
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 ....
s by himself, in tablature
Tablature
Tablature is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering rather than musical pitches....
, but arrangements of pieces by Cristóbal de Morales
Cristóbal de Morales
Cristóbal de Morales was a Spanish composer of the Renaissance. He is generally considered to be the most influential Spanish composer before Victoria.- Life :...
, and Francesco Canova da Milano
Francesco Canova da Milano
Francesco Canova da Milano was an Italian lutenist and composer. He was born in Monza, near Milan, and worked for the papal court for almost all of his career. Francesco was heralded throughout Europe as the foremost lute composer of his time...
.
Matelart also wrote sacred vocal music, including a series of responsories
Antiphon
An antiphon in Christian music and ritual, is a "responsory" by a choir or congregation, usually in Gregorian chant, to a psalm or other text in a religious service or musical work....
for four and five voices (1596). This collection includes 21 chants by Matelart himself, as well as music by other composers, including Clemens non Papa, Orlande de Lassus
Orlande de Lassus
Orlande de Lassus was a Franco-Flemish composer of the late Renaissance...
, Costanzo Festa
Costanzo Festa
Costanzo Festa was an Italian composer of the Renaissance. While he is best known for his madrigals, he also wrote sacred vocal music...
, and Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition...
.
A single secular madrigal
Madrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
by Matelart has survived, as well as several other pieces.