Loyset Compère facts for kids
Loyset Compère (born around 1445 – died August 16, 1518) was a famous composer from the Franco-Flemish region during the Renaissance period. He lived at the same time as another well-known composer, Josquin des Prez. Compère was one of the most important composers of motets (a type of choral music) and chansons (French songs) of his time. He was also one of the first musicians to bring a lighter, Italian-inspired Renaissance music style to France.
Life of Loyset Compère
Early Life and Background
We don't know exactly where Loyset Compère was born. However, old documents suggest his family came from a region called Artois in what is now France. Some records hint he might have been born in Hainaut, which is now part of Belgium. One source from Milan says he described himself as being from Arras, also in Artois.
It's interesting that Compère's birth date and place are very similar to those of Josquin des Prez. The area near the French-Belgian border produced many amazing composers in the 1400s and 1500s. These composers became famous all over Europe. They are often called the Franco-Flemish or Netherlandish School of composers.
Working in Milan and France
In the 1470s, Compère worked as a singer in Milan, Italy. He sang in the chapel (a special choir) of Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza. Other famous composers like Johannes Martini and Gaspar van Weerbeke also sang there. In the early 1470s, this chapel choir became one of the biggest and most famous singing groups in Europe.
After the duke was murdered in 1476, Compère likely lost his job. He might have gone back to France around this time. Over the next ten years, he started working for the French royal court. He even went with King Charles VIII when the king invaded Italy in 1494. We don't know exactly what his role was during this invasion. He was in Rome in early 1495 when Charles and his army took over the city.
Later Church Positions
After his time with the French court, Compère held several church jobs. By 1498, he was working in Cambrai. From 1500 to about 1504, he was in Douai. His last job was at the collegiate church of Saint-Quentin. Even with these church roles, he seemed to work part-time for the French court. This is clear because he wrote many pieces for important official events and ceremonies. Loyset Compère passed away in Saint-Quentin.
Music and Compositions
Unlike many composers of his time, Compère didn't write many masses (long musical settings of church services). He seemed to prefer shorter musical forms. His most popular works were chansons (French songs) and motets (sacred choral pieces).
Musical Styles
Compère's music shows two main styles. One is the style of the Burgundian School, which he probably learned early in his career. The other is a lighter style from Italian composers. These Italian composers wrote frottolas, which were light and popular songs, a bit like an early version of the madrigal.
Compère was very good at creating beautiful melodies. Many of his chansons became very popular. Later composers even used some of his melodies as a base (called a cantus firmus) for their own masses. Sometimes, Compère liked to challenge himself. For example, he wrote quodlibets, which are pieces that combine several different well-known tunes. One example is Au travail suis, which mixes six different melodies!
Unique Motets and Chansons
Compère created some unique pieces, sometimes called "free motets." These pieces blended the light, elegant style of Italian popular songs with the complex counterpoint (different melodic lines played at the same time) of the Netherland composers. Some of his motets even combined texts from different sources. For instance, Sile fragor mixes a prayer to the Virgin Mary with a drinking song about Bacchus, the god of wine! He often chose secular (non-religious) texts that were a bit playful or daring.
His chansons are considered his most special works by many music experts. They are usually for three or four voices. They fall into three main types:
- Italian-style songs: These were light pieces for four voices, sung without instruments (called a cappella). They were very much like frottolas, with words set simply and often with all voices moving together (called homophony).
- Burgundian-style songs: These were three-voice pieces, similar to the music of Guillaume Dufay.
- Motet-chansons: These were also for three voices and were more like the medieval motet. In these, the lowest voice would sing a slow melody with a Latin religious text. The upper voices would sing faster, more lively parts in French, using a non-religious text.
Impact of Printing
Many of Compère's compositions were printed by Ottaviano Petrucci in Venice. This helped his music spread far and wide, making it very popular. Compère was one of the first composers to benefit from the new technology of printing. Printing music had a huge impact on how the Franco-Flemish musical style spread across Europe.
Compère also wrote several settings of the Magnificat. This is a hymn of praise to the Virgin Mary, found in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. He also composed many other short motets.
Selected Works
Masses and Mass Fragments
- Missa alles regretz
- Missa de tous bien plaine: This mass is based on a song by Hayne van Ghizeghem. Parts of the original music were lost but later found, helping to complete the full mass.
- Missa l'homme armé
- Kyrie et Gloria sine nomine
- Credo 'Mon pére'
- Credo sine nomine
Motet Cycles
These are groups of motets meant to be sung in place of different parts of a church mass.
- Ave Domine Jesu Christe (Mass of Our Lord Jesus Christ)
- Hodie nobis de virgine (Mass for the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ)
- Missa Galeazescha (Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
Magnificats
- Magnificat I toni
- Magnificat IV toni (only the Esurientes part)
- Magnificat VI toni (I)
- Magnificat VI toni (II)
- Magnificat VII toni
- Magnificat VIII toni (only the Esurientes part)
Motets
- Ad honorum tuum Christe
- Ave Maria, gratia plena
- Crux triumphans
- Omnium bonorum plena (possibly for the dedication of Cambrai Cathedral in 1472)
- Quis numerare queat / Da pacem (likely for a peace treaty in 1492 or 1495)
- Sile fragor
Motets-Chansons
These pieces combine elements of motets and chansons.
- Le corps / Corpusque meum
- Male bouche / Circumdederunt me
Chansons (French Songs)
Compère wrote many chansons, including:
- Au travail suis
- Dictes moy toutes
- Le grant dèsir d'aymer
- Vive le noble roy de France
Frottole (Italian Songs)
- Che fa la ramacina
- Scaramella fa la galla
Recordings
- 1993 - The Orlando Consort, "Loyset Compère", Metronome.
- 1997 - Virelai. "Renaissance Love Songs". Features Le grant desir by Virelai and Catherine Bott.
- 2002 - Prioris: Requiem. Includes a recording of O vos omnes.
- 2017 - Odhecaton, "Missa Galeazescha. Music for the duke of Milan", Out There Music.
