Jacques Arcadelt (also Jacob Arcadelt) (1504 or 1505 ? October 14, 1568) was a Franco-Flemish composer of the middle to late Renaissance, principally of madrigals and chansons. Most likely he was born in Liège, and he died in Paris.
Little is known about his early life, but he is known to have been in Rome by 1539, at which time he was made a member of the Julian Chapel. Shortly thereafter he joined the Sistine Chapel, where he was appointed "magister puerorum" (director of the boys choir), and later was promoted to choirmaster. In the same year he published four of his total of six books of madrigals for four voices. Probably around 1553 he moved to France, where he spent the remainder of his life; his numerous chansons date from this and subsequent years. In 1557 he published a book of masses, dedicated to his employer, Charles de Guise, Cardinal of Lorraine (Arcadelt was maître de chapelle, i.e. choirmaster for him).
Arcadelt's style is refined, pure, melodious, and simple, and his music was immensely popular in Italy and France for more than a hundred years; his first book of madrigals was reprinted 58 times between c1538 and 1654, a spectacular print run for the time. An additional hint to his popularity is the frequency with which anonymous compositions were attributed to him. Likely his popularity was due to his gift for capturing the Italian spirit and marrying it with the technical perfection of the Franco-Flemish harmonic and polyphonic style; in addition he wrote catchy tunes which were easy to sing.
His most famous madrigal is the delightful Il bianco e dolce cigno, which is notable for its clear phrasing, exquisite singability, and clever use of repetition. The style represented in this madrigal was influential on the next generation of madrigal composers, including Palestrina.
Arcadelt published a total of 24 motets, 3 books of masses, 126 French chansons, and over 200 madrigals.
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Jacques Arcadelt (also Jacob Arcadelt; c. 1507 -- 14 October 1568) was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance, active in both Italy and Fr...
Jacques Arcadelt (also Jacob Arcadelt; c. 1507 -- 14 October 1568) was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance, active in both Italy and France, and principally known as a composer of secular vocal music. Although he also wrote sacred vocal music, he was one of the most famous of the early composers of madrigals; his first book of madrigals, published within a decade of the appearance of the earliest examples of the form, was the most widely printed collection of madrigals of the entire era. In addition to his work as a madrigalist, and distinguishing him from the other prominent early composers of madrigals -- Philippe Verdelot and Costanzo Festa -- he was equally prolific and adept at composing chansons, particularly late in his career when he lived in Paris.
Arcadelt was the most influential member of the early phase of madrigal composition, the "classic" phase; it was through Arcadelt's publications, more than those of any other composer, that the madrigal became known outside of Italy. Later composers considered Arcadelt's style to represent an ideal; later reprints of his first madrigal book were often used for teaching, with reprints appearing more than a century after its original publication.
"Je Ne Suis Pas Si Sot" is a chanson from a 1569 publication which is likely the 6th not the 9th book. A complete modern edition of Arcadelt's works is published in CMM, xxxi, 1-10 (ten volumes).
The English translation of the Lyrics are:
A simpleton shepherd far from it
Dearest, if I were to hold you
And lay you down by my side
I'll strip you bare
Of your skirt and of your shirt
My flute I will play to your heart's content
Although originally written for Chorus (a cappella), I created this arrangement for String Quintet (2 Violins, 2 Violas & Cello).
GUITAR
KEYBOARD
STUDIO
PA
LIGHT
DEEJAY
MIC
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