Jean Mouton & the Early Christmas Carol

Born Jean de Hollingue circa 1459 near Boulogne-sur-Mer in northern France, Jean Mouton's first employment is thought to have been at the collegiate church in Saint Omer as both a singer and a teacher. The principle years of his compositional activity commencing about 1477, he went to Nesle where he was made choirmaster in 1483, also becoming a priest about that time. By 1501 he was choirmaster at the cathedral in Amiens. One thing that plants Mouton square in the high Renaissance is the inclusion of his chanson, 'James iames iames' in 'Canti A' of Octavio Petrucci's 'Harmonice Musices Odhecaton' of 1501. 'Odhecaton' is the first book of polyphonic scores produced via movable type in a three-step process, doing for musical scores what Guttenberg had for literature upon inventing the printing press circa 1440. Employed in Grenoble in 1502, in 1503 he entered into the service of Queen Ann of Brittany and King Louis XII, with which court he remained the rest of his life. Among numerous publications important to the period in which Mouton is included is Libri 1 (of 5) of Petrucci's 'Motetti de la corona' printed in 1514 [CPDL/ IMSLP/ LOC]. Unlike other Renaissance composers, Mouton traveled little, making only one trip to Italy, probably in latter 1515, to receive an award from Pope Leo X in Bologna for masses and motets Mouton had written. Toward the end of his life he may have assumed Loyset Compère's position as canon in Saint-Quentin upon Compère's death in 1518.

'James iames iames'   Chanson a 4 by Jean Mouton

Published in 'Canti A' of Petrucci's 'Odhecaton' of 1501

Instrumental by La Marina Renaissance Winds Ensemble

The stacking of Mouton below is per the earliest codex or publishing dates of which I'm aware. Such may or may not be in the vicinity of composing dates, perhaps several years apart. I've not considered composing dates at all as such are elusive. Passing over Mouton's Magnificats and Masses, samples below represent canons and Christmas caroles, both by which he distinguished himself and comprising his best-known works today. One of these canons was a stacked canon, that is, for multiple rather than single lines of music [Ian Davis]. The first to author a stacked canon was Johannes Ockeghem per 'Prenez sur moy' copied into the Copenhagen Chansonnier compiled 1469-73. Before those, however, it is well to introduce Mouton with a simple Marian motet, 'Ave Maria Virgo serena', as Mouton was a motet factory writing about five score of them. Where or when this was composed is less possible to say than when it was included in the Rusconi Codex I-Bc Q.19 compiled circa 1518. It was also included as No. 19 in the Cappella Sistina MS 26 compiled circa 1515-21. Part 1 of this motet for SATTB is 'Ave Maria Virgo serena'. Part 2 is 'Tu civitas regis justitiae'. Of Mouton's eight motets written for five voices 'Ave Maria Virgo serena' is the only that isn't canonical or based on a cantus firmus differing from other voices, its counterpoint being by simple vehicle of its imitative chant text [Macey].

'Ave Maria Virgo serena'   Part 1   Marian motet by Jean Mouton

Included in the 'Rusconi Codex' c 1518 & the 'Cappella Sistina' c 1520

Performed by the Ensemble Jachet de Mantoue

As mentioned, currently among Mouton's more favored works are his Christmas motets, 'Nesciens mater virgo virum' perhaps his greatest of these. Hymns considering the birth of Jesus probably emerged not long after his death. The earliest documented, however, is Ambrose of Milan's 'Veni redemptor gentium' composed in the fourth century in which Jesus' birth of a virgin is attested. This was when Arianism denied equality of the Son with the Father. Greek for "choice" is "haeresis" and Arianism which denied the Trinity was hardly the first so-called heresy to arise, Gnosticism, for example, likely surfacing not long after Jesus' crucifixion.

As for caroling, that may well have root in circle or chain dances, pagan or otherwise, prior to 1000 in England, though the term is French and seen as early as Chrétien de Troyes' Arthurian 'Erec and Enide' of circa 1170. The Latin Christmas carol of the Roman Church would quickly escape the cathedral upon Protestants getting into the act. It was during Mouton's lifetime that Martin Luther published his 'Ninety-five Theses' in 1517, the mysteries of Latin out, the clarity of sacred texts printed in one's own language deemed as something like cataract surgery (which itself goes as far back as the 6th century B.C. in a hazardous operation called couching). Of the numerous hymns that Luther himself authored between 1523 and 1541 three considered the nativity of Mary, making them "Christmas" themed though not Christ Masses (Missae), for the Roman Catholic Mass is the somber partaking of the Eucharist in observation of the death sacrifice of Jesus, not a joyous celebration of his birth. The first Lutheran hymnal, 'Achtliederbuch' ('Eight-songs-book') was published in 1524 including four hymns by Luther.

