Noel Bauldeweyn
Encyclopedia
Noel Bauldeweyn (ca. 1480 – after 1513) was a Franco-Flemish
composer of the Renaissance
, active in the Low Countries
. A contemporary of Josquin des Prez
, he had a strong reputation until well after the middle of the 16th century. That some of his works have long been misattributed to Josquin, the most renowned composer of the age, is indicative of his skill as a composer.
between 1509 and 1513, replacing Jean Richafort
. That he held a position of such high status, in a church which was a musical center – and also used by the Burgundian
court chapel itself – indicates that he was probably not younger than about 25 at the time. In 1513, Nicolas Champion
took Bauldeweyn's position at St. Rombouts, but the circumstances of his departure, and where he went, are not known.
The extraordinarily wide distribution of his music in sources, ranging from Italy, Bohemia, the Netherlands, and Spain, suggests that he may have traveled, though at what point in his career he did so is unknown; and the evident stylistic evolution from an early to a late idiom suggests he may have been active as a composer for decades. Aside from the few shreds of documented biography at St. Rombouts, and the inferences about his career from his music itself, no definite information about his life is known.
es have survived complete. The most famous of these is the Missa Da pacem Domine which was long attributed to Josquin des Prez (and included in the Smijers complete works edition of Josquin, 1953). In addition to the seven masses which have survived complete, there are 13 motet
s, although curiously none of his music was published except for the Missa da pacem once attributed to Josquin; all exist only in manuscript sources. An unknown number of compositions are lost, including at least one mass, as indicated by a fantasia for vihuela
by Valderrábano
, "after a mass by Bauldeweyn", the music of which is not known from any source.
Bauldeweyn's style shows both the contrapuntal
manner of the late 15th century, archaic by the time he was writing, with occasional harsh dissonance and unblended textures, as well as the pervasive imitation and canonic writing techniques of the generation of Josquin des Prez and his successors. The style of some of has latest works implies that he may have lived a good deal longer than indicated by the last mention of his name at St Rombouts in 1513. Bauldeweyn preferred textures of five or six voices, characteristic of the 1520s and the next decades. He liked full textures, and had a sense of harmony which anticipated changes later in the century.
Franco-Flemish School
In music, the Franco-Flemish School or more precisely the Netherlandish School refers, somewhat imprecisely, to the style of polyphonic vocal music composition in Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries, and to the composers who wrote it...
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...
, active in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
. 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 had a strong reputation until well after the middle of the 16th century. That some of his works have long been misattributed to Josquin, the most renowned composer of the age, is indicative of his skill as a composer.
Life
Little documentation of his life has yet come to light. He is known to have been the singing master at St. Rombouts in MechelenMechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
between 1509 and 1513, replacing Jean Richafort
Jean Richafort
Jean Richafort was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance.He was probably born in Hainaut, and his native language appears to have been French. He may have studied with Josquin des Prez, though the evidence for this is circumstantial. Richafort served as choir master at St. Rombold...
. That he held a position of such high status, in a church which was a musical center – and also used by the Burgundian
Duchy of Burgundy
The Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...
court chapel itself – indicates that he was probably not younger than about 25 at the time. In 1513, Nicolas Champion
Nicolas Champion
Nicolas Champion was a Franco-Flemish composer and singer of the Renaissance. He was a member of the renowned musical establishments of the Habsburg court, including the chapels of Philip I of Castile and Charles V...
took Bauldeweyn's position at St. Rombouts, but the circumstances of his departure, and where he went, are not known.
The extraordinarily wide distribution of his music in sources, ranging from Italy, Bohemia, the Netherlands, and Spain, suggests that he may have traveled, though at what point in his career he did so is unknown; and the evident stylistic evolution from an early to a late idiom suggests he may have been active as a composer for decades. Aside from the few shreds of documented biography at St. Rombouts, and the inferences about his career from his music itself, no definite information about his life is known.
Music and influence
Bauldeweyn wrote both sacred and secular music, and everything known to be by Bauldeweyn is either vocal, or originated as a vocal composition. Seven of his 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...
es have survived complete. The most famous of these is the Missa Da pacem Domine which was long attributed to Josquin des Prez (and included in the Smijers complete works edition of Josquin, 1953). In addition to the seven masses which have survived complete, there are 13 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...
s, although curiously none of his music was published except for the Missa da pacem once attributed to Josquin; all exist only in manuscript sources. An unknown number of compositions are lost, including at least one mass, as indicated by a fantasia for vihuela
Vihuela
Vihuela is a name given to two different guitar-like string instruments: one from 15th and 16th century Spain, usually with 12 paired strings, and the other, the Mexican vihuela, from 19th century Mexico with five strings and typically played in Mariachi bands.-History:The vihuela, as it was known...
by Valderrábano
Valderrábano
Valderrábano is a municipality located in the province of Palencia, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 65 inhabitants....
, "after a mass by Bauldeweyn", the music of which is not known from any source.
Bauldeweyn's style shows both the contrapuntal
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
manner of the late 15th century, archaic by the time he was writing, with occasional harsh dissonance and unblended textures, as well as the pervasive imitation and canonic writing techniques of the generation of Josquin des Prez and his successors. The style of some of has latest works implies that he may have lived a good deal longer than indicated by the last mention of his name at St Rombouts in 1513. Bauldeweyn preferred textures of five or six voices, characteristic of the 1520s and the next decades. He liked full textures, and had a sense of harmony which anticipated changes later in the century.