Nycasius de Clibano
Encyclopedia
Nycasius de Clibano (fl.
1457 – 1497) was a Franco-Flemish
singer and composer of the Renaissance
, probably active only in his homeland, the southern part of the Netherlands
.
, as well as Jan de Clibano, who is known only to have been a singer, not a composer. Nycasius probably was born in the south Netherlands
, and he seems to have spent his entire career in 's-Hertogenbosch. He first appears in the records there in 1457, when he was brought in as a singer at the Confraternity of Our Lady (Illustre Lieve Vrouwe Broederschap). The next year he married, and in 1466 or 1467 he became a member of the confraternity
, rising in the ecclesiastical ranks through the 1470s. Among his duties was recruiting new singers from other cities; a trip to Cambrai
and Antwerp is documented during which he sought to find new members for the choir. In 1493 or 1494 he became the choirmaster. The last record of his life comes from 1497, and in 1498 Matthaeus Pipelare
took over his duties at the confraternity, presumably because he had died, though the event is not recorded.
Only one work is known to be by Nycasius with reasonable certainty, a Credo Vilayge, which exists in multiple sources, although even this attribution has been questioned.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1457 – 1497) was a Franco-Flemish
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...
singer and 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 active only in his homeland, the southern part of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Life and work
He was the father of the slightly better-known composer Jheronimus de ClibanoJheronimus de Clibano
Jheronimus de Clibano was a Franco-Flemish composer and singer of the Renaissance...
, as well as Jan de Clibano, who is known only to have been a singer, not a composer. Nycasius probably was born in the south Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and he seems to have spent his entire career in 's-Hertogenbosch. He first appears in the records there in 1457, when he was brought in as a singer at the Confraternity of Our Lady (Illustre Lieve Vrouwe Broederschap). The next year he married, and in 1466 or 1467 he became a member of the confraternity
Confraternity
A confraternity is normally a Roman Catholic or Orthodox organization of lay people created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy...
, rising in the ecclesiastical ranks through the 1470s. Among his duties was recruiting new singers from other cities; a trip to Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
and Antwerp is documented during which he sought to find new members for the choir. In 1493 or 1494 he became the choirmaster. The last record of his life comes from 1497, and in 1498 Matthaeus Pipelare
Matthaeus Pipelare
Matthaeus Pipelare was a Flemish composer, choir director, and possibly wind instrument player of the Renaissance.He was from Louvain, and spent part of his early life in Antwerp. Unlike many of his contemporaries, many of whom traveled to Italy, Spain or elsewhere, he seems never to have left...
took over his duties at the confraternity, presumably because he had died, though the event is not recorded.
Only one work is known to be by Nycasius with reasonable certainty, a Credo Vilayge, which exists in multiple sources, although even this attribution has been questioned.
Works
- Credo Vilayge (survives in multiple sources)
- Missa Et super nivem dealbabor (either by Nycasius or his son Jheronimus; listed as by "De clibano" in the VaticanVatican LibraryThe Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
source)