Josquin des Prez

Although there is a controversy about the exact place or time of his birth it is evident that Josquin des Prez was born in some place under the Duchy of Burgundy during the reign of Philip the Good. Different scholars have different opinion on that.

While a large number of scholars believe that he was born in Condé-sur-l'Escaut of Hainaut in present-day Belgium, another group believes that he was born immediately across the border in Picardy in present-day France. That he had been legally classified as Frenchman on several occasions collaborate the later belief.

Recent researches pinpoint Josquin’s year of birth sometime between 1450 and 1455. Earlier, it was believed that he was born in 1440; but later it was found that Milanese singer Josquin de Kessalia was born in that particular year, not Josquin des Prez.

There is also a controversy about his name. Many scholars believe that des Prez was actually his nickname. From a will made by his uncle, Gille Lebloitte dit Desprez, in 1466 we come to know that his actual surname was Lebloitte. Moreover, in an acrostic, he had spelled his name as des Prez.

Nothing is known about Josquin’s parents or siblings. We only know that he had an uncle and an aunt, Gille Lebloitte dit Desprez and Jacque Banestonne, who left their estate to him.

The first substantial evidence that has cropped up regarding Josquin’s employment is a role of musicians associated with the cathedral in Cambrai in early 1470s. Since his name was included in that, it is fair to suggest that he might have begun his career as a singer at Cambrai.

From Cambrai he might have moved directly to Aix-en-Provence. A document, dated 19 April 1477, mentions him employed as a singer at the chapel of René, Duke of Anjou, at that time held at Aix-en-Provence.

It is believed that he joined the service of René as early as 1475 and remained at Aix-en-Provence at least until March 1478. What happened thereafter is unclear. Scholars talk about three distinct possibilities.

One theory suggests that he might have remained with René till René’s death in 1480. Then from 1480 to 1482, he was in employment with Ascanio Sforza, at that time living in Ferrara or Naples, temporarily banished from his home in Milan.

Another possibility is that, he went to Hungary to be employed as a court singer. A 16th-century Roman document, describing the then Hungarian courts, includes his names as a singer at the court of Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary

In 1483, Josquin des Prez visited Condé-sur-l'Escaut to claim his inheritance, left by his uncle and aunt. Thereafter, he moved to Milan, where he found employment with the influential Sforza family.

A document dated June 19, 1484 describes Josquin as chaplain in the service of Ascanio Sforza, implying that he was in Milan at least until then. But other sources claim he was in Milan until 1489 and was introduced to papal court by his employer, Ascanio Sforza, in 1486.

During his stay at Milan, he became friendly with music theorist and composer Franchinus Gaffurius. That Gaffurius benefitted greatly from this association is evident from many of his masses, which show a clear influence of Josquin. His writings also confirm that Josquin was in Milan during this period.

During this period, he might have also traveled a lot, visiting Rome several times and Paris at least once. Although the chronology of this period is very vague it is evident that he returned to Milan in 1489, but left in the same year to join the papal choir.

According to most scholars, he did not actually leave the service of Ascanio Sforza, but joined the papal chapel of Innocent VIII in exchange of Gaspar van Weerbeke, who now returned to Milan. Later when Innocent VIII died Josquin was retained by his successor Alexander VI.