Alexander Agricola

Score of Agricola's Fortem Virili

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Alexander Agricola was born Alexander Ackerman circa 1457-58 in Netherlands. He composed sacred music like motets and secular chansons in the manner of the Franco-Flemish School (not a literal institution, but a loose group of composers and performers sharing the area during the Renaissance). He also wrote several Masses as well as lamentations and Magnificats. Agricola owns the distinction of being a composer of the High Renaissance (1490-1527). He was also a viol player who composed numerous pieces for the instrument. As music developed from the earlier Burgundian School toward the high Renaissance, which the Franco-Flemish School bridged, both instrumental music would start to get composed for its own sake (rather than only supportive of voice) and free form would begin to break away from the long wedding to formes fixes (ballad, rondeau, virilai).

Agricola's life is vaporous to behold at best, at least to myself. Earliest records discover him a singer for Duke Sforza in Milan, Italy, in 1471. He is thought to have been hired by Lorenzo de' Medici in 1474. From that time onward little is known about him but that he divided his time between Cambrai in the Low Countries (1476), the French Court and Naples. In 1500 he found patronage in Philip the Handsome, Duke of Burgundy, who became the first Habsburg King of Castile in 1506 as Philip I. Serving Philip saw Agricola twice in Spain in 1501 and 1506. Among associates while with Philip was composer, Pierre de la Rue.

All hope abandon who would attempt a chronological stack of Agricola according to when titles were composed or first performed. For which reason works below are listed roughly by the earliest publishing dates that I have found. Titles published in about the same time frame are listed alphabetically by their incipits as rendered in DIAMM. "MSS" points to the earliest codex or manuscript compilation of songs in which the work is published. Dates herein refer to the earliest estimated creations of such books, generally made for royalty, and account not for later editions and codices.

Chansons by Agricola may have seen transcription as early as 1479 in the Biblioteca Casanatense Ms. 2856 compiled circa 1479-1481 and later. One of these was 'Ay je rien fait contre vous' ('J'ay vyenes') composed for the standard three voices alike 'In Minen Sin' appearing in the same codex. Agricola later based his 'Missa In Minen Sin' on that song. The Biblioteca Casanatense was made in Ferrara as a present to Isabella d'Esté upon her childhood betrothal (6 years old) to Francesco (age 14) in 1480. Francesco became Marquess of Mantua in 1484 after which the couple married on 11 February 1490, Isabella age fifteen. The Pixérécourt Chansonnier, below, was written in Florence and is housed in Paris. The Biblioteca Riccardiana was transcribed circa 1480-85 in Florence where it is housed. Please see DIAMM, above, for information in greater depth on books of manuscripts mentioned herein.

'Ay je rien fait contre vous'   Chanson by Alexander Agricola

'Ay I do nothing against you'

MSS: Biblioteca Casanatense I-Rc Ms. 2856 compiled c 1479-81

MSS: Pixérécourt Chansonnier F-Pnm Français 15123 compiled c 1480-84

MSS: Biblioteca Riccardiana I-Fr Ms. 2356 compiled c 1480-85

Ensemble Unicorn directed by Michael Posch

Album: 'Art & Music: Da Vinci - Music of His Time'  2003

'In Minen Sin ('To My Delight')   Chanson by Alexander Agricola

MSS: Biblioteca Casanatense I-Rc Ms. 2856 compiled c 1479-81

The Egidius Kwartet

Another title entered into the Biblioteca Riccardiana I-Fr Ms. 2356 between circa 1480 and 1485 is 'L'heure est venue de me plaindre', a motet-chanson combination in which the lowest voice sings sacred text in Latin while two higher voices sing secular text in French. Composition in some manner mixing the sacred with the secular, such as in Masses, arose with the Burgundian composers. What consternation this may have wrought for some, there was now no going back. It was the Renaissance, during which "going back" meant ancient Greece in humanist thought, and to which "classical" in classical music fundamentally refers into the romantics up to around Impressionism. 'L'heure est venue' was also entered into the GB-Lbl Royal 20 A. xvi circa 1483-88 probably for Louis d'Orléans, later King Louis XII, and is housed in London.

