Publication – Willem Elders, "Josquin des Prez and His Musical Legacy. An Introductory Guide"

Josquin des Prez and His Musical Legacy is the most up-to-date contribution to the research on one of the most important and internationally famous composers of the Renaissance. This monograph offers factual information on the composer as well as insights into his 16th-century and modern reception, a survey of the sources of his music, and a discussion of the thorny issue of authorship. Willem Elders, one of the most distinguished scholars of Josquin’s music, also discusses the influence of Gregorian chant as a source of inspiration and explains the various aspects of Josquin’s symbolic language. Each individual work (including some of those in the old Josquin edition now considered inauthentic) receives a short discussion of relevant contextual aspects and interesting musical features. Ranges and lengths are given for each work. The style is adapted to the professional musicologist as well as to the music lover’ and performer.

Table des matières :

Preface

Bibliographical abbreviations and manuscript sigla

Part I – Josquin and his cultural environment

1 – Biography

2 – Josquin in the eyes of his admirers

3 – The sources of Josquin’s music

4 – Issues of authenticity and chronology

5 – Gregorian chant as a source of inspiration

6 – Aspects of Josquin’s symbolic language

Part II Josquin’s musical legacy

7 – Masses and Mass movements

8 – Motets

9 – Secular works

Epilogue

Bibliography

Appendix A New Josquin Edition: summary of volumes and editors

Appendix B List of authentic and doubtful works by Josquin

Index of names

Informations pratiques :

Willem Elders, Josquin des Prez and His Musical Legacy. An Introductory Guide, Louvain, Leuven University Press, 2013. 248 p., 160 x 240 mm. ISBN: 9789058679413. Prix : 35 euros.