Alexander Agricola

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Alexander Agricola (* around 1446 or between 1455 and 1460 in Ghent ; † August 15, 1506 near Valladolid ) was a Franco-Flemish composer , singer and organist of the Renaissance .

Live and act

Documents from the Ghent City Archives show that Alexander Agricola was born in Ghent as the illegitimate son of the wealthy Heinric Ackerman and the wealthy businesswoman Lijsbette Naps. Johann Agricola was probably Alexander's twin brother and worked as a singer from 1486 to 1493 and again in 1496 for the Brotherhood of Our Lady in 's-Hertogenbosch .

Agricola's year of birth is not certain. So far, 1446 was generally recognized as the year of birth. This assumption is based on the text of an anonymous motet, Musica quid defles? , entitled Epitaphion Alexandri Agricolae Symphonistae regis Castiliae Philippi , which was published in the collection Symphoniae iucundae by Georg Rhau in 1538 . In this musical obituary, iam sexagesimus annus , ie “already in the sixtieth year”, is named as the age at which he died. Recently, however, Joshua Rifkin has concluded from an entry in the accounts of the Cathedral of Cambrai from March 8, 1476, in which Agricola is referred to as iuvenis , that is, as a "youth" or "young man", that he was not much older than twenty at the time could have been, and the year of birth dated between 1455 and 1460.

There is no evidence of Alexander Agricola's early years; However, it is believed that he and his brother Johann were choirboys at a Ghent church until their voice broke , possibly at Sint Nicolas , who gave Lijsbette Naps large amounts of money in 1467.

For a long time it was assumed that documents about an Alexander Agricola, who, together with Loyset Compère and Gaspar van Weerbeke, was one of the singers in the chapel of the Duke of Milan , Galeazzo Maria Sforza (reign 1466–1476), refer to the Ghent composer Agricola, but according to recent research this is not the case. Even that Agricola, who married in Florence in 1470 , has nothing to do with the composer. It is very likely that the Magistro Alexandro nostro organiste, mentioned in Utrecht in 1477, did not refer to Agricola, although he was famous not only for his singing skills, but also for his virtuoso playing. It is assumed that Alexander Agricola stayed in other countries of the German Empire at the time in question, because some of his early works appear without exception in German tradition and quote German choral traditions .

Secure data about Agricola are only available for 1491 to 1494. A letter from the French King Charles VIII (reign 1483-1498) to Piero di Lorenzo de 'Medici on April 25, 1492 shows that Agricola was a member of the French court orchestra in 1491 , together with his distinguished colleague Johannes Ockeghem , but left the court again in the same year without the king's permission to go to Italy.

In September 1491 Agricola stayed in Mantua with the singer Charles de Launoy and shortly afterwards went to Florence, where he became a singer at the cathedral from October 1, 1491 through the protection of Piero de 'Medici and thus a colleague of Heinrich Isaac . He remained in this office until April 30, 1492, after the French king requested his return to France in an urgent letter to his employer. In Florence around this time the turmoil around Girolamo Savonarola had broken out. Agricola did not follow the request immediately, but went to the court of King Ferdinand I in Naples for four weeks ; At the urging of Charles VIII, Ferdinand dismissed his singer Agricola despite his great admiration for his art. After brief stays in Rome and Florence in the summer of 1492, Agricola returned to France and took over his service at court in the same year. However, King Ferdinand apparently had such an excellent impression of Agricola that by February 1493 at the latest he was in presumably secret negotiations with him through his ambassador Giovanni Battista Coppola. Allegedly because of the troubled political situation in Naples, Ferdinand does not seem to have been interested in Agricola after June 1493.

From two letters from Bernardo Dovizi da Bibbiena to Piero de 'Medici, however, it becomes clear that Alexander Agricola and Johannes Ghiselin were again at court in Naples in February and March 1494; this was probably on the initiative of Ferdinand's successor Alfonso II (reign 1494–1495). However, there was no employment. Apparently Agricola returned to France and stayed there until after the king's death in 1498. On August 6, 1500 he was employed as cantor ( chapelain et chantre ) at the Burgundian court of Philip the Fair (reign 1493-1506) and stayed in this position until his death. This court orchestra was considered the leading ensemble in Europe; at that time the composers Pierre de la Rue and Nicolas Liégeois (around 1480–1533) also belonged to him. Agricola's preferred position also results from the fact that he was recorded in 1501 as a prebendar (owner of a benefice ) in Gorkum (now Gorinchem ) and Valenciennes .

