Surname
Villette
Given Name
Jean
Variant Name
Villecte
Role
Musician
Active period
1440 - 1454
Institution
Chapelle ducale de Savoie
Biography
Sur Jacques Villette : Atlas1985, p. 43-44, 46-47, 56, 97 Bouquet-Boyer1968, p. 285
Bradley 1992, p. 136-140
1440-1450
Immediately at the beginning of the decade, the names of new performers began to appear in the registers. Included in the list of chaplains receiving robes in 1440 is the Benedictine, Frere Guillaume Pureaz (alias Guillaume Poree or Guillaume Le Moyne), a tenor, present con-
121. Augusta Lange, "Une Lettre du Duc Louis de Savoie au Duc de Bourgogne a propos de Guillaume Dufay," Centre europeen d'etudes burgondo-medians, Publication IX (1967), pp. 103-5. The dukes of Burgundy and Savoy had takeTI positions on opposite sides of the struggle within the Church between Pope Eugenius IV on one hand, and the Council of Basel on the other. The Council had elected Amadeus VIII of Savoy pope (Felix V), and not surprisingly was supported in this by the duchy of Savoy. Burgundy, however, supported Eugenius. It appears that Dufay feared being caught up in this disagreement between his powerful patrons.
Chapter III 137
tinuously at the court of Savoy from 1440 until 1459. 122 In the same year, the documents indicate that two anonymous singers were newly arrived. 123 These could have been Villete, cantor, and Johannes Clisse (sometimes called Clipse, or Esclipse) since the next list encountered in the registers, that of January 1441, mentions tl~eir names for the first time .124 Johannes Clisse must have joined the chapel in 1440, because on 30 November he was paid thirty florins for one year's salary.125 He was active in the chapel until 1463. 126 By August of 1440 a second singer, also named Villete, had joined the group. 127 By January of 1442, the chapel included: 128
Mess. Janin
Mess. Herlin Fustien *
Mess. Pierre Brun
Mess. Jaques Andrenet [Chantre de SyonJ *
Frere Guillaume Ie Moyne [Pureaz] *
Le petit Villete *
Jehan Clisse *
Mess. Vautellin [Gauthier de PernesJ *
Anthoine Mestralet *
122. Bouquet, "La cappella," p. 284.
123. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #87, 87r [document #703J.
124. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #87, 141r [document #704J.
125. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #87, 141r [document #704J.
126. See also Bouquet, "La cappella," p. 283.
127. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #87, 81v-82v [document #706J.
128. A. S. Turin, Inv. 16 #88, 162r-162v [document #708J.
Chapter III 138
Pierre Barbier
Le grant Villete *
Mess. Guillot *
Henry Bisole
Documents from 1442 and 1443 refer to Herlin Fustien as magister capelle domini, the first to be so named after Dufay's departure in 1439. 129 He may actually have assumed the title somewhat earlier: since in the autumn of 1441 he ----~ .... _~ .&:.: .... - .LC,-C..&.VC\.A. ~.J..vc aunes of cloth as a reward for having "made" certain books for the chapel. The care of books for that body was a task which in general fell to chapel masters. 130 His administrative role is further indicated in 1443, when Herlin was responsible to buy certain items (ccrrees [?]) for three petis chantres, presumably choirboys, who had very recently been taken into the duke's employ. Herlin was one of two people sent to recruit new singers, implying that his duties as chapelmaster entailed musical as well as administrative talents. Le grant Villete and Le petit Villete in the above list are the singers Johannes (Le grand) and Jacobus (Le
129. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #88, 408r [document #951]; #90. 90v-91r [document #953].
130. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #87, 55r [document #949]. Tomasello, Music and Ritual, pp. 79-81, points out that chapel masters at the papal court in Avignon were charged with the care of books for the chapel as early as 1353. Wright, Burgundy, p. 75, indicates the same practice at Burgundy some years later, when the premier chapellain cared for the service books from which the choir sang.
