Tinctoris, Johannes

Theorist and musical writer of the Flemish School; born at Nivelle, in Brabant, about 1434. He was well educated, having taken the degree of Doctor in both Law and Theology, and after entering the priesthood he became canon at Nivelle. He went to Naples, and is supposed to have taught there before he became cantor and chaplain to Ferdinand of Aragon, who esteemed him highly. He founded a music school at Naples, composing and writing many theoretical works, also the first musical dictionary of which we have any knowledge. He returned to Nivelle in 1490 and died there about 1520. He is not particularly important as a composer, and none of his compositions has been published, but as a theoretical writer and author of the dictionary he is deserving of honor. He wrote in Latin and his treatises show a forceful and cultured mind. Some of them are Liber imperfectionum notarum; Complexus effectuum musices; Expositio manus; De notis ac pausis; Super punctis musicalibus; Tractatus alterationum; and many others.