Clément Janequin

Biography

Clément Janequin (c. 1485 – 1558) was a French composer of the Renaissance. He was one of the most famous composers of popular chansons of the entire Renaissance, and along with Claudin de Sermisy, was hugely influential in the development of the Parisian chanson, especially the programmatic type. The wide spread of his fame was made possible by the concurrent development of music printing.

Life

Janequin was born in Châtellerault, near Poitiers, though no documents survive which establish any details of his early life or training. His career was highly unusual for his time, in that he never had a regular position with a cathedral or an aristocratic court. Instead he held a series of minor positions, often with important patronage. In 1505 he was employed as a clerk in Bordeaux, to Lancelot du Fau, who eventually became Bishop of Luçon; he retained this position until du Fau's death in 1523, at which time he took a position with the Bishop of Bordeaux. Around this time he became a priest, though his appointments were rarely lucrative; indeed he always complained about money.
After 1530 Janequin held a succession of posts in Anjou, beginning as a singing teacher to the choirboys at the cathedral at Auch, and progressing to maître de chapelle at the singing school at Angers Cathedral. Around this time he attracted the attention of Jean de Guise, the patron of Erasmus, Clément Marot, and Rabelais; it was a welcome career boost, and, in 1548, with the additional assistance of Charles de Ronsard (the brother of poet Pierre de Ronsard), he became curate at Unverre, not far from Chartres. During this time he lived in Paris. By 1555 he was listed as a "singer ordinary" of the king's chapel, and shortly thereafter became "composer ordinary" to the king: only one composer (Sandrin, also known as Pierre Regnault) had previously had this title. In his will, dated January 1558, he left a small estate to charity, and he complained again of age and poverty in a dedication to a work published posthumously in 1559. He died in Paris.

Music and influence

Few composers of the Renaissance were more popular in their lifetimes than Janequin. His chansons were well-loved and widely sung. The Paris printer Pierre Attaingnant printed five volumes with his chansons. La bataille, which vividly depicts the sounds and activity of a battle, is a perennial favorite of a cappella singing groups even in the present day.
Janequin wrote very little liturgical music: only two masses and a single motet are attributed to him, though more may have been lost. His 250 secular chansons and his (over 80) psalm settings and chansons spirituelles — the French equivalent of the Italian madrigale spirituale — were his primary legacy.
The programmatic chansons for which Janequin is famous were long, sectional pieces, and usually cleverly imitated natural or man-made sounds. Le chant des oiseaux imitates bird-calls; La chasse the sounds of a hunt; and La bataille (Escoutez tous gentilz), probably the most famous, and almost certainly written to celebrate the French victory over the Swiss Confederates at the Battle of Marignano in 1515, imitates battle noises, including trumpet calls, cannon fire and the cries of the wounded. Onomatopoeic effects such as these became commonplace in later 16th century music, and carried over into the Baroque era; indeed "battle music" was to become a cliché, but it first came into prominence with Janequin.
In addition to the programmatic chansons for which he is most famous, he also wrote short and refined compositions more in the style of Claudin de Sermisy. For these he set texts by some of the prominent poets of the time, including Clément Marot. Late in his life, he wrote the Psalm settings based on Genevan tunes. Since there is no documentary evidence, the question of whether he sympathized with the Protestants remains unanswered.
French composer Jehan Alain composed, as a tribute, a set of variations for organ on a theme attributed to Janequin (Variations sur un thème de Clément Janequin, 1937); although later scholarship has identified that particular piece as being an anonymous love song from a 1529 collection by Pierre Attaignant.

Manuscripts

2 chansons in ms. 125-123, Bibliothèque Municipale, Cambrai, France
3 chansons in ms. 204; 1508; 1516, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich, Germany
La Bataille in the archives of Puebla Cathedral, Puebla, Mexico
A chanson in ms. 74 H. 7, Koninklijke Bibliotheek, The Hague, Netherlands
3 chansons in ms. Ashb. 1058 Biblioteca Laurenziana, Florence (The part of the tenor is in ms. Cons. Rés. 255, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris)
5 chansons in ms. Bourdeney-Pasche, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, vers 1605
2 chansons in Ms. A. R. 940/41, Proske-Bibliothek, Regensburg, Germany

