Name Jacob Senleches Role Composer | Died 1395 | |
Similar People Ferrara Ensemble, Crawford Young, Johannes Ciconia, Jacopo da Bologna, Guillaume de Machaut | ||
Jacob senleches virelai la harpe de melodie
Jacob Senleches (fl. 1382/1383 – 1395) (also Jacob de Senlechos [i.e. Senleches] and Jacopinus Senlesses) was a Franco-Flemish composer and harpist of the late Middle Ages. He composed in a style commonly known as the ars subtilior.
Contents
It has been suggested that Jacob Senleches was born in Senleches (or Sanlesches) in Cambrai, today France. In 1382, Senleches seems to have been present at the court of Eleanor of Aragon, Queen of Castile (d. September 1382), possibly in her service. In Fuions de ci, he laments Eleanor's death and resolves to seek his fortune either "en Aragon, en France ou en Bretaingne".
Afterwards, he is found in the service of Pedro de Luna, Cardinal of Aragon (later Antipope Benedict XIII, 1394–1423), as a harpist. There is a treasury document assigning payments to one "Jaquemin de Sanleches, juglar de harpe" from the royal household in Navarra dated August 21, 1383. The payment was made so that Jacquemin could return to "his master", Pedro de Luna.
Despite the small number of transmitted compositions, Jacob de Senleches is counted among the central personalities of Ars subtilior. He developed many distinctive rhythmic and notational innovations.
The texts deal mainly with himself and his career.
Works
Ballades:
Virelai
Media
Ballade Fuions de ci
Transcriptions
Corpus mensurabilis musicae Vol. 53 - French Secular Compositions I, Ascribed Compositions (1970)