Because the meetings of the rulers and their entry into the cities were also major musical events at that time, the duke was always accompanied on his travels by his court orchestra. Agricola came to Luxembourg in the duke's entourage in November 1500 and was also there on his first trip to Spain from November 4, 1501 to November 8, 1503, as well as on the second trip to Spain by ship from January 10, 1506 The first trip was the entry into Paris on November 25th 1501, during which the motet Gaude prole regia by Loyset Compère was probably heard, the entry of the Burgundian ruling couple to Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile in Toledo in May 1502, the visits to Madrid , Guadalajara and Sigüenza , in February 1503 the encounter with the Moors of Saragossa and the stay at the Mystery Plays of Perpignan , in March 1503 the meeting with the French king in Lyon and on April 11th the meeting of Philip with his sister Margaret , who with Philibert of Savoy was married. This was followed by a trip to the German Empire, where the Duke met his father Maximilian I on September 13, 1503 in Seefeld in Tyrol .

On the second voyage to Spain, which took place by sea from mid-January 1506, a storm drove part of the fleet, including the musician's ship, to Falmouth ; the fleet landed in A Coruña on April 27, 1506 . Philip the Fair moved with his court to Valladolid for the summer and later to Burgos , where he succumbed to a fever in September 1506. Alexander Agricola died on August 15th of the same year near Valladolid, possibly from the same febrile illness.

meaning

Together with Josquin Desprez , Jacob Obrecht and Heinrich Isaac, Alexander Agricola is one of the most important composers of his generation, but his style clearly stands out from them. His figurative and melodically moving lines are hardly affected by a smoothing Italian influence. His powerful and expansive style is committed to the tradition of Ockeghem and shows a preference for wide arcs of melodies and a highly differentiated rhythm (tempo contrasts, chains of syncopation , asymmetrical sequence of figures). His inventiveness is also reflected in the unexpected and imagination Vollen, not only where he works with borrowed voices and those with unusual freedom in Chanson - measuring sets in and Carmina, but also in Cantus firmus free masses, motets and chansons. His freely moving voices usually complement each other to a full sound. In some masses secular tenor melodies are used, which can be modified with the greatest freedom (e.g. in the mass “Malheur me bat”). Imitative sentences are mainly found in his motets.

Works

Fortem virili by Alexander Agricola

Complete edition : Alexander Agricola. Opera omnia , edited by EL Lerner, five volumes, no location information, 1961–1970 (= Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae, Rome and Antwerp from 1947, No. 22, volumes I to V).

