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Jean Japart remains one of the great unknowns of the Franco-Flemish school of the late 15th century, despite the fact that his music contains unexpected turns, daring harmony and bold movement structures. All that we know about Japart’s life is that he was employed for a certain period (1447-1480?) at the court in Ferrara. He must have been well-known during his lifetime as the great Josquin de Prez honours him in a personal motet lamenting his death. What is more, the famous Venetian printer Ottaviano Petrucci includes the extravagant total of 23 pieces (!) by Japart in his collections of music by the best-known composers in Europe of the time. Japart’s extraordinary contrapuntal skills are displayed in elaborate quodlibets (Fr. fricassées), in which several existing and mostly well-known melodies are skilfully combined, forming a musical Gordian knot. Another of his specialities is the enigma canon, a form which he carries to extremes in his eccentric constructions. In this recording, the ensemble Les Flamboyants directed by the recorder player Michael Form present (almost) the complete works of this master interspersed by a number of comparative works by other contemporary masters such as Josquin, Obrecht and Busnoys.
L'homme arme [15th Century]
L'homme arme [15th Century]
Josquin des Prez: L'homme arme a 4
L'homme arme a 4
Jean Japart: Il est de bonne heure ne / L'homme arme a 4
Il est de bonne heure ne / L'homme arme a 4
Jacob Obrecht: Tant que nostre argent dura a 4
Tant que nostre argent dura a 4
Jean Japart: Amours fait moult tant / Il est de bonne heure ne / Tant que nostre argent dura a 4
Amours fait moult tant / Il est de bonne heure ne / Tant que nostre argent dura a 4
Jean Japart: Tan bien mi son pensada a 4
Tan bien mi son pensada a 4
Jean Japart: Pour passer temps / Plus ne chasceray sans gans a 4
Pour passer temps / Plus ne chasceray sans gans a 4
Jean Japart: Questa se chiama a 4
Questa se chiama a 4
Jean Japart: Jay biens nori a 3
Jay biens nori a 3
Helas quel e a mon gre [Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale]
Helas quel e a mon gre [Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale]
Jean Japart: Helas qu'il est a mon gre a 4
Helas qu'il est a mon gre a 4
Jean Japart: Fortuna d'un gran tempo (reconstructed by M. Form)
Fortuna d'un gran tempo (reconstructed by M. Form)
Josquin des Prez: Fortuna d'un gran tempo
Fortuna d'un gran tempo
Jean Japart: Fortuna d'un gran tempo
Fortuna d'un gran tempo
Johannes Martini: Fortuna d'un gran tempo a 4
Fortuna d'un gran tempo a 4
Antonius De Vinea: Franc coeur, qu'as tu / Fortuna a 5
Franc coeur, qu'as tu / Fortuna a 5
Hayne van Ghizeghem: De tous biens plaine a 3 and a 4
De tous biens plaine a 3 and a 4
Jean Japart: De tous biens plaine a 4
De tous biens plaine a 4
Jean Japart: Je cuide se ce temps a 3
Je cuide se ce temps a 3
Jean Japart: Je cuide / De tous biens plaine a 4
Je cuide / De tous biens plaine a 4
Jean Japart: Tmeskin was jonk a 3 and a 4
Tmeskin was jonk a 3 and a 4
J'ai pris amours a 3 [Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale]
J'ai pris amours a 3 [Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale]
Jean Japart: J'ay pris amours a 4
J'ay pris amours a 4
J'ay pris amours a 4
Antoine Busnoys: J'ay pris amours tout au rebours a 4
J'ay pris amours tout au rebours a 4
Jean Japart: Amours, amours a 4
Amours, amours a 4
Jean Japart: Nenciozza mia a 4
Nenciozza mia a 4
Jean Japart: Prestes le moy a 4
Prestes le moy a 4
Jean Japart: Vray dieu d'amours / Sancte Iohanes baptista / Ora pro nobis a 5
Vray dieu d'amours / Sancte Iohanes baptista / Ora pro nobis a 5
Si congie prens
Si congie prens
Si congie prens
Jean Japart: Se congie pris a 4
Se congie pris a 4
Se congie pris a 4 [16th Century]
Se congie pris a 4 [16th Century]
Josquin des Prez: Se congie prens a 4
Se congie prens a 4
Classical Music
25th February 2012
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“The singing of mezzo Els Janssens-Vanmuster is expressive and committed. The recording is well-balanced and luminous. This may be slight and quirky, albeit charming, material from an obscure figure, but I can't imagine another group managing to make much more of it.”
Click on any of the works listed above for alternative recordings.
L'homme arme [15th Century]