
Jean-Valentin de Bournonville
c.1585 - 1632
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J.V. de Bournonville
Jean-Valentin de Bournonville (c.1585 - 27/05/1632) was one of the best organists and French composers in the reign of Louis XIII, born in Noyon. From 1612 he was director of music at various choir schools, in his last months at the Sainte-Chapelle, Paris. He mainly composed a cappella church music. His elegant counterpoint uses chanson -like lines, and his psalm and Magnificat settings are interesting for their thematic unity. His son Valentin (c.1610 - c.1663) was also a composer (his music, mainly sacred, is lost); another descendant, Jacques (c.1675 - after 1753), was a harpsichord teacher and composed sacred music.
Source:Grove's dictionary of music and musicians
Period:Late Renaissance
Composed in:1619
Musical form:mass
Text/libretto:Latin mass
There were hundreds of masses composed during the 17th Century as composers were eager to expand the range of musical expression. By contrast the 16th Centry Renaissance composers were slow to incorporate new musical styles. Some of the additions were an assimilation of concertato principles (Another name for concertino or concertante group in Baroque music which contained the solo instruments, or violins in contrast with the ripieno) and the use of basso continuo and equally rapidly incorporating instrumental forces. One example is Jean de Bournonville's requiem.
Author:Charles Cave
Early in the 17th century the Renaissance polyphonic style, in various modified forms, served for several decades as a principal medium for requiem composition. A fine example, in Palestrinian style, is G.F. Anerio's setting (published in 1614, and reprinted three times up to 1677), the introit of which reveals an elegant use of chant paraphrase. Similar in approach, but with more archaic cantus firmus treatment, are the expressive settings of two of Victoria's successors, Duarte Lobo (Officium defunctorum, 1603) and J.P. Pujol (requiem for four voices, before 1626). An important innovation, evident in a number of works, is the inclusion of an organ continuo part (with figured or unfigured bass), which allowed greater variations in texture and dynamics. Early examples include Aichinger's requiem (1615; D-As) and settings, from 1619, by Antonio Brunelli and Jean de Bournonville.
Author:Steven Chang-Lin Yu
His Requiem is for four six voices and is part of his Missae tredecim, quarum ultima pro defunctis, which was printed in Douai, in 1619.
Source:The new Grove dictionary of music and musicians
Contributor:Tassos Dimitriadis