Mouton had been about age nineteen when the Spanish Inquisition began in 1478, headed by Pope Sixtus IV with Spanish monarchs, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II, with the objective to maintain orthodoxy against heresies in the Church, Islam, Judaism or superstitions in general. The first victims to the Inquisition of Luther's Reformation were Johannes van Esschen and Hendrik Vos, two Augustinian monks who refused to renounce their conversion to Luther's Protestant interpretation of the Bible. They were burned at the stake on 1 July 1523 in Brussels, after which Luther composed what is said to be his first hymn in their honor, a banquet song in their honor titled 'Ein neues Lied wir heben an' ('A New Song We Begin'). This was published in what is thought to be the debut Protestant choral hymn book, 'Eyn geystlich Gesangk Buchleyn', printed by Johann Walter in 1524 with a preface by Luther. Luther wrote 'Ein neues Lied wir heben an' for solo voice. Carols among his hymns include 'Christum wir sollen loben schon' and 'Vom Himmel kam der Engel Schar'. Below is 'Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her' composed in 1534. That was text set to the popular secular melody of 'Ich kumm aus frembden Landen her' (Zahn 345). Luther later composed his own melody in 1439 (Zahn 346).

'Ein neues Lied wir heben an'    Solemn tribute for solo voice by Martin Luther

First hymn credited to Luther 1523

Instrumental arrangement performed by Willem Ceuleers / Aline Hopchet / Piet Van Steenbergen

'Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her'    Joyous Christmas carol by Martin Luther   1534 / 1539

Melody is 'Ich kumm aus frembden Landen her' if this is Zahn 345

Melody is by Luther if this is Zahn 346

SWR Vokalensemble directed by Marcus Creed   2012

Album by various: 'Weihnachtsliede ('Carols') Vol. 1 Carus 2021

Returning to Mouton's earlier 'Nesciens mater virgo virum', among his numerous canons this is distinguished as a quadruple canon for eight voices, four imitative at a fifth interval two bars in above four notative. 'Nesciens mater' was written for the Octave of the Nativity of Mary, an eight-day feast from 25 December to 2 January. The later Christmas carol, 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' refers to Christmastide, also Twelvetide, begun on 25 December depending on the church observing it, up to the commencement of the Feast of the Epiphany on 6 January depending on the church observing it. But 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' wouldn't see publishing in England until about 1780 in 'Mirth Without Mischief'. This carol had nothing to do with the birth of Jesus and everything to do with a nameless "true love" generous with birds. Nor did it arrive of sacred sources, composed by anonymous parties and sung in taverns from where it likely got its lyrics. But that was three centuries ahead of Mouton's considerably more sober 'Nesciens mater' which found its way into the Medici Codex I-Fl MS Acquisti e doni 666 probably compiled as a gift to Lorenzo de' Medici II and Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne for their wedding on 13 June 1518. Mouton is thought to have been in charge of that project.

'Nesciens mater virgo virum peperit'    Christmas canon 8 ex 4 by Jean Mouton

'Knowing not a man the virgin mother'

Included in the 'Medici Codex' compiled 1518

Monteverdi Choir directed by Sir John Eliot Gardiner

'Noe noe noe psallite noe Jerusalem' ('Noel, noel, noel, sing noel') is another early carole celebrating the nativity of Jesus. 'Noe noe noe psallite noe' was published in Octavio Petrucci's 2nd volume of four of 'Motetti de la corona' in 1519. It also saw print in Paris in Book 2 of Pierre Attaingnant's 'Motettorum' of 1534.

'Noe noe noe psallite noe Jerusalem'    Christmas motet by Jean Mouton

Published in the 'Motetti de la corona' 1519 & 'Motettorum' c 1534

The Trio Musica Humana & the Ensemble Clément Janequin directed by Dominique Visse

'En venant de Lyon' ('Returning from Lyon') is a secular chanson and stacked canon for four voices. In this stacked canon the first voice is imitated at a fourth interval above. A third voice enters at a fourth interval above that, which is the seventh of the first. This touchy work for SATB was published in Andrea Antico's 'Motetti novi et chanzoni franciose a quatro sopra doi' in 1520.

'En venant de Lyon'    Stacked canon by Jean Mouton

Published in 'Motetti novi et chanzoni franciose a quatro sopra doi'   1520

Performed on recorders by MrFabio58

'Quaeramus cum pastoribus' is a Christmas motet for SATB among Mouton's best-known works. This was published in Antico's 'Motetti libro primo' circa 1520.

'Quaeramus cum pastoribus'    Christmas motet by Jean Mouton

Published as No. 12 in 'Motetti libro primo'   c 1520

Performed a 6 by the Bellefield Singers   Album: 'Attende Domine'   2021

Mouton died in Saint-Quentin on 30 Oct 1522. Most of Mouton's work is thought to have survived to include 9 Magnificats, 15 masses, 20 chansons (secular) and above 100 motets (sacred). Though not so well known today as other Renaissance composers, Mouton's was a major name in sacred music at his time. As for Christmas carols, though not a few would later have secular sources, the original of the Catholic Church considered the birth of Jesus in the Nativity of Mary as observed in the Octave of Christmas from 25 December to January 2. The twelve days of Christmastide which also begin on 25 December extend to the Feast of the Epiphany starting on January 6 in which the three Magi are considered, known as the Theophany in the Eastern Orthodox Church. 'We Three Kings' later written by John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857 would not have fit the category of a proper Christmas carol in Mouton's time.