Compère, Loyset

▪ Flemish composer

born c. 1445, Hainaut? [now in Belgium]

died Aug. 16, 1518, Saint-Quentin, France

      important composer of the Franco-Netherlandish school, best known for his motets (motet) and chansons (chanson). Compère was among the generation of composers who, from roughly 1450 to 1520, succeeded Jean d'Ockeghem (Ockeghem, Jean de); among that group (and surpassing Compère in reputation) were Josquin des Prez, Jakob Obrecht (Obrecht, Jakob), and Pierre de la Rue (La Rue, Pierre de).

      Little is known of Compère's early life. During the mid-1470s he was in the chapel choir of the Duke of Milan, and by 1486 he was a chantre ordinaire in the service of Charles VIII. Becoming a naturalized French citizen in 1494, Compère probably traveled with Charles during the French invasion of Italy (1494). He was subsequently a dean of St. Géry in Cambrai (1498–1500); provost at St. Pierre in Douai (1500–1503/04); and canon and chancellor at Saint-Quentin. Throughout his tenure at these churches, he seems to have continued to serve the French court. Compère's surviving works include several motets, 2 frottolas (frottola), more than 50 chansons, 2 complete masses (Alles regrets and L'Homme armé), and 4 complete Magnificats (Magnificat).

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