Born near Saint Quentin, c1450–55
Died in Condé-sur-l’Escaut, Aug 27, 1521
- Josquin des Prez (pronunciation), often referred to as simply “Josquin,” is considered by many to be the greatest composer of the Renaissance. His music bridged the gap between the Middle Ages and the High Renaissance and would be a significant point of influence for 16th-century composers.
- While Josquin’s music has ebbed and flowed in popularity since his death, miraculously, it’s never left the Western soundscape.1
- Thanks to the printing press, Josquin became the first celebrity of the music industry.
- As a composer, Josquin wrote for all the significant vocal genres of the time: masses, motets, and chansons. His music spans the gamut from sacred to secular, serious to playful, and everything in between.
- Fun fact – Josquin and Leonardo da Vinci were colleagues at the Sforza court in Milan. Da Vinci’s Portrait of a Musician is almost certainly a portrait of Josquin.2
Learn More
Biography from Classical Music
Biography from Hyperion Records
Sources
- Patrick Macey, Jeremy Noble, Jeffrey Dean, and Gustave Reese, “Josquin (Lebloitte dit) des Prez,” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed July 27, 2023, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000014497.
- Kate Bolton-Porciatti, “Composer of the Month: Josquin Desprez,” BBC Music Magazine Vol. 30, No. 1 (2021), 60-63.