'L'heure est venue de me plaindre'   Motet-chanson by Alexander Agricola

'The time has come to complain'

MSS: Biblioteca Riccardiana I-Fr Ms. 2356 compiled c 1480-85

MSS: Biblioteca Riccardiana I-Fr Ms. 2794 compiled by 1488

MSS: BGB-Lbl Royal 20 A. xvi compiled c 1483-88

Graindelavoix

Other songs copied into the GB-Lbl Royal 20 A. xvi of circa 1483-88 are 'A la mignonne de fortune', 'Je n'ai deuil' and 'Soit loing ou pres tousjours me souviendra', the last a quatrain set with a rondeau in which word painting is deployed between notes and text.

'A la mignonne de fortune'   Motet-chanson by Alexander Agricola

'To the pretty of fortune'

MSS: BGB-Lbl Royal 20 A. xvi compiled c 1483-88

MSS: Biblioteca Riccardiana I-Fr Ms. 2794 compiled by 1488

MSS: BD-B MS Mus. 40021 in Berlin compiled c 1485-1500

Ensemble Unicorn

'Je n'ai deuil'   Chanson for four voices by Alexander Agricola

'I've no mourning'

MSS: BGB-Lbl Royal 20 A. xvi compiled c 1483-88

Fretwork   Countertenor: Michael Chance

'Soit loing ou pres tousjours me souviendra'   Rondeau by Alexander Agricola

'Whether far or near I will always remember'

MSS: BGB-Lbl Royal 20 A. xvi compiled c 1483-88

MSS: Biblioteca Riccardiana I-Fr Ms. 2794 compiled by 1488

Ensemble Unicorn directed by Michael Posch

Album: 'Fortuna Desperata'  1999

One could assume that Agricola composed his favored motet, 'Salve Regina I', before 'Salve Regina II'. One could also assume it had been published first, though that occasion I've not identified. Dates available to me have 'Salve Regina II' appearing in the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin D-B MS Mus. 40021 sometime circa 1485-1500. DIAMM identifies 'Salve Regina I' only in the 'Koninklijke Bibliotheek' / 'Bibliothèque Royale' (KBR) B-Br MS 9126 of 1505, compiled and housed in Brussels.

'Salve Regina I'   Marian motet by Alexander Agricola

'Hail Holy Queen'

MSS: KBR B-Br MS 9126 compiled by 1505

Ensemble Musica Nova directed by Lucien Kandel   Abbey of Royaumont   France

'Salve Regina II'   Marian motet by Alexander Agricola

'Hail Holy Queen'

MSS: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin D-B MS Mus. 40021 compiled c 1485-1500

Huelgas Ensemble directed by Paul Van Nevel

As mentioned above, upon approaching the high Renaissance the role of instruments in music opened up from centuries of compositions for voice alone toward works purposed for instruments alone. Secular music had been written to be sung, instruments like the lute having a supportive role. Music for the Church was written exclusively for voice. Agricola was among the new breed who composed instrumentals, voice not requisite. As well, parts of 'Caecus non iudicat' break away from fomes fixes with early use of fantasia, that is, free form. Philippe de Vitry (1291-1361), whose absence from the VF History is glaring, developed all three of the formes fixes (ballade, rondeau, virilai) in the 14th century. But it was Guillaume de Machaut (c 1300-1377) whose pursuit of them established them as main forms of secular music in Europe. The entrance into music of independent fantasia may be more appreciated if one roughly figure about 170 years from the commencement of formes fixes to about the time that 'Caecus non iudicat' was published. The Apel Codex may have been produced in Leipzig where it is shelved. All of the codices listed under 'Et qui la Dira' (for voice) below were compiled in Florence, the Medici Chansonnier in particular in 1492-94 for Giuliano de' Medici, Duke of Nemours. Agricola wrote five versions (I-V) of Hayne van Ghizeghem's greatly popular 'De tous bien plaine' published in various codices. The Basevi Codex below was made in Brussels circa 1508, now housed in Florence. That was likely preceded, however, by a more indelible proof of high Renaissance publication via the inclusion of one those versions in 'Canti C' (1504) of Octavio Petrucci's 'Harmonice Musices Odhecaton' (ODH) of 1501, the first book of polyphonic scores printed via movable type and a major achievement that would make sheet music possible. The first scores printed in a book via movable type had been Ulrich Han's publication of 'Missale Romanum' in 1476. But that was for only one voice on a single staff. Han included a few books on music among the many that he printed, but he left specializing in the field to Petrucci. Titles by Agricola had also been included in Petrucci's 'Canti A' of 1501 and 'Canti B' of 1502.