  • Trade fairs and trade fair fragments
    • Misse Alexandri Agricolae, printed Venice 1504 by O. Petrucci, contains five of the following handwritten masses
    • Missa "In myne zin" with four voices (cf: own chanson, without Kyrie)
    • Missa "Je ne demande" with four voices (cf: Chanson by Antoine Busnois )
    • Missa "Le serviteur" with four voices (cf: Chanson by Guillaume Dufay (?))
    • Missa "Malheur me bat" with four voices (cf: Chanson by Johannes Ockeghem (?))
    • Missa paschalis to four voices (cf. Graduale Pataviense, Vienna 1511)
    • Missa primi toni to four voices
    • Missa secundi toni for four voices
    • Missa sine nomine with four voices
    • Credo, Sanctus sine nomine to three votes
    • Credo "Je ne vis oncques" I to four voices (cf: Chanson by Dufay or Gilles Binchois )
    • Credo "Je ne vis oncques" II to four votes (cf like I)
    • Credo “Vilayge” to four votes
  • Motets and sacred works
    • Hymn “A solis ortus cardine” with four voices
    • “Ave domina sancta Maria” to four voices
    • Hymn “Ave maris stella” with four voices
    • “Ave pulcherrima regina” to four voices
    • “Da pacem” to three votes
    • “Ergo sancti martyres” to four votes
    • Introit “Gaudeamus omnes” for two voices, instrumental
    • Lamentationes I to four voices (cf: Liber usualis)
    • Lamentationes II to four voices (cf. like I)
    • Magnificat primi toni to four votes
    • Magnificat secundi toni to four votes
    • Magnificat octavi toni to four voices
    • Hymn “Nobis sancte spiritus” to four voices
    • Hymn "O crux ave" to four voices (cf: Monumenta monodica medii aevi I, No. 32)
    • Hymn "O quam glorifica" to three voices (cf. Monumenta monodica medii aevi I, no. 68)
    • “O virens virginum” to four votes
    • "Regina coeli" for four voices (cf. Antiphon Pataviense)
    • “Salve regina” I to four voices
    • "Salve regina" II for four voices (text: motet "Ave regina caelorum" by Walter Frye)
    • "Si dedero" to three voices (cf: AS, responsory "In pace")
    • “Transit Anna timor” with four votes
  • Chansons, motet chansons and Carmina
    • “A la mignonne de fortune” to three votes
    • “Adieu m'amour” I to three votes
    • “Adieu m'amour” II to three votes
    • “Allez mon cueur” with three voices
    • "Allez regretz" to three voices (Text: Hayne van Ghizeghem )
    • “Amor che sospirar” to three votes
    • "Amours, amours" to three voices (tenor: Hayne van Ghizeghem)
    • “Ay je rien fet” to three votes
    • "Belles sur toutes" / "Tota pulchra es" for three voices (bass: Antiphonale Romanum)
    • “Cecus non judicat” with three votes
    • “C'est mal cherche” to four voices, alto ad libitum
    • “C'est trop sur” to three voices
    • “C'est ung bon bruit” to three votes
    • "Comme femme" I for four voices (tenor: Binchois (?))
    • "Comme femme" II to three voices (tenor like I)
    • "Comme femme" III to two voices (tenor like I)
    • “Crions nouel” with three voices
    • "D ..." to three votes
    • "De tous biens plaine" I for four voices (tenor: Hayne van Ghizeghem)
    • "De tous biens plaine" II to three voices (tenor like I)
    • "De tous biens plaine" III to three voices (tenor like I)
    • "De tous biens plaine" IV to three voices (tenor like I)
    • "De tous biens plaine" V to three voices (tenor like I)
    • “Dictes moy toutes” to three votes
    • “Donne noi siam dell'olio facitori”, only 1 vote received
    • "D'ung aultre amer" I for four voices (tenor: Johannes Ockeghem)
    • "D'ung aultre amer" II to four voices (tenor like I)
    • "D'ung aultre amer" III to three voices (tenor like I)
    • "D'ung aultre amer" IV to three voices (tenor like I)
    • Duo (1 voice by Johannes Ghiselin)
    • "En actendant" to three votes
    • “En dispitant” to three votes
    • “En m'en venant” to three voices
    • “Et qui la dira” to three votes
    • "Fortuna desperata" to six voices (extension of an anonymous three-part chanson)
    • “Gentil galans” to three votes
    • “Guarde vostre visage” to three votes
    • “Il me faudra maudire” with three votes
    • “Il n'est vivant” to three votes
    • “In mine zin” to three votes
    • “J'ay beau huer” to three votes
    • “Je n'ay deul” to four votes
    • “Je ne puis plus” to three votes
    • “Je ne suis point” to three votes
    • "L'heure est venue" / "Circumdederunt me" to three voices (bass: chorale?)
    • “L'homme banni” to three votes
    • “Mauldicte soit” to three votes
    • "Mijn alderliefste moeschkin" to three votes
    • “O Venus bant” I to three votes
    • “O Venus bant” II to three voices
    • “Oublier veul” to three voices
    • “Par ung jour de matinee” with three votes
    • “Pater meus agricola est” to three votes
    • “Pour voz plaisirs” to three votes
    • “Pourquoy tant” / “Pour quelque paine” with three voices
    • “Princesse de toute beaulte” to three votes
    • Quattuor to four votes
    • "Revenez tous regretz" / "Quis det ut veniat" with four voices (bass from the responsory "Nonne cognoscit")
    • “Royne de flours” with three votes
    • “Se je fais bien” to three votes
    • “Se je vous eslonge” to three votes
    • “Se mieulx ne vient” to three votes
    • “Serviteur soye” to three votes
    • “Si conge prens” to three votes
    • “S'il vous plaist” to three votes
    • “Si vous voullez” to three voices
    • “Soit loing” to three votes
    • “Sonnes muses melodieusement” with three voices
    • "Tandernaken" to three votes
    • "Tout a par moy" I for four voices (tenor: Walter Frye)
    • "Tout a par moy" II to three voices (tenor like I)
    • “Va t'en regret” to three votes
    • “Vostre bouche dist” to three voices
    • “Vostre hault bruit” to three votes
  • Counterfactures
    • "Amice ad quid venisti" to three voices (= "Dictes moy toutes")
    • "Arce sedet Bacchus" to two voices (cf by Firminus Caron , "Le despourveu infortuné", = mass movement?)
    • "Ave ancilla trinitatis" to three voices (= "Caecus")
    • "Ave quae sublimaris" to four voices (= "Comme femme" four voices)
    • "Gaudent in caelis" to three voices (= "Caecus")
    • "Jam fulsit sol" for four voices (= Quattuor)
    • "Regali quam decet laude venerari" to three voices (= "Caecus")
    • "Sancte Philippe apostole" to four votes (= "Ergo sancti martyres")
    • "Virgo sub aetheriis" to three voices (= "Comme femme" three voices)
  • Doubtful works (Agricola's authorship questionable)
    • Missa sine nomine with three voices (= Missa Auleni, i.e. also attributed to Aulen )
    • Credo Tmeisken to four voices (in the Missa paschalis, probably by Heinrich Isaac)
    • Magnificat quarti toni I for four voices (short version attributed to Josquin Desprez, long version attributed to Agricola and Pierre de la Rue)
    • Magnificat quarti toni II for four voices (short version attributed to Antoine Brumel , long version attributed to Agricola)
    • “De tous biens plaine” with three voices (cf by Hayne van Ghizeghem; also attributed to Bourdon)
    • "Fors seullement" with four voices (cf by Johannes Ockeghem ?; also attributed to Antoine Brumel)
    • "Ha qu'il m'ennuye" to three voices (also attributed to Jehan Fresneau )
    • "Helas madame que feraige" with three voices (cf by Firminus Caron; attribution "P ...")
    • "J'ars du desir" with three voices (stylistically doubtful, also attributed to Josquin Desprez)
    • "La Saison en est" with three voices (also attributed to Loyset Compère)
    • "Les grans regretz" with three voices (also attributed to Hayne van Ghizeghem)
    • "Notres assovemen" to three voices (also attributed to Jehan Fresneau)
    • "Que vous madame - In pace" with four voices (also attributed to Josquin Desprez)

