Mouton, Jean de Hollingue

1475-1522

 

Well-known contrapuntist and composer; born at Holling, near Metz, in the Department de la Somme, France. He was a pupil of Josquin Despres and afterward the teacher of Willaert. He was chapel-singer to Louis XII. and Francis I., and canon at Therouanne and St. Quentin, where he died. An edition of five of his masses is one of the earliest examples of a whole book of compositions of one master. Among his published works are nine masses; seventy-five motets and psalms and some French songs. The book of five masses which Fetis thinks to have been published in 1508 was at one time quite common, but is now very rare and the copy of the second edition is considered the only complete one. Twenty-one of the motets were printed during Mouton's lifetime and in the British Museum is a copy of the twenty-two motets printed in 1555 by Le Roy, and also a complete score of this work.