'Caecus non iudicat de coloribus'   Instrumental by Alexander Agricola

'The blind cannot judge colors'

Part 1 of 2 of 'Caecus non iudicat'   (Part 2 =  'Gaude virgo singularis')

MSS: Apel Codex D-LEu MS 1494 (Universitätsbibliothek) compiled c 1490-1504

Graindelavoix directed by Björn Schmelzer   Recorded Feb 2010

Album: 'Cecus: Colours, Blindness and Memorial'

'Et qui la dira'   Chanson for 3 voices by Alexander Agricola

'And who will tell'

MSS: I-Fn MS Magl. XIX.178 compiled in Florence c 1492-93

MSS: I-Fn MS Banco Rari 229 compiled in Florence 1492-93

MSS: Medici Chansonnier compiled in Florence 1492-93

Unicorn Ensemble directed by Michael Posch

'De tous bien plaine est ma maistresse' Version II   Instrumental by Alexander Agricola

'Of all good merit is my mistress'

Original comp by Hayne no later than 1472

Pub: Canti C of Petrucci's ODH   1504

MSS: Basevi Codex I-Fc MS Basevi 2439 compiled 1506-1514

Fretwork   Countertenor: Michael Chance

Album: 'Alexander Agricola: Chansons'

Of sacred works by Agricola, 'Missa In Minen Sin' is a Mass set with his earlier secular chanson, 'In Missen Sin' published around 1479. This Mass is discovered in two sources, both in which the Kyrie is missing. The Chigi Codex was compiled circa 1498-1503 for courtier to Philip the Handsome of Burgundy, Philippe Bouton. It also got high Renaissance treatment in Petrucci's 'Misse Alexandri Agricola' of 1504. His motet, 'Ave domina sancta Maria', had seen publishing by Petrucci in 1503 and was included in several later codices.

'Agnus Dei' from 'Missa In Minen Sin'  Alexander Agricola

MSS: Chigi Codex V-CVbav MS Chigi C.VIII.234 compiled c 1498-1503

Pub: Petrucci's Misse Alexandri Agricola of 1504

Capilla Flamenca directed by Dirk Snellings

'Ave domina sancta Maria'  Marian motet by Alexander Agricola

'Hail holy lady Mary'  Marian motet by Alexander Agricola

Pub: Petrucci's Motetti B of 1503

Capella Sancti Michaelis

Almost all of Agricola's secular songs were for three voices, one exception being his version of 'Fortuna Desperata' for ATTTBB, that an Italian madrigal credited without certainty to Antoine Busnois circa 1470. Like Hayne's 'De tous bien plaine' above, 'Fortuna Desperata' was a classic of the period for which numerous composers would write variations for years to come. Agricola's version was included in the D-As MS 2° 142a made in Augsburg, Germany, where it is stored. His song for three voices, 'Adieu M'Amour', came in versions I and II, both entered into the Basevi Codex sometime between 1506 and 1514.

'Fortuna desperata iniqua e maledecta'   Song for ATTTBB by Alexander Agricola

Original comp ostensibly credited to Antoine Busnois

'Desperate fate iniquitous and maledicted'

MSS: D-As MS 2° 142a compiled 1505-14

Graindelavoix directed by Björn Schmelzer   Recorded Feb 2010

Album: 'Cecus: Colours, Blindness and Memorial'

'Adieu M'Amour I'   Song for 3 voices by Alexander Agricola

MSS: Basevi Codex I-Fc MS Basevi 2439 compiled c 1508

Ensemble Unicorn directed by Michael Posch   1999

'Adieu M'Amour II'   Song for 3 voices by Alexander Agricola

MSS: Basevi Codex I-Fc MS Basevi 2439 compiled c 1508

Ensemble Unicorn directed by Michael Posch   1999

By the last decade of the 15th century Agricola was highly regarded throughout Europe. Yet all too brief would be his experience of fame, for the bubonic plague didn't care about the high Renaissance and killed him on 15 August 1506 while under Philip in Valladolid, Spain. The lament in his honor followed by a (possibly) anonymous musician of the Spanish Court, 'Why Do You Weep?'.