Literature (selection)

  • Arrey von Dommer: Agricola, Alexander. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB), Volume 1, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1875, page 142 and following
  • E. Motta: Musici alla corte degli Sforza. In: Archivio storico lombardo No. 14, 1887, series 2, volume 4, pages 278-340 and 514-561
  • J. Delporte: L'Ecole polyphonique franco-flamande: Alexandre Agricola. In: Revue liturgique et musicale No. 15, 1932 and No. 16, 1933
  • G. van Doorslaer: La Chapelle musicale de Philippe le Beau. In: Revue belge d'archéologie et d'histoire de l'art No. 4, 1934, pages 21–57 and 139–161
  • H. Kinzel: The German musician Alexander Agricola in his secular works , dissertation at the University of Prague 1934
  • P. Müller: Alexander Agricola. His Missa in mine zin. Chansonal basics and analysis , dissertation at the University of Marburg in 1939
  • Carl Benedict: Agricola, Alexander. In: Neue Deutsche Biographie (NDB), Volume 1, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1953, ISBN 3-428-00182-6 , page 197 and following
  • EL Lerner: The "German" Works of Alexander Agricola. In: Musical Quarterly No. 46, 1960, pp. 56-66
  • M. Picker: A Letter of Charles VIII of France Concerning Alexander Agricola. In: J. La Rue (editor), Festschrift for Gustav Reese, New York 1966, pages 665–672
  • D. Kämper: Instrumental style elements with Alexander Agricola. In: Tijdschrift van de Vereniging voor nederlandse muziekgeschiedenis No. 28, 1978, pages 1-13
  • Allan W. Atlas: Music at the Aragonese Court of Naples , Cambridge 1985
  • The same / AM Cummings: Agricola, Ghiselin, and Alfonso II of Naples. In: The Journal of Musicology No. 7, 1989, pp. 540-548

Web links

Commons : Alexander Agricola  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

swell

  1. ^ A b Rob C. Wegman: Pater meus agricola est: the early years of Alexander Agricola . In: Early Music . tape 34 , no. 3 . Oxford University Press, 2006, ISSN  0306-1078 , pp. 375–390 , doi : 10.1093 / em / cal064 (English, academia.edu [accessed December 17, 2015]).
  2. ↑ so z. B. Martin Just , Michele Calella :  Agricola, Alexander. In: Ludwig Finscher (Hrsg.): The music in past and present . Second edition, personal section, volume 1 (Aagard - Baez). Bärenreiter / Metzler, Kassel et al. 1999, ISBN 3-7618-1111-X  ( online edition , subscription required for full access)
  3. ^ Rob C. Wegman: Agricola, Bordon and Obrecht at Ghent: Discoveries and Revisions . In: Revue belge de Musicologie / Belgisch Tijdschrift voor Muziekwetenschap . tape 51 , 1997, p. 23–62 , doi : 10.2307 / 3687184 (English, academia.edu [accessed December 17, 2015]).
  4. ↑ Joshua Rifkin: Alexander Agricola and Cambrai: A Postscript . In: Tijdschrift van de Koninklijke Vereniging voor Nederlandse Muziekgeschiedenis . tape 54 , no. 1 , 2004, p. 23–30 , JSTOR : 20203895 (English, accessible online after free registration at JSTOR).
  5. ↑ Wegman specifies this in 1457 to 1458.
personal data
SURNAME Agricola, Alexander
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Ackerman, Alexander (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Franco-Flemish composer and singer of the Renaissance
DATE OF BIRTH 1446 or between 1455 and 1460
PLACE OF BIRTH Ghent
DATE OF DEATH August 15, 1506
Place of death at Valladolid