Clément Janequin

Clément Janequin was born in Châtellerault around 1485. Châtellerault is about half-way between Paris and Bordeaux and as a 20 year old he gravitated to the latter to become clerc to Lancelot du Fau, humanist in 1505. When Lancelot died in 1523 Janequin entered the service of Jean de Foix, Bishop of Bordeaux and became a priest serving as ‘curé’ in various communities in the Southwest. Despite Janequin’s busying himself with ecclesiastical work 200 miles from Paris he apparently was making a name for himself as a chanson composer. Around 1528 ‘Chansons de maistre C. Janequin nouvellement et correctement imprimeez’ appeared through Pierre Attaingnant, the noted Paris publisher . . . a publication devoted to the chansons of Clément Janequin!

In 1530 King Francis I travelled through Bordeaux on the way to the Spanish border to greet his 2 sons whom Charles V held hostage after his victory at the Battle of Pavia . . . but now released under the Treaty of Cambrai. Janequin wrote “Chantons, sonnons, trompettes” for the occasion . . . perhaps the King noticed. In 1531 Janequin was finally appointed to a musical position . . . maestro of the choir at the Cathedral in Auch . . . still a long way from Paris. Two years later in Paris Attaignant brought out a second volume—another 24 of Janequin’s chansons, and apparently Janequin decided to move North closer to Paris, in fact, to Angers where he became ‘maitre de chapelle’ of Angers Cathedral in 1537.

His music continued to be published, not only in France but by Gardane in Venice. Eventually Royal recognition came . . . around 1553 Janequin was made “chantre ordinaire du roi” by the new King, Henri II, and the year before his death Janequin became ”compositeur ordinaire du roi”. After living most of his life far from the capitol Janequin died in Paris, finally recognized by the Royal Court. Through the publication of his music he had become the most famous chanson composer of his age.

Mention should be made of his “program chansons” that through onomatopoeia paint a picture of a scene or action in sound . . . eg. a battle, birdsong, sounds of a city, etc. His “La battaille” (a “program” chanson depicting the French victory in 1515 of the Battle of Marignano) is perhaps the most imitated and “arranged”, and (probably) performed, of the more than 300 of his surviving chansons.