Franco-Flemish School

2025-08-31T14:27:07Z

2600:1702:4D50:D40:B811:3946:5A48:300B: /* Term and controversy */

{{Short description|Style of vocal music}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2017}}
{{Renaissance music sidebar}}
The designation '''Franco-Flemish School''',{{sfn|Ammer|2004}}{{sfn|Broekema|1978|loc=273}}{{sfn|Chase|2003|loc=13}}{{sfn|D'Epiro and Pinkowish|2001|loc=253–254}}{{sfn|Gillespie|1965|loc=27}}{{sfn|Gleeson and Becker|1988|loc=106–111}}{{sfn|Karp|2007}}{{sfn|Lundberg|2012|loc=59}}{{sfn|Porter|1986|loc=190}}{{sfn|Wright and Fallows|2001}} also called '''Netherlandish School''', '''Burgundian School''', '''Low Countries School''', '''Flemish School''', '''Dutch School''', or '''Northern School''', refers to the style of [[polyphony|polyphonic]] [[vocal music]] composition originating from [[France]] and from the [[Burgundian Netherlands]] in the 15th and 16th centuries as well as to the composers who wrote it. The spread of their technique, especially after the revolutionary development of [[printing]], produced the first true international style since the unification of [[Gregorian chant]] in the 9th century. Franco-Flemish composers mainly wrote [[Religious music|sacred music]], primarily [[Mass (music)|masses]], [[motet]]s, and [[hymn]]s.

==Term and controversy==
Several generations of [[Renaissance music|Renaissance]] composers from the region loosely known as the [[Low Countries]] (Imperial and French fiefs ruled in personal union by the House of Valois-Burgundy in the period from 1384 to 1482)—i.e. present-day [[Hauts-de-France|Northern France]], [[Belgium]] and the Southern [[Netherlands]]—are grouped under "Franco-Flemish School", though a teacher-student-relationship between them rarely existed. Most of these musicians were born in the thriving Burgundian provinces of [[Artois]], [[County of Flanders|Flanders]], [[Duchy of Brabant|Brabant]], [[County of Hainaut|Hainaut]], or [[Duchy of Limburg|Limburg]]. Others were born in Northern and Southern France, like [[Guillaume Faugues]], Simone de Bonefont and [[Antoine Brumel]] who was one of the most influential composers of his generation. During periods of political and economic stability, the courts of the [[House of Valois-Burgundy|Burgundian dukes]] were a centre of cultural activity in Europe.

Franco-Flemish composers had their origins in ecclesiastical choir schools such as at the cathedrals and collegiate churches of [[Saint-Quentin, Aisne|Saint-Quentin]], [[Arras]], [[Valenciennes]], [[Douai]], [[Bourges]], [[St. Lambert's Cathedral, Liège|Liège]], [[Tournai Cathedral|Tournai]], [[Old Cambrai Cathedral|Cambrai]], [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]], [[Cathedral of Our Lady (Antwerp)|Antwerp]], [[St. Donatian's Cathedral|Bruges]], and [[Saint Bavo Cathedral|Ghent]], although they were famous for working elsewhere. Numerous musicians established themselves in [[Kingdom of France|French court]] or moved to the European courts in [[Kingdom of Italy (Holy Roman Empire)|Italy]] where they were called "I fiamminghi" or [[Oltremontani]] ("those from over the Alps") and [[Habsburg Spain|Spain]]—notably in the [[Flemish chapel (capilla flamenca)]] of the [[House of Habsburg|Habsburgs]], or to towns in [[Kingdom of Germany|Germany]], and other parts of Europe—Poland, the Czech lands, Austria, Hungary, England, Sweden, Denmark, Saxony—carrying their styles with them. The exact centres shifted during this time, and by the end of the sixteenth century the focal point of the Western musical world had moved from the Low Countries to Italy.

The expression "Franco-Flemish" (as well as the more biased term "Dutch school") are still the subject of some controversy among musicologists. They were not in use at that time and seem to cover only part of the linguistic, political, territorial and historical reality.

==Development==
Following are five groups, or generations, that are sometimes distinguished in the Franco-Flemish/Netherlandish school. Development of this musical style was continuous, and these generations only provide useful reference points.

