Josquin, El Grillo
Josquin Desprez (c. 1450–1455-1521) is one of the most important composer of the middle Renaissance. His life history is riddled with gaps and uncertainties as he moved through various posts in the Low Countries, France, and Italy. Born in French-speaking Flanders (today’s Belgium), he served for a time in the court of French King Louis XI. He inherited a substantial sum of money around 1473 and entered the service of Cardinal Ascanio Sforza in Milan. He was among many Franco-Flemish composers of that time who migrated to Italy. These became known as “I fiamminghi” or “Oltremontani” (those from over the Alps). In 1489 he became a singer in the Papal Choir in Rome and sometime thereafter he was ordained as a priest. Josquin eventually returned to northern France around 1503 and took up his final post at Condé-sur-l’Escaut.
Josquin earns his place in music history primarily through his contrapuntal masses and motets. We featured the Kyrie from his Missa Pange lingua in this series. But El grillo, a short whimsical song about crickets, is probably his most popular work. It was likely composed around 1499 while Josquin was still in Italy. It is a frottola, a form of secular song popular in Italy in the late 15th century. Frottole were usually written for four voices in a predominantly homophonic texture with the melody in the top voice. They served as a forerunner to the Italian madrigal.
| El grillo è buon cantore, Che tienne longo verso, Dalle beve grillo canta. |
The cricket is a good singer Who can hold a long note. Of drinking the cricket sings. |
| Ma non fa come gli altri uccelli, Come li han cantato un poco, Van’ de fatto in altro loco Sempre el grillo sta pur saldo, |
But he doesn’t do what birds do: After they have sung a bit, They go somewhere else. The cricket always stays put, And when the weather is hottest He sings solely for love. |
| El grillo è buon cantore, Che tienne longo verso, Dalle beve grillo canta. |
The cricket is a good singer Who can hold a long note. Of drinking the cricket sings. |
What a treat!!! I did not realize that the song would be a representation of the subject.
Eager to share this piece and the lyrics with my boys!!
(Will pair well with remembrances of The Cricket in Times Square)!