Historical publications

c. 1528
Chansons de maistre C. Janequin nouvellement et correctement imprimeez. Attaingnant, Paris sd. [c.1528] [Chant des oiseaux, La Guerre, La Chasse, L'alouette, Las povre cœur]
A chanson à quatre voix in "6 Gaillardes et six Pavanes avec 13 chansons" Attaingnant, Paris s.d., [c. 1528]
A chanson in "34 chansons". Attaingnant, Paris c. 1528
A chanson in "37 chansons". Attaingnant, Paris d.d. [c. 1528]
A chanson in "chansons nouvelles en musique". Attaingnant, Paris 1528
1529
5 chansons in "31 chansons". Attaingnant, Paris 1529
2 chansons in "34 chansons". Attaingnant, Paris 1529
1530
A chanson in "29 chansons". Attaingnant, Paris 1530
A chanson in "36 chansons" Attaingnant, Paris 1530
1531
La Bataille in "Canzoni frottole et capitoli da diversi", V. Dorich, Rome 1531
A chanson in "25 chansons". Attaingnant, Paris, February 1531
1533
Vingt et quatre chansons musicales ... composées par maistre Cl. Janequin. Attaingnant, Paris, after 1533
1534
4 chansons in "28 chansons". Attaingnant, Paris, October 1534
7 chansons in "28 chansons". Attaingnant, Paris, March 1534
1535
A chansons in "Del secondo libro delle canzoni franzese". O. Scotto, Venice s.d. (c. 1535)
4 chansons in "Livre 1er contenant 29 chansons". Attaingnant, Paris 1535
1536
13 chansons (3 anonymous) in "Tiers livre contenant XXXI chansons musicales ... composeez par Jennequin et Passereau". Attaingnant, Paris, May 1536
A chanson in "Second livre contenant 25 chansons". Attaingnant, Paris 1536
A chanson in "Second livre contenant 31 chansons...". Attaingnant, Paris 1536
1537
Les chansons de la Guerre, la chasse, le chant des oyseaux, l'alouette, le rossignol composees par maistre Clement Jennequin. Attaingnant, Paris, May 1537
A chanson in "Second livre contenant 30 chansons vieilles esleues". Attaingnant, Paris 1537*
A chanson in "Tiers livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1537
1538
Congregati sunt, motet à quatre voix in "Liber cantus triginta novem motetos", J. de Buglhat, Ferrara 1538
2 chansons in "Second livre contenant 26 chansons". Attaingnant, Paris, 1538; 1540 (second edition)
10 chansons in "Venticinque canzoni francesi a 4 di C. Janequin e di altri ... Lib. I". Gardane, Venice 1538
A chanson in "Le Parangon des chansons Second livre". Jacques Moderne, Paris 1538 : 1540 (second édition)
A chanson in "Le Parangon des chansons Tiers livre". Jacques Moderne, Paris 1538; 1543 (second édition)
1539
A chanson in "6e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1539
1540 (before 1540), Missa super La Bataille à 4 voix in "Liber decem missarum", Lyon undated; Jacques Moderne 1540 (second édition); ms. 1550, National bibliothek Vienna; "Nach-druck f. A. v. Ysenburg, Graf zu Büdingen" without place of production 1560
8e livre contenant XIX chansons nouvelles ... de la facture et composition de maistre Cl. Jennequin. Attaingnant, Paris 1540
4 chansons in "5e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1540
5 chansons in "Le parangon des chansons 7e livre. Jacques Moderne, Paris, 1540
A chanson in "Le Parangon des chansons 6e livre". Jacques Moderne, Paris 1540
A chanson in "Le Parangon des chansons 5e livre". Jacques Moderne, Paris, undated
1541
30 chansons in Di Festa libro primo de madrigali a tre voci [...] Aggiuntovi simil-mente trenta canzoni francese di Janequin. A. Gardane, Venice 1541; 1543 [with annotations]
A chanson in "Le Parangon des chansons 9e livre" Jacques Moderne, Paris 1540
1543
2 chansons in "14e livre". Attaingnant Paris, 1543
8 chansons in "13e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1543
A chanson in "12e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1543
1544
4 chansons in "15e livre". Attaingnant Paris 1544
A chanson in "Le difficile des chansons Second livre". Jacques Moderne, Paris 1544
1545
2 chansons in "22e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1545
2 chansons in "16e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1545
2 chansons in "18e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1545
6 chansons in "17e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1545
Clément Janequin ... Libro primo. Gardane, Venezia 1545 [La Bataille, l'Alouette, les Cris de Paris, le Chant des oiseaux, le Rossignol]; reprinted in "Le premier livre de Clement Janequin". H. Scotto, Venice 1550
Le 10e livre contenant la Bataille a 4 de C. Janequin avecq la 5e partie de Ph. Verdelot si placet. Tielman Susato, Antwerp 1545
1547
7 chansons in "23e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1547
5 chansons in "25e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1547
4 chansons in "24e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1547
1548
A chanson in "26e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1548
8 chansons in "Secondo libro di canzoni francese à quatre voix del divino et eccellente musico Clement Janequin et altri autori". Gardane, Venezia 1548; Scotto, Venice (second édition); Gardane Venice 1560 (third édition)
1549
6 chansons in "30e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1549
31e livre contenant XXX chansons nouvelles ... de la facture et composition de maistre Cl. Jennequin. Attaingnant, Paris, May 1549