Chapter III 139
petit) who were active at Savoy through the 1440's, although both were absent during the period 1442-45. Past musicological references almost universally assume that Jacob was the son of Johannes, although the documents state repeatedly that they were brothers. 131 There is nothing to indicate that either was a priest: and Augusta Lange has pointed out that Johannes was married. 132 Johannes was involved with -the Savoyard chapel until at least 1454, whereas Jacobus continued in the duke's employ
until 1466. 133 It is entirely likely that the Jacobus de Villete who was active at the Aragonese court of Naples in
131. See, for example, A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #88, 164v [document #710]; but see also Dufour and Rabut, Les Musiciens, p. 38. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #88, 469r [document #709]. A single reference from January 1442 names a Jacobus Villete junior among the members of the chapel, opening the possibility that there may have been a third Villete, the son of one or the other of the brothers, although there is nothing further in the documents to support this. I am more inclined to think that the sobriquets "grand" and "petit" that were used to differentiate the singers result from Johannes's ("grand") being older than Jacobus ("petit"). The term "junior" meaning "the younger," simply reflects this age relationship between them.
132. Augusta Lange, "Martin le Franc recteur de SaintGervais a Geneve et les fresques de cette eglise," Centre europeen d'etudes burgondo-medianes, Publication IX (1967), p. 101, n. 15. In October 1451 Jean (i.e., Johannes] de Villete and his wife Giana de Dorthens were awarded the possessions of Flora de Lys, who had been condemned to death for poisoning one Taurino Palluel.
133. Bouquet, "La cappella," p. 285.
Chap~er III 140
1473 is the singer who was employed at savoy.134 The chapel continued to grow during the period after 1442. In November of the following year, the documents mention for the first time Jehan Seignieux, master of the enfants de chapelle, and three children: 135
Jehan Reigni~~~
Jehan Dortoni~O
Jehan Condre
This is the first mention of either choirboys or their master since 1434. Negotiations were also afoot to bring new adult singers into the ensemble. In 1444, Guillaume Pureaz was given the job of travelling to Flanders and Germany ad querendum alios cantores pro capella domini. 137 Likewise in the same year, Berlin Fustien received twenty-five ducats for horses bought at Cambrai to transport duos cantores, videlicet dictus Fonteyne [Johannes Fontayne] et eius socio from Gressus (near Cambrai?) to Geneva, where
134. Atlas, Naples, p. 43. The possibility that he was a minor composer is discussed in Chapter V.
Bradley 1992, p. 136-140
1440-1450
Immediately at the beginning of the decade, the names of new performers began to appear in the registers. Included in the list of chaplains receiving robes in 1440 is the Benedictine, Frere Guillaume Pureaz (alias Guillaume Poree or Guillaume Le Moyne), a tenor, present con-
121. Augusta Lange, "Une Lettre du Duc Louis de Savoie au Duc de Bourgogne a propos de Guillaume Dufay," Centre europeen d'etudes burgondo-medians, Publication IX (1967), pp. 103-5. The dukes of Burgundy and Savoy had takeTI positions on opposite sides of the struggle within the Church between Pope Eugenius IV on one hand, and the Council of Basel on the other. The Council had elected Amadeus VIII of Savoy pope (Felix V), and not surprisingly was supported in this by the duchy of Savoy. Burgundy, however, supported Eugenius. It appears that Dufay feared being caught up in this disagreement between his powerful patrons.
Chapter III 137
tinuously at the court of Savoy from 1440 until 1459. 122 In the same year, the documents indicate that two anonymous singers were newly arrived. 123 These could have been Villete, cantor, and Johannes Clisse (sometimes called Clipse, or Esclipse) since the next list encountered in the registers, that of January 1441, mentions tl~eir names for the first time .124 Johannes Clisse must have joined the chapel in 1440, because on 30 November he was paid thirty florins for one year's salary.125 He was active in the chapel until 1463. 126 By August of 1440 a second singer, also named Villete, had joined the group. 127 By January of 1442, the chapel included: 128
Mess. Janin
Mess. Herlin Fustien *
Mess. Pierre Brun
Mess. Jaques Andrenet [Chantre de SyonJ *
Frere Guillaume Ie Moyne [Pureaz] *
Le petit Villete *
Jehan Clisse *
Mess. Vautellin [Gauthier de PernesJ *
Anthoine Mestralet *
122. Bouquet, "La cappella," p. 284.
123. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #87, 87r [document #703J.
124. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #87, 141r [document #704J.
125. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #87, 141r [document #704J.
126. See also Bouquet, "La cappella," p. 283.
127. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #87, 81v-82v [document #706J.
128. A. S. Turin, Inv. 16 #88, 162r-162v [document #708J.
Chapter III 138
Pierre Barbier
Le grant Villete *
Mess. Guillot *
Henry Bisole
Documents from 1442 and 1443 refer to Herlin Fustien as magister capelle domini, the first to be so named after Dufay's departure in 1439. 129 He may actually have assumed the title somewhat earlier: since in the autumn of 1441 he ----~ .... _~ .&:.: .... - .LC,-C..&.VC\.A. ~.J..vc aunes of cloth as a reward for having "made" certain books for the chapel. The care of books for that body was a task which in general fell to chapel masters. 130 His administrative role is further indicated in 1443, when Herlin was responsible to buy certain items (ccrrees [?]) for three petis chantres, presumably choirboys, who had very recently been taken into the duke's employ. Herlin was one of two people sent to recruit new singers, implying that his duties as chapelmaster entailed musical as well as administrative talents. Le grant Villete and Le petit Villete in the above list are the singers Johannes (Le grand) and Jacobus (Le
129. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #88, 408r [document #951]; #90. 90v-91r [document #953].
130. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #87, 55r [document #949]. Tomasello, Music and Ritual, pp. 79-81, points out that chapel masters at the papal court in Avignon were charged with the care of books for the chapel as early as 1353. Wright, Burgundy, p. 75, indicates the same practice at Burgundy some years later, when the premier chapellain cared for the service books from which the choir sang.
Chapter III 139
petit) who were active at Savoy through the 1440's, although both were absent during the period 1442-45. Past musicological references almost universally assume that Jacob was the son of Johannes, although the documents state repeatedly that they were brothers. 131 There is nothing to indicate that either was a priest: and Augusta Lange has pointed out that Johannes was married. 132 Johannes was involved with -the Savoyard chapel until at least 1454, whereas Jacobus continued in the duke's employ
until 1466. 133 It is entirely likely that the Jacobus de Villete who was active at the Aragonese court of Naples in
131. See, for example, A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #88, 164v [document #710]; but see also Dufour and Rabut, Les Musiciens, p. 38. A.S. Turin, Inv. 16 #88, 469r [document #709]. A single reference from January 1442 names a Jacobus Villete junior among the members of the chapel, opening the possibility that there may have been a third Villete, the son of one or the other of the brothers, although there is nothing further in the documents to support this. I am more inclined to think that the sobriquets "grand" and "petit" that were used to differentiate the singers result from Johannes's ("grand") being older than Jacobus ("petit"). The term "junior" meaning "the younger," simply reflects this age relationship between them.
132. Augusta Lange, "Martin le Franc recteur de SaintGervais a Geneve et les fresques de cette eglise," Centre europeen d'etudes burgondo-medianes, Publication IX (1967), p. 101, n. 15. In October 1451 Jean (i.e., Johannes] de Villete and his wife Giana de Dorthens were awarded the possessions of Flora de Lys, who had been condemned to death for poisoning one Taurino Palluel.
133. Bouquet, "La cappella," p. 285.
Chap~er III 140
1473 is the singer who was employed at savoy.134 The chapel continued to grow during the period after 1442. In November of the following year, the documents mention for the first time Jehan Seignieux, master of the enfants de chapelle, and three children: 135
Jehan Reigni~~~
Jehan Dortoni~O
Jehan Condre
This is the first mention of either choirboys or their master since 1434. Negotiations were also afoot to bring new adult singers into the ensemble. In 1444, Guillaume Pureaz was given the job of travelling to Flanders and Germany ad querendum alios cantores pro capella domini. 137 Likewise in the same year, Berlin Fustien received twenty-five ducats for horses bought at Cambrai to transport duos cantores, videlicet dictus Fonteyne [Johannes Fontayne] et eius socio from Gressus (near Cambrai?) to Geneva, where
134. Atlas, Naples, p. 43. The possibility that he was a minor composer is discussed in Chapter V.
Bibliography
Bradley 1992