Page:Pratt - The history of music (1907).djvu/146

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

of the publisher Chemin, in 1557 lived at Metz, and was killed in the St. Bartholomew massacre at Lyons, though whether actually a Protestant is not clear. His masses, motets and chansons (from 1549) are written in a masterly style, and he was diligent in producing motet settings of metrical Psalms for 4-5 voices (1551-66), the melodies of which, usually in the tenor, were not original with him. These latter were important additions to early Calvinistic music, though too elaborate for congregational use.

Philibert Jambe de Fer (d. 1572) also published a complete Psalter (1561, possibly in part as early as 1549). He also was killed at Lyons with Goudimel.


It is natural that Spain, with its intense devotion to the mediæval Church and under princes like Charles V. (1515-56) and Philip II. (1556-98), should show a strong interest in church music. But the notable musicians of the Royal Chapel were Netherlanders, the most famous being Gombert.

In both Spain and Portugal, also, the influence of the Troubadours lingered long, showing itself in a special taste for gay songs and dances and the use of a great variety of instruments. Not much of this is preserved in detail, but we know that the social interest in poetry and song was considerable.


Nicolas Gombert, born at Bruges, was perhaps a pupil of Des Près. From 1530 he taught at Brussels and in 1537 entered the Royal Chapel at Madrid, first as trainer, then as choirmaster, though apparently with absences at Tournai. His works (1539-57), numbering about 250, range over all the usual forms, sacred and secular, in a style specially clear, solid and full of feeling.

Francisco Guerrero (d. 1599), born at Seville in 1527, was early a singer there, and in 1555 competed successfully for Morales' post as cathedral-choirmaster, remaining 45 years. His works (from 1555) are all sacred, unless, possibly, one book of Spanish part-songs is his.

The only Portuguese composer to be named is Damião de Goes (d. 1560), born in 1500, trained at Padua, who lived at various places in Europe as royal envoy and was finally employed at home in historical writing. He had high repute as a composer, but hardly any works remain. He is said also to have written a theoretical treatise, now lost.

Among the early lute-books (from 1546) were those of Enriquez de Valderravano (1547), Miguel de Fuenllana (1554) and Antonio de Cabezon (1578).


66. The Netherlands.—While in the 16th century the leadership in contrapuntal music passed from the Low Countries to Italy and Germany, yet the land of its origin not only provided teachers for all the rest of Europe, but preserved her own interest as well. In some cases, late in the century, the study of Italian models is evident, but on the whole the Netherlands