5 chansons in "33e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1549
3 chansons in "Second livre". Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris, 1549
1er livre contenant 28 Pseaulmes de David traduictz ... par M. Cl. Marot. Du Chemin, Paris 1549 (1 édition comprising 2 volumes and 1 édition comprising 4 volumes)
2 chansons in "1er livre contenant 25 chansons". Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris 1549
A chanson in "Tiers livre". Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris 1549
A chanson in "34e livre". Attaingnant, Paris 1549
A chanson in "Quart livre", Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris 1549
1550
4 chansons in "8e livre". Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris
2 chansons in "9e livre". Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris 1551
4 chansons in "7e livre". Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris 1550
7 chansons in "6e livre". Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris
6 chansons in "5e livre". Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris 1550
1552
2 chansons à trois voix in "La Fleur de chansons et 6e livre". Susato, Antwerp undated [1552]
7 chansons à trois voix in "La Fleur de chansons et 5e livre à trois parties". Susato, Antwerp 1552
5 chansons in "10e livre", Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris 1552; 1554 (second édition)
3 chansons in "Les Amours de P. de Ronsard". Veuve de La Porte, Paris 1552; 1553 (second édition)
A chanson in "Tiers livre des chansons". Phalèse, Leuven 1552
1554
3 chansons in "11e livre", 1554
Missa super L'Aveuglé dieu à 4 voix in "Missae duodecim cum 4 voci", Du Chemin, Paris 1554
1555
Second livre des inventions musicales de M. Cl. Janequin. Contenant le chant des oyseaux, le chant de l'alouette, le chant du rossignol, la prise de Boulongne, la réduction de Boulongne, la meusnière de Vernon, Un jour voyant, Herbes et fleurs le tout à quatre parties nouvellement reveu. Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris August 1555
Le caquet des femmes à 5 parties [...] nouvellement reveu et corrigé. Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris 1555
1er livre des inventions musicales de M. Cl. Janequin. Contenant la Guerre, la Bataille de Metz, la Jalouzie. Le tout à 5 parties nouvellement reveu, corrigé. Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris, July 1555
La Vénerie autrement dit la chasse [...] à 4 et à 7 parties, nouvellement reveue et corrigée par luy. Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris, September 1555
Second livre de chansons et cantiques spirituels ... à quatre parties. Du Chemin, Paris, 1555
1556
Premier livre contenant plusieurs chansons spirituelles, avec les lamentations de Jérémie. Adrian Le Roy & Robert Ballard, Paris 1556
5 chansons in "6e livre de chansons nouvellement composées". Adrian Le Roy & Robert Ballard 1556; 4 in the second édition of 1559; 3 in the third édition of 1569; 4 in the fourth édition of 1578
2 chansons in "1er livre de chansons nouvellement mises en musique". M. Fezandat, Paris 1556
2 chansons in "8e livre de chansons nouvellement composées". Adrian Le Roy & Robert Ballard, Paris 1556; 1557 (second édition); 1 in the third édition of 1559; 1572 (fourth édition); 1573 (fifth édition); 1575 (sixth édition)
3 chansons in "7e livre de chansons nouvellement composées". Adrian Le Roy & Robert Ballard, Paris 1556; 4 in the second édition of 1565
A chanson in "5e livre de chansons nouvellement composées". Adrian Le Roy & Robert Ballard, 1556
A chanson in "Second livre". M. Fezandat, Paris 1556
1557
2 chansons in "12e livre". Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris 1557
3 chansons in "Musica de diversi autori La Bataglia francese et la Canzon delli ucelli [...]. A. Gardane, Venice 1577 **[La Bataille, le Chant des oiseaux, Martin menoyt]
A chanson in "1er livre de chansons nouvellement mises en musique". Nicolas Du Chemin, Paris 1557
1558
Proverbes de Salomon mis en cantiques et rime françoise selon la verité hébraïque ... à quatre parties. Le Roy & Ballard, Paris 1558
1559
Octante deux pseaumes de David traduits en rithme françoise par Cl. Marot et autres avec plusieurs cantiques, ebda. 1559 (m. Brief dans Vs. an die Königin); 2 chansons spirituelles à quatre voix dans Le 1er livre de chansons spirituelles, mises en musique par divers autheurs et excellens musiciens, Lyon 1561, Straton, Lyon 2/1568, B. Rigaud.
1564
Verger de musique contenant partie des plus excellents labeurs de M. C. Janequin, à 4 et 5 parties [...] reveuz et corrigez par luy mesme. Premier livre, Adrian Le Roy & Robert Ballard, Paris 1559
A chanson in "Second recueil des recueils". Adrian Le Roy & Robert Ballard, Paris 1564
1573
A chanson in "4e livre de chansons". Adrian Le Roy & Robert Ballard, Paris 1573
une chansons "11e livre de chansons". Adrian Le Roy & Robert Ballard, Paris 1573.
1578
2 chansons à trois voix in "Second livre de chansons à trois parties" Le Roy & Ballard, Paris 1578
Undated
Le difficile des chansons 1er livre contenant XXII chansons nouvelles [...] de la facture et composition de Me Cl. Janequin. Jacques Moderne, Paris undated

