Kerle, Jacob van

Sixteenth Century Flemish musician, the date of whose birth and death are unknown. He was born at Ypres, in Flanders, but seems to have spent much of his life in Italy, for his first musical compositions were published in Venice about 1562, and from that date until 1575 he was a member of the suite of the CardinalArchbishop of Augsburg, Otto von Truchsess, both in Rome and Augsburg. He was also choir-director and canon at Cambrai, and at the same time served Emperor Rudolph II. at Vienna and Prague. He died some time after 1590. Ambros praises his church compositions. One of his motets, Exurge quare obdormis Domine; a Te Deum; and three of his masses are still used. He is said to have written some special services for the Council of Trent.