Obrecht, Jacob (c. 1450–1505) Flemish composer

In 1476 Obrecht became master of the choristers at

Utrecht, then (1479–84) held the same post at the church

of St. Gertrude, Bergen-op-Zoom (probably his native

town), and at Cambrai cathedral (1484–85). He was ap-

pointed succentor at St. Donatien, Bruges, in 1486, and

became maître de chapelle there in 1490, after a visit to

Ferrara at the invitation of Duke Ercole I d’Este in 1487.

In 1494 he was employed at the church of Notre Dame in

Antwerp but in 1496 was again in Bergen-op-Zoom. After

further short spells in Antwerp and Bruges he retired in

1500, made a second trip to Ferrara in 1504, and died

there of the plague. As Duke Ercole d’Este’s invitation to

Obrecht testifies, he was greatly respected as a composer

in his day, regarded as second only to Josquin DES PRÉS.

Obrecht wrote some secular music, notably chansons

and arrangements of Dutch popular tunes, but is best

known for his writing of sacred music, in particular for

the Mass. Some 26 Masses survive, in which Obrecht uses

the cantus firmus in varying ways. Sometimes, as in the

Missa je ne demande, the melody on which the work is

based is segmented, while in the Missa sub tuum prae-

sidium the plainsong cantus firmus melody is joined pro-

gressively by three other borrowed melodies, all four

combining together in the Agnus Dei.

Ochino, Bernardino (1487–1564) Italian monk turned

reformer

Born in Siena, Ochino became a Franciscan and later

(1534) a Capuchin. Sensationally, he avoided an Inquisi-

tion summons to Rome in 1542 by fleeing to Geneva,

where he promoted evangelical Protestantism. After mov-

ing to England (1547), he preached to Italian exiles and

wrote a virulent attack on papal authority. However he

also rejected PREDESTINATION in Laberinti (Labyrinth;

Basle, 1561). On the accession of the Catholic Mary I he

became a pastor in Zürich, but in 1563 controversy over

his supposed countenance of polygamy made him flee

Switzerland. He died in exile in Slavkov (Moravia).

Ockeghem, Johannes (c. 1410–1497) Franco-Flemish

composer

The first mention of Ockeghem is as a singer at Notre

Dame, Antwerp, in 1443. It is thought that he studied

with BINCHOISand had connections with the ducal chapel

of Burgundy. He entered the employ of Charles, Duke of

Bourbon, around 1445, and was active in the court of King

Charles VII of France in 1453, being favored with the of-

fice of treasurer of the church of St. Martin-de-Tours. On

Charles VII’s death (1461) Ockeghem continued in the

service of Louis XI, and in 1463 became a canon at Notre

Dame, Paris. In 1470 he traveled to Spain as part of a

diplomatic retinue and sometime probably visited Italy. He

died in Paris, still in the service of the French court.

Even in his own day, Ockeghem was renowned as a

composer and as a singer. He wrote some secular works

(around 22 chansons in a traditional style survive), but it

is his sacred works, particularly his Masses, which are im-

portant. Although his output is comparatively low—10

complete Masses, some settings of the Ordinary, and a few

motets—he is regarded as one of the greatest composers of

the second half of the 15th century. The Masses are of two

kinds; those based on pre-existing material, like the Missa

L’homme armé, and those which are freely composed. In

both kinds smooth counterpoint is used to great effect,

with a skillful use of varied textures.

334466

O