Modern publications

Bordes Charles (1863–1909), Chansonnier du XVIe siècle. Paris 1905 [4 chansons]
Brennecke Wilfried (*1926, éditeur), Carmina germanica et gallica (I). Bärenreiter-Verlag Kassel 1956 [une chanson].
Cauchie Maurice (1882–1963, éditeur), Clément Janequin. 30 chansons à 3 et 4 voix. Rouart, Paris 1928
—, Le caquet des femmes. Rouart, Paris 1925
—, Les cris de Paris, Florilège du concert vocal de la Renaissance. (3) 1928
—, Quinze chansons du XVIe siècle. 1926
—, Un psaumes à quatre voix. Dans "Cauchie Maurice, "Mélanges de musicologie offerts à M. Lionel de La Laurencie", Droz, Paris 1933

Eitner Robert (1832–1905, éditeur), 60 chansons zu 4 Stimme. Publikationen der Gesellschaft für Musikforschung, herausgegeben (23) 1899 [deux chansons]
Expert Isidore-Norbert-Henry (1863–1952, éditeur), Extraits des maîtres musiciens de la Renaissance française (18-21, 23, 28-30). 1905 [huit chansons]
—, chansons (Attaingnant 1528). in "Maîtres musiciens de la Renaissance française" (VII) 1898
—, 31 chansons d'Attaingnant. in "Maîtres musiciens de la Renaissance française" ( V), Paris 1897 [5 chansons]
—, La Fleur des musiciens de P. de Ronsard. Paris 1923 [trois chansons; édité précédemment par Jean Tiersot dans "Sammelbände der Internationalen Musikgesellschaft (IV) 1902 / 1903, p. 119-128]
—, L'alouette (avec les 5 voix de Claude Le Jeune). Leduc, Paris 1900
—, Répertoire populaire de la musique de Renaissance. Senart, Paris 1914 [ Hélas mon dieu]
—, Messe La Bataille. Salabert, Paris 1947
—, Florilège du concert vocal de la Renaissance. (1) 1928 (4 chansons)

Indy Vincent d' (arrangeur), La guerre de Renty (ajout d'une voix). Rouart, Paris 1916
Lesure François (1923–2001, publisher), Motet Congregati sunt. Éditions de l'Oiseau-Lyre, Monaco 1950
—, Anthologie de la chansons parisienne au XVIe. Éditions de l'Oiseau-Lyre; Monaco 1952 [5 chansons]

Merritt Arthur Tillman (1902–1998), Édition monumantale des chansons polyphoniques de Clémant Janequin [6 v.; in collaboration with François Lesure]. 1971
Motet Congregati sunt dans "Sixteenth-Century Motet" (14) 1995
Norsen Rolf (ed.) Clement Janequin: The Sacred Works (online edition) at clement-janequin.com. 2014