Nicolas Grenon

The reason Nicolas Grenon’s legacy of compositions is so meager might well be due to the destruction of Cambrai Cathedral in 1793 during the Revolution. The wanton destruction of the second Cathedral in France (after Notre Dame) no doubt destroyed hundreds of manuscripts at the same time. Most of Grenon’s working life from 1399 to his death in 1456 was spent at Cambrai, with brief stints at Notre Dame, Paris (1399) . . Laon (1403) . . the Court of Burgundy (1412) . . and the Papal Chapel (1425) . . . all very substantial musical establishments. Yet we have only 5 sacred and 5 secular works extant.