- Jacob Senleches
Jacob Senleches (fl. 1382/1383 – 1395) (also Jacob Senlechos and Jacopinus Selesses) was a Franco-Flemish composer and harpist of the late Medieval era. He was one of the composers who worked in a style commonly known as the "
ars subtilior ".It has been suggested that Jacob Senleches has been born in
St. Luc nearEvreux , France (U. Günther) or in Senleches (or Sanlesches) inCambrai , today France (A. Tomasello). In 1382 he seems to have been present at the court of Eleanor of Castile (d. September 1382), possibly in her service. In "Fuions de ci" he laments the death of her and proclaims to seek his fortune either "en Aragon, en France ou en Bretaingne".Afterwards he is found in service of
Pedro de Luna , Cardinal of Aragon (laterPope Benedict XIII , 1394-1423), as a harpist. There is a treasury document assigning payments to one "Jaquemin de Sanleches, juglar de harpe" from the royal household in Navarra datedAugust 21 ,1383 . The payment is made so that Jacquemin may return to "his master", Pedro de Luna.A supplication to Benedict XIII in 1395 consists of a Jacob de Selesses asking for the
benefice attached to a parish church in thediocese of Cambrai .Despite the small number of transmitted compositions Jacob de Senleches is counted among the central personalities of "Ars subtilior." He developed mainly the rhythmic possibilities of the era.
The texts deal mainly with himself and his career.
Works
Ballades:
* "En attendant esperance"
* "Fuions de ci"
* "Je me merveil/ J'ay pluseurs fois"Virelai
* "En ce gracieux tamps"
* "La harpe de melodie "
* "Tel me voit"Media
Transcriptions
Corpus Mensurabilis Musicae Vol. 53 - French Secular Compositions I, Ascribed Compositions (1970)
References
*U. Günther - Jacob de Senleches; in: "New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians", Ed. Stanley Sadie, London, New York, Hong Kong, 1980.
*Jacob de Senleches; in: "Die Musik in Gegenwart und Geschichte", Personenteil, Ed. L. Finscher, Kassel, London, 2003/2.
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