Mathieu Gascongne

Full biography Mathieu Gascongne

Mathieu Gascongne (fl. c. 1500-1540) was a French composer of the Renaissance. He was a contemporary of other well-known composers such as Adrian Willaert, Heinrich Isaac, Josquin des Prez, and Jean Mouton. Gascongne composed masses, motets, and chansons. He is known to have written a canonic motet, "Ista est speciosa," and some of his works are included in the famous 'A-la-mi-re Manuscripts,' which is a collection of polyphonic music from the early Renaissance.

Gascongne's music is notable for its expressive and harmonic richness, as well as its skillful manipulation of text setting. His sacred music is known for its straightforward, yet resonant and uplifting texts. One of his most well-known works is a parody mass based on the chanson "Se congié prens," which means 'if I take my leave.' This work is characterized by its simple yet effective manipulation of the melody and its text. It demonstrates Gascongne's ability to create beautiful and structured music while remaining faithful to the source material.

Although Gascongne's music is not as well-known as that of some of his contemporaries, he was highly respected in his time. He was also an important musical figure at the court of Francis I of France, which earned him many commissions. Through his compositions, Gascongne contributed significantly to the development of the French chanson and helped to cement the tradition of polyphonic music in France.