Ninot le Petit
Encyclopedia
Ninot le Petit (fl. ca. 1500 – 1520) was a French
composer of the Renaissance
, probably associated with the French royal chapel. Although a substantial amount of his music has survived in several sources, his actual name is not known with certainty.
in the latter half of the 20th century. The first possibility, suggested by Barton Hudson in 1979, is that le Petit may have been Johannes Baltazar alias le Petit, since a singer of that name was in the papal chapel between 1488 and 1502, and his name resembles that in the attribution of some "le Petit" motets in a Vatican
manuscript. The second possibility is that "le Petit" may be the same as Jean Lepetit, the singing master at Langres
Cathedral between 1506 and 1510. Baltazar died in 1502, Lepetit after 1529; stylistically the music of le Petit suggests composition in the first two decades of the 16th century.
and Jean Mouton
, the two most famous French composers associated with the French royal chapel. He preferred clear harmonies
, a texture occasionally broken by long duets, and contrasting sections in triple meter
, somewhat blending the styles of Févin and Mouton. The chanson
s are light and open in texture, foreshadowing the developments in the genre later in the century.
Le Petit was listed by Pierre Moulu
in his famous motet
Mater floreat florescat as one of the leading composers of the day (this work, probably written around 1517, provides to musicologists a particularly useful list of composers working at the time, naming the composers associated with the French royal chapel which Moulu thought the most eloquent of the time).
by le Petit has survived, as well as four motets and 16 chansons. Many of his works have also been attributed to others; some, such as Lourdault lourdault garde que tu feras, are now considered to be reliably the work of others (in that case, Loyset Compère
). Since one large block of chansons survived in one manuscript, but relatively little sacred music, and yet Moulu listed him as a famous composer, it can be inferred that most of his music has been lost.
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...
, probably associated with the French royal chapel. Although a substantial amount of his music has survived in several sources, his actual name is not known with certainty.
Life
Two identifications have been proposed by musicologistsMusicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
in the latter half of the 20th century. The first possibility, suggested by Barton Hudson in 1979, is that le Petit may have been Johannes Baltazar alias le Petit, since a singer of that name was in the papal chapel between 1488 and 1502, and his name resembles that in the attribution of some "le Petit" motets in a Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
manuscript. The second possibility is that "le Petit" may be the same as Jean Lepetit, the singing master at Langres
Langres
Langres is a commune in north-eastern France. It is a subprefecture of the Haute-Marne département in the Champagne-Ardenne region.-History:As the capital of the Romanized Gallic tribe the Lingones, it was called Andematunnum, then Lingones, and now Langres.The town is built on a limestone...
Cathedral between 1506 and 1510. Baltazar died in 1502, Lepetit after 1529; stylistically the music of le Petit suggests composition in the first two decades of the 16th century.
Music and influence
Le Petit's style is similar to that of Antoine de FévinAntoine 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:...
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....
, the two most famous French composers associated with the French royal chapel. He preferred clear harmonies
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
, a texture occasionally broken by long duets, and contrasting sections in triple meter
Meter (music)
Meter or metre is a term that music has inherited from the rhythmic element of poetry where it means the number of lines in a verse, the number of syllables in each line and the arrangement of those syllables as long or short, accented or unaccented...
, somewhat blending the styles of Févin and Mouton. The 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 are light and open in texture, foreshadowing the developments in the genre later in the century.
Le Petit was listed by Pierre Moulu
Pierre Moulu
Pierre Moulu was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance who was active in France, probably in Paris.-Life:Little is known of his life, but internal evidence in his compositions indicates he was probably at the French royal chapel during the first two decades of the 16th century, at least,...
in his famous 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...
Mater floreat florescat as one of the leading composers of the day (this work, probably written around 1517, provides to musicologists a particularly useful list of composers working at the time, naming the composers associated with the French royal chapel which Moulu thought the most eloquent of the time).
Works
One massMass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
by le Petit has survived, as well as four motets and 16 chansons. Many of his works have also been attributed to others; some, such as Lourdault lourdault garde que tu feras, are now considered to be reliably the work of others (in that case, Loyset Compère
Loyset Compère
Loyset Compère was a French composer of the Renaissance. Of the same generation as Josquin des Prez, he was one of the most significant composers of motets and chansons of that era, and one of the first musicians to bring the light Italianate Renaissance style to France.-Life:His exact place of...
). Since one large block of chansons survived in one manuscript, but relatively little sacred music, and yet Moulu listed him as a famous composer, it can be inferred that most of his music has been lost.
Motets
- In illo tempore: Assumpsit Jesus;
- O bone Jesu;
- Psallite Noe, Judei credite;
- Si oblitus fuero tui (has also been attributed to Jacob ObrechtJacob ObrechtJacob Obrecht was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance. He was the most famous composer of masses in Europe in the late 15th century, being eclipsed by only Josquin des Prez after his death.-Life:...
)
Chansons
Many of these are lacking a bass voice part, since the bass part-book has been lost from the manuscript.- En chevauchant pres d'ung molin;
- En l'ombre d'ung aubepin;
- En revenant de Noyon;
- Et la la la, faictez luy bonne chiere;
- Et levez vo gambe, Jennette;
- Et levez vous hau, Guillemette;
- Gentilz gallans adventureulx;
- Helas helas helas;
- Hellas, hellas, qui me confortera;
- Je mi levay l'autre nuytee;
- L'ort villain jaloux;
- Mon amy m'avoit promis;
- Mon seul plaisir (a quodlibetQuodlibetA quodlibet is a piece of music combining several different melodies, usually popular tunes, in counterpoint and often a light-hearted, humorous manner...
as well as a balladeBalladeThe ballade is a form of French poetry. It was one of the three formes fixes and one of the verse forms in France most commonly set to music between the late 13th and the 15th centuries....
; has also been attributed to Josquin des PrezJosquin Des PrezJosquin des Prez [Josquin Lebloitte dit Desprez] , often referred to simply as Josquin, was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance...
); - N'as tu poinct mis ton hauls bonnet;
- Nostre chamberiere si malade elle est;
- Pourtant si mon amy;
- Si bibero crathere pleno.