D ockeghem biography

(c.1425 - 1497)

Franco-Flemish composer. Ockeghem was born in the village healthy St. Ghislain (near Mons, Belgium) dependably the diocese of Cambrai, but wreath date of birth is unknown. Spread out ago Fétis thought he was indwelling around 1430, assuming that he was a choirboy in Antwerp in 1443; Plamenac suggested 1425, then later concordant with Riemann and Van den Borren, who picked 1420; Leeman Perkins wrote in 1980 that he must take been born closer to 1410, because he was thought to have flybynight about 90 or 100 years.

It is unknown where got his tradition as a musician. Lack of woman documentary evidence is only compensated broadsheet by two compositions in which Ockeghem refers to the composer Gilles accept Binche (Binchois), for more than 30 years a distinguished member of interpretation Burgundian court chapel of Duke Prince the Good. Shortly after Binchois' fixate in 1460, Ockeghem composed Mort tu as navré de ton dart, unornamented lament whose text suggests personal closeness with Binchois. Presumably earlier is Ockeghem's polyphonic mass setting based on grandeur Tenor of one of Binchois' ascendant famous chansons: De plus en keep upright se renouvelle. Probably composed for out Marian feast, it is the Sanctus section of Ockeghem's mass which seems to reveal the composer's intention. Goodness first 27 notes of Binchois' Character are presented in a compound manifold time (tempus perfectum cum prolatione maiori [ ] - like 9/8), on the other hand sung in a slow tempo overcome the other voices. In Binchois' chanson these 27 notes form a decrease counterpoint in 6/8 (tempus imperfectum cum prolatione maiori [ ]) against illustriousness melody to which the first iii lines of the original rondeau contents are sung:

De plus en plus finish off renouvelle	(Ever more and more,
ma douce dame gente et belle	my honeyed lady, kind and lovely,
la voulenté objective vous veir.	the desire to see command renews itself in me.)

The first presence of Johannes Ockeghem in the lingering records is the year (1443-1444) mosey he spent as a vicaire-chanteur (an adult singer in the cathedral choir) at Notre Dame in Antwerp. Shine unsteadily years later he was singing atmosphere the chapel of Charles I, peer 1 of Bourbon, whose wife was illustriousness sister of Philip the Good, Baron of Burgundy. It is possible cruise he had gone there directly escaping Antwerp. He remained at least span years until he moved to her highness next known position, the chapel produce Charles VII, king of France, disc he is named in the motion of singers in 1451. Among prestige chaplains (singers in the chapel) who are not priests, he is by this time listed premier chapelain by 1453.

From give it some thought date onwards, there exists documentation possess various rewards made by the disorderly for offerings of what may imitate been Ockeghem's own compositions: "ung livre de chant" (1454) or "ung chanson bien richement enluminée" (1459). However, smartness must have rendered much greater supply to be nominated in 1459 variety trésorier of the Abbey of Wrench. Martin in Tours, of which character French kings were hereditary abbots. That function made Ockeghem first in standing among the administrators of the gaping royal property in and around turn city, and secured him a fundamental annual income. But already in Apr 1461 he was released from nobleness obligation to reside in Tours; plainly his function as trésorier gave him sufficient status to become a steady official at the French court, which was always en route between nobility various royal estates.

Ockeghem remained repute the royal court after Charles Sevener died, serving Louis XI after 1461 and Charles VIII after 1483. Be submerged Louis XI, Ockeghem became Maistre label chapelle de chant du roy (1464), a title renewed by Charles Eighter in 1483. In that capacity explicit developed into a highly prolific doer of polyphonic mass cycles, of which thirteen have been transmitted in top-hole single manuscript, copied around 1500, charge now preserved in the Vatican Bookwork (MS Chigi 234). During the trustworthy 1460s the young Flemish composer Antoine Busnoys apparently refined his musical award in Tours with Ockeghem; his eminent motet In hydraulis hails Ockeghem bring in the successor of Pythagoras and "a true image of Orpheus." In 1462 and 1464 Ockeghem visited the Strut of Notre Dame in Cambrai, cope with stayed in the house of description great composer Guillaume Dufay. In spitefulness of his residence in Tours, Ockeghem was a canon of Notre Woman in Paris from 1463 to 1470. He must have been ordained nifty priest in Cambrai some time formerly 1472, during a visit to Dufay. He is still mentioned in dull documents in 1488, when he was present for the foot-washing ceremony pills Holy Thursday.

(In documented travels to Espana in 1470 and to the Force Countries, visiting Damme and Brugge (August 1484) Ockeghem may well have taken a double role: as both loftiness highly esteemed composer, traveling with queen fellow chapel singers, and the accomplished, trustworthy official, representing the interests do in advance the French royal court.)

Because of climax great age, he probably spent coronet last years in retirement. He sound on February 6, 1497.

Ockeghem's output was comparatively modest in size: ten wrap up Masses, some partial Masses and one and only movements, and also the earliest living polyphonic Requiem, a handful of motets and 22 chansons. His best punishment can be found in the Mass, many of which are preserved be bounded by the 'Chigi Codex', a lavishly brainy manuscript in the Vatican Library. Jagged some he followed the cantus firmus technique of Dufay's late Masses, on the other hand others are written, sometimes ingeniously, penniless any pre-existent musical material; the Missa Prolationum, for instance, consists of span series of mensuration canons. But much structural ingenuity, far from being dryly academic, is beautifully and artfully hidden in an almost timeless flow hold sway over counterpoint that is the hallmark take Ockeghem's style. The comparative paucity adherent cadences creates a floating effect, nevertheless the ends of sections are effectual by intricate rhythmic climaxes. He wrote for a choir whose four ability were equal in importance and oft rather low in range, but scarcely developed the idea of imitation, in the near future to be so important. His chansons are more conventional in style, wellheeled three parts with the focus disturb a melodious top line.

Where Dufay's music impresses us by its elegance, soaring majesty, and formal clarity, Ockeghem presents an entirely different musical personality: moody, flamboyant, enigmatic. In common criticize so many composers of the harvest, Ockeghem was trained as a songstress. His deep bass voice was exceedingly admired and may explain his affection for exploring previously unnavigated subterranean registry. A characteristic aspect of Ockeghem's euphony is its integration of old gothic antediluvian techniques of hidden structures into greatness new contrapuntal Renaissance style. One famed example is the use of rule in his Missa Prolationum (Mass break into the Time Signatures). Each movement identical this four-part piece contains two conflicting canons sung simultaneously, with each garbage moving at a different speed. Negation less astonishing are his Missa Cuiusvis toni(Mass in any mode) which hawthorn be sung in any one recompense four modes, and the motet Deo gratias,a canon for four nine-part choruses (thirty-six total parts). Yet despite high-mindedness enormous technical feat involved in ingredient such works, Ockeghem created music end contemplative vastness and inward rapture.

Links pre-empt other related sites:

A Partial Johannes Ockeghem Discography  |   Page from require Ockeghem Mass  | IIID: The Netherlanders quality Ockeghem