Born near Namur, (present-day) Belgium, 1507
Died in France(?), Oct 14, 1568
- Jacques Arcadelt [PRONUNCIATION] was a Franco-Flemish composer most famous for his madrigals. He is largely responsible for establishing the madrigal as a serious musical genre, and future generations of composers, such as Palestrina, would be significantly influenced by his music.1
- While little is known about the composer’s upbringing, he may have grown up in France.
- We do know that he spent much of his professional life in Italy. After spending a decade or so working in Florence, Arcadelt was hired as choirmaster for the chapel in Rome under Pope Paul III.
- Fun fact – it was during Arcadelt’s time in Florence that he wrote the bulk of his madrigals.
- Arcadelt returned to France around 1551, where he would stay until his death. During this time, he served under Cardinal de Lorraine and devoted most of his compositional efforts to chanson.
- We do know that he spent much of his professional life in Italy. After spending a decade or so working in Florence, Arcadelt was hired as choirmaster for the chapel in Rome under Pope Paul III.
- In his 200+ madrigals, Arcadelt set poetry by Petrarch, Sannazaro, Bembo, and Michelangelo, among others.2
Learn More:
Biography from Interlude
Sources
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Jacques Arcadelt,” Encyclopedia Britannica (2022), accessed February 23, 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jacques-Arcadelt.
- James Haar and Letitia Glozer, “Arcadelt [Archadelt, Arcadet], Jacques,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed February 23, 2023, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000001165.