Claudin de Sermisy facts for kids

Claudin de Sermisy (born around 1490 – died October 13, 1562) was a French composer from the Renaissance period. He was one of the most famous composers of French chansons (a type of song) in the early 1500s. He also wrote a lot of sacred music, which is music for religious services. His music was very important and influenced other composers, especially those in Italy.

Life Story

Claudin de Sermisy was probably born in France, in an area called Picardy, Burgundy, or Île-de-France. We don't know much about his early life. Some people think he might have studied with a famous composer named Josquin des Prez, but this isn't certain. However, he definitely learned a lot from Josquin's music.

In 1508, when he was about 18, Sermisy became a singer in the Royal Chapel of King Louis XII. This was a big honor! In 1515, he traveled to Italy with King Francis I. In 1520, he was part of a huge event called the Field of the Cloth of Gold. This was a big meeting between King Francis I of France and Henry VIII of England. Sermisy was almost certainly a singer there, and he might have even composed some of the music. In 1532, he also took part in another meeting between the kings in Boulogne, where he wrote a special song called a motet for the occasion.

For a short time in the early 1520s, Sermisy worked as a "canon" (a type of priest) at a church in Rouen. He then moved to a similar job in Amiens. By 1532, he was the music director of the Royal Chapel under King Francis I. His job was to teach the choir boys, take care of them, and find new talented singers.

In 1533, he also became a canon at the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. This meant he had to live in Paris. He even had a large house there, big enough to help people who had to leave their homes during a war in 1559. He also received another church position in Troyes in 1554. We don't know much about his last years, but he kept composing music until he died. He was buried in the Sainte-Chapelle.

His Music

Sermisy wrote both sacred music (for church) and secular music (not for church). All of his music was for voices.

Sacred Music

He wrote 12 complete masses, which are long musical pieces for church services. This includes a special mass for the dead called a Requiem. He also wrote about 100 motets (another type of sacred song), some magnificats, and a set of Lamentations. Sermisy was a faithful Catholic his whole life.

As he got older, Sermisy wrote more and more sacred music. He liked to keep his music clear and easy to understand. He didn't use the very complex musical style that many other composers of his time used. Instead, he often switched between parts where many voices sang different melodies (polyphony) and parts where all voices sang the same rhythm together (homophony). This made his music sound lighter, similar to his chansons.

Sermisy also wrote two of the few musical settings of the Passion (the story of Jesus's last days) from this time in France. He made sure the words were very clear in these pieces.

Chansons

Sermisy is most famous for his chansons. He wrote about 175 of them! His chansons are similar to those by Clément Janequin, another famous composer. Sermisy's chansons are often described as more graceful and polished.

His chansons usually have a clear, chord-like sound, and the words are sung clearly. He avoided the very fancy and complex musical styles from other countries. Instead, he aimed for a light and graceful sound. Sermisy often used quick, repeated notes, which made his music feel lively and dance-like. He also used a special rhythm (long-short-short) that later became important in a type of Italian music called the canzona.

Sermisy often used poems by famous writers of his time, like Clément Marot, for his chansons. The songs were often about love (especially sad or unrequited love), nature, or drinking. Some songs even talked about unhappy young women stuck with older, unattractive men!

Most of his chansons were for four voices. His music was influenced by Italian songs called frottolas, and his chansons, in turn, influenced Italian composers. His music was printed many times in France and other parts of Europe.

His Impact

Sermisy was well-known across Western Europe. Copies of his music have been found in Italy, Spain, Portugal, England, and other places. The famous writer Rabelais even mentioned him in his book Gargantua and Pantagruel.

Sermisy's music was often rewritten for different instruments, like viols (an old string instrument), lutes, and organs. Musicians from Italy, Germany, Poland, and France played his music. Even though Sermisy was Catholic, some of his tunes were later used by Protestant musicians. For example, a Lutheran chorale (a type of hymn) is based on one of his chansons!

Compositions

Chansons

• Au joly boys
• Aupres de vous secretement (two parts)
• C'est une dure departie
• Changeons propos, c'est trop chante d'amours
• Content desir, qui cause ma douleur
• Dont vient cela
• En entrant en ung jardin
• Je ne menge point de porc
• Languir me fais
• Si mon malheur my continue
• Si vous m'aimez
• Tant que vivray
• Tu disais que j'en mourrais
• Vignon, vignon, vignon, vignette
• Vive la serpe

Motets

• Aspice, Domine