* The ''First generation'' (1420–1450), dominated by [[Johannes Tapissier|Jean Tapissier]], [[Guillaume Du Fay]], [[Gilles Binchois]] and [[Antoine Busnois]]; this group of composers is most often known as the [[Burgundian School]]. The origins of the style of the ''first generation'' embraces both earlier Burgundian traditions and also Italian and English styles. For example, in 1442, the poet [[Martin le Franc]] praised Binchois and Dufay for following [[John Dunstaple|Dunstaple]] in adopting the ''[[contenance angloise]]'' ("English character").
* The ''Second generation'' (1450–1485), with [[Johannes Ockeghem|Ockeghem]] as its main exponent, others including [[Marbrianus de Orto|Orto]], [[Loyset Compère|Compère]], [[Johannes Prioris|Prioris]], [[Alexander Agricola|Agricola]], [[Firminus Caron|Caron]], [[Guillaume Faugues|Faugues]], [[Johannes Regis|Regis]] and [[Johannes Tinctoris|Tinctoris]].
* The ''Third generation'' (1480–1520): [[Jean Mouton]], [[Jacob Obrecht|Obrecht]], [[Pierre de la Rue|de la Rue]], [[Heinrich Isaac|Isaac]], [[Antoine Brumel|Brumel]], [[Antoine de Févin|Févin]], [[Matthaeus Pipelare|Pipelare]], [[Jean Richafort|Richafort]], [[Antonius Divitis|Divitis]], and most significantly [[Josquin des Prez]].
* The ''Fourth generation'' (1520–1560): [[Nicolas Gombert|Gombert]], [[Dominique Phinot|Phinot]], [[Thomas Crecquillon|Crecquillon]], [[Pierre de Manchicourt|Manchicourt]], [[Jacques Arcadelt|Arcadelt]], [[Cipriano de Rore|Rore]], [[Adrian Willaert|Willaert]], [[Jean Courtois (composer)|Courtois]], [[Jacob Clemens non Papa|Clemens non Papa]] and Bonefont.
* The ''Fifth generation'' (1560–1615/20): [[Orlando di Lasso|Lasso]], [[Philippe de Monte|de Monte]], [[Jacobus Vaet|Vaet]], [[Jacob Regnart|Regnart]], [[Carolus Luython|Luython]], [[Giaches de Wert|Wert]], [[Giovanni de Macque|de Macque]], [[Claude Goudimel]] and [[Philippe Rogier|Rogier]]. By this time, many of the composers of polyphonic music were native to Italy and other countries: the Netherlandish style had naturalized on foreign soil, and become a true European style.

==The Franco-Flemish motet==

Composed between 1450 and 1520, these [[motets]] were typically written for four voices, with all voices being equal. They often exhibit thick, dark textures, with an extended low range. The most notable composers of this style include [[Johannes Ockeghem|Ockeghem]] and [[Josquin des Prez|Josquin]], whose ''De profundis clamavi ad te'', composed between 1500 and 1521, provides a good example.

==See also==
{{Portal|Classical music}}
*[[:Category:Franco-Flemish composers]]

==References==
{{reflist|18em}}

'''Sources'''
{{div col|colwidth=45em}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Ammer|2004}}|reference=Ammer, Christine. "Flemish School". ''The Facts on File Dictionary of Music'', fourth edition. New York: Facts on File, Inc. {{ISBN|9780816052660}}.}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Broekema|1978}}|reference=Broekema, Andrew J. 1978. ''The Music Listener''. Dubuque: W. C. Brown Company. {{ISBN|9780697034007}}.}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Chase|2003}}|reference=Chase, Robert. 2003. ''Dies Irae: A Guide to Requiem Music''. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. {{ISBN|978-0-8108-4664-7}}.}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|D'Epiro and Pinkowish|2001}}|reference=D'Epiro, Peter, and Mary Desmond Pinkowish. 2001. ''Sprezzatura: Fifty Ways Italian Genius Shaped the World''. New York: Anchor Books. {{ISBN|0-385-72019-X}}.}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Gillespie|1965}}|reference=Gillespie, John. 1965. ''Five Centuries of Keyboard Music''. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc.}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Gleeson and Becker|1988}}|reference=Gleeson, Harold, and Warren Becker. 1988. ''Music in the Middle Ages and Renaissance'', third edition. Music Literature Outline Series 1. [S.l.]: Frangipani Press. {{ISBN|0-88284-379-6}}.}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Karp|2007}}|reference=Karp, Theodore. 2007. "[https://www.britannica.com/art/Franco-Netherlandish-school Franco-Netherlandish School]". ''Encyclopaedia Britannica'', online edition (accessed 12 January 2018).}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Lundberg|2012}}|reference=Lundberg, Mattias. 2012. ''Tonus Peregrinus: The History of a Psalm-Tone and Its Use in Polyphonic Music''. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate Publishing Limited; Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing Company. {{ISBN|978-1-4094-0786-7}}.}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Porter|1986}}|reference=Porter, Steven. 1986. ''Music: A Comprehensive Introduction: A Complete Music Appreciation Course''. New York: Excelsior Music Publishing Co. {{ISBN|0-935016-81-3}}.}}
*{{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Wright and Fallows|2001}}|reference=Wright, Craig, and David Fallows. 2001. "Burgundy". ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', second edition, edited by [[Stanley Sadie]] and [[John Tyrrell (musicologist)|John Tyrrell]]. London: Macmillan Publishers.}}
{{div col end}}

==Further reading==
*Gut, Serge. 1968. "A propos des polyphonistes de la Renaissance : franco-flamand ou néerlandais". ''Revue du nord''.
*''A History of Music and Musical Style'', by Homer Ulrich & Paul Pisk (1963). New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. {{ISBN|0-15-537720-5}}.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130725043352/http://adriaenwillaert.be/ned/polyfonisten/polyfonisten_volledige_namenlijst.htm Volledige namenlijst van alle polyfonisten uit de Nederlanden (1400–1600)] [Complete List of Names of Polyphonists from the Netherlands born between 1400 and 1600].

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[[Category:Renaissance in the Low Countries]]
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Franco-Flemish School