Jannequin, Clement

Sometimes spelled Janequin, Jennequin or Jennekin. Celebrated composer of the Sixteenth Century, considered by some authorities a Frenchman or Belgian. Others place him in the Netherland School. He was probably a pupil of Josquin's and certainly was a follower of that great musician. He imitated Gombert in writing program music. Almost nothing is known of his life, except that he lived to be poor and old, a fact which he mentions in the dedication of his Psalms. It is supposed that he was connected with the Papal Chapel at Rome, where some of his manuscripts are said to be. Although he wrote some church-music, sacrae cantiones seu motectae for four voices; masses; Proverbs of Solomon; and eighty Psalms of David, his most important works are secular. He wrote a great many songs, published in various collections. In 1545 appeared his most famous "invention " or song, La Bataille, descriptive of the defeat of the Swiss at Marignan in 1515. The Cries of Paris, a wonderfully vivid tone-picture of the streets of Paris, preceded La Bataille. Among his other pieces of program music, the hunting scenes, After the Deer, and Hunting the Hare; and his bird songs, The Lark, Song of the Birds, and The Nightingale are splendid imitations.