Category Archives: composers

Franz Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn (31 March 1732 – 31 May 1809), known as Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the “Father of the Symphony” and “Father of the String Quartet” because of his important contributions to these forms. He was also instrumental in the development of the piano trio and in the evolution of sonata form.A life-long resident of Austria, Haydn spent much of his career as a court musician for the wealthy Hungarian aristocratic Esterházy family on their remote estate. Isolated from other composers and trends in music until the later part of his long life, he was, as he put it, “forced to become original”.At the time of his death, he was one of the most celebrated composers in Europe.Joseph Haydn was the brother of Michael Haydn, himself a highly regarded composer, and Johann Evangelist Haydn, a tenor. He was also a close friend of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and a teacher of Ludwig van Beethoven.

Jacob Clemens non Papa

Jacobus Clemens non Papa (also Jacques Clément or Jacob Clemens non Papa) (c. 1510 to 1515 – 1555 or 1556) was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance based for most of his life in Flanders.He was a prolific composer in many of the current styles, and was especially famous for his polyphonic settings of the psalms in Dutch known as the Souterliedekens.

Jacob Clemens non Papa

Nothing is known of his early life, and even the details of the years of his artistic maturity are sketchy. He may have been born in Middelburg, Zeeland, though the evidence is contradictory; certainly he was from somewhere in modern Belgium or the Netherlands. The first unambiguous reference to him is from the late 1530s, when Pierre Attaingnant published a collection of his chansons in Paris.

Between March 1544 and June 1545 he worked as succentor at the cathedral of Bruges, and shortly thereafter he began a business relationship with Tielman Susato, the publisher in Antwerp, which was to last for the rest of his life. From 1545 until 1549 he was probably choirmaster to Philippe de Croy, Duke of Aerschot, one of Charles V’s greatest generals, where he preceded Nicolas Gombert. In 1550 he was employed as sanger ende componist (“singer and composer”) by the Marian Brotherhood in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. There is also evidence that he lived and worked in Ypres and Leiden. It is speculated on slender evidence that he also worked in Dordrecht.

There are several theories regarding the origin of the epithet “non Papa”. One holds that it was jokingly added by his publisher, Susato, to distinguish him from Pope Clement VII—”Jacob Clemens—but not the Pope.” Another states that it is to distinguish him from Jacobus Papa, a poet also from Ypres. However, considering that Pope Clemens VII died in 1534, before any of Clemens’s music was published, and that the confusion with the poet is unlikely in that the surnames were quite distinct, it is likely that the nickname was merely created in jest rather than for practical reasons. Nonetheless, the suffix has remained throughout the ages.

Details about his death are not known, but he probably died in 1555 or 1556. The 1558 text in Jacobus Vaet’s Continuo lacrimas, his deploration on Clemens’s death, suggests that he met a violent end, though if true, the circumstances are not given. According to a 1644 source, Clemens was buried at Diksmuide near Ypres in present-day Belgium.

Adrian Willaert

Adrian Willaert (c. 1490 – 7 December 1562) was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance and founder of the Venetian School. [1] He was one of the most representative members of the generation of northern composers who moved to Italy and transplanted the polyphonic Franco-Flemish style there.
He was probably born at Bruges, although a secondary source has suggested Roeselare. According to his student, the renowned late 16th century music theorist Gioseffo Zarlino, Willaert went to Paris first to study law, but instead decided to study music. In Paris he met Jean Mouton, the principal composer of the French royal chapel and stylistic compatriot of Josquin des Prez, and studied with him.
Sometime around 1515 Willaert first went to Rome. An anecdote survives that indicates the musical ability of the young composer: Willaert was surprised to discover the choir of the papal chapel singing one of his own compositions, most likely the six-part motet Verbum bonum et suave, and even more surprised to learn that they thought it had been written by the much more famous composer Josquin. When he informed the singers of their error – that he was in fact the composer – they refused to sing it again. Indeed Willaert’s early style is very similar to that of Josquin, with smooth polyphony, balanced voices and frequent use of imitation.
In July 1515, Willaert entered the service of Cardinal Ippolito I d’Este of Ferrara. Ippolito was a traveler, and Willaert likely accompanied him to various places, including Hungary, where he likely resided from 1517 to 1519. When Ippolito died in 1520, Willaert entered the service of Duke Alfonso of Ferrara. In 1522 Willaert had a post at the court chapel of Duke Alfonso; he remained there until 1525, at which time records show he was in the employ of Ippolito II d’Este in Milan.
Willaert’s most significant appointment, and one of the most significant in the musical history of the Renaissance, was his selection as maestro di cappella of St. Mark’s at Venice. Music had languished there under his predecessor, Pietro de Fossis, but that was shortly to change. The Venetian Doge Andrea Gritti had a rather large hand in Willaert’s appointment to the position of maestro di cappella at St. Mark’s.
From his appointment in 1527 until his death in 1562, he retained the post at St. Mark’s.[4] Composers came from all over Europe to study with him, and his standards were high both for singing and composition.
During his previous employment with the dukes of Ferrara, he had acquired numerous contacts and influential friends elsewhere in Europe, including the Sforza family in Milan; doubtless this assisted in the spread of his reputation, and the consequent importation of musicians from foreign countries into northern Italy. In Ferrarese court documents, Willaert is referred to as “Adriano Cantore”.[5] In addition to his output of sacred music as the director of St. Mark’s, he wrote numerous madrigals, a secular form; he is considered a Flemish madrigal composer of the first rank.