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Adriaan Willaert

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Adriaan Willaert was a Flemish composer of the High Renaissance. He was born around 1490, near Roeselare or in Bruges. According to his pupil Gioseffo Zarlino he first went to Paris to study law, but chose music there and studied with Jean Mouton. Around 1515 he arrived in Rome. He then worked at the court of the Este family in Ferrara. His early style closely resembles that of Josquin des Prez: flowing polyphony, equal voices and a great deal of imitation or strict canon.

Music and breakthrough

In 1527 he became maestro di cappella of San Marco in Venice. He held that post until his death in 1562. Composers from all over Europe came to study with him, and he set high standards for singing and composition. Among other works he wrote the Missa Mente Tota, a Mass in double canon based on a motet by Josquin. His music can be heard on recent recordings such as Musica Nova: The Motets and Missa Mente tota & Motets.

Influence

Willaert was one of the northern composers who brought the polyphonic Franco-Flemish style to Italy. He is regarded as the founder of the Venetian school. In this way he stands at the beginning of a line that runs through the choral music of San Marco and prepared the way for later Venetian masters. For the understanding of Western music history he is thus a link between Netherlandish polyphony and the Italian Baroque.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a motet by Willaert on Musica Nova: The Motets and notice how the voices take up the same melody in turn and flow through one another.

Discography

Studio albums

Mentioned in other articles

See also

Categories: ArtistsVenetian polychoral style