Adrianus Petit Coclico
Encyclopedia
Adrianus Petit Coclico was a Netherlandish
composer of the Renaissance
.
but became a Protestant and left Flanders for Germany. The earliest known reference to him in official documents is at Wittenberg University
in 1545, and though he later claimed to have been a pupil of Josquin des Prez
and to have worked for Henry VIII
, the French royal court, and the Pope
, scholarship has not been able to substantiate any of these claims.
Coclico applied for a position as chair of music at Wittenberg, composing a lost piece on a text by Philipp Melanchthon
, in 1546; he was denied the position. He married about this time, though his wife soon left him, and his attempts to have the union dissolved were unsuccessful.
He then moved to Frankfurt an der Oder and founded a musicians' society with members of the circle of humanist Jodocus Willich. In poor financial straits, Coclico left Frankfurt for Stettin in 1547, where he was again denied a position; in September of that year he graduated from Königsberg University and entered into the service of the Duke of Prussia. Coclico was involved in religious disputes with Lutherans here, and claimed to have been imprisoned on account of his religion. Nevertheless, he was able to retain his post until 1550, at which time he was found to have sired a child with his housekeeper.
Coclico then moved to Nuremberg, where he taught students and had a collection of his motets, Consolationes piae, and a music theory
treatise, Compendium musices, published by Johannes Berg in 1552. Nothing is known of his subsequent whereabouts until 1555, when records show he was in Schwerin
; he had little luck finding work there, and moved on to Wismar
, where he held a position as a choirmaster for a short time. He lost this position after demanding too high a salary, and moved to Copenhagen
, where he became a singer and musician at the courts of Christian III and Marcellus Amersfortius. After the death of his wife, he remarried, and disappears from the court record books in September of 1562; it is assumed he died soon thereafter.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
composer of the Renaissance
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given that its defining characteristics were adopted only gradually; musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.Literally meaning...
.
Biography
Like many Renaissance composers, very little is known about Coclico's early life. He was raised CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
but became a Protestant and left Flanders for Germany. The earliest known reference to him in official documents is at Wittenberg University
Wittenberg University
Wittenberg University is a private four-year liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio serving 2,000 full-time students representing 37 states and approximately 30 foreign countries...
in 1545, and though he later claimed to have been a pupil of Josquin des Prez
Josquin Des Prez
Josquin des Prez [Josquin Lebloitte dit Desprez] , often referred to simply as Josquin, was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance...
and to have worked for Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, the French royal court, and the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, scholarship has not been able to substantiate any of these claims.
Coclico applied for a position as chair of music at Wittenberg, composing a lost piece on a text by Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems...
, in 1546; he was denied the position. He married about this time, though his wife soon left him, and his attempts to have the union dissolved were unsuccessful.
He then moved to Frankfurt an der Oder and founded a musicians' society with members of the circle of humanist Jodocus Willich. In poor financial straits, Coclico left Frankfurt for Stettin in 1547, where he was again denied a position; in September of that year he graduated from Königsberg University and entered into the service of the Duke of Prussia. Coclico was involved in religious disputes with Lutherans here, and claimed to have been imprisoned on account of his religion. Nevertheless, he was able to retain his post until 1550, at which time he was found to have sired a child with his housekeeper.
Coclico then moved to Nuremberg, where he taught students and had a collection of his motets, Consolationes piae, and a music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
treatise, Compendium musices, published by Johannes Berg in 1552. Nothing is known of his subsequent whereabouts until 1555, when records show he was in Schwerin
Schwerin
Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population, as of end of 2009, was 95,041.-History:...
; he had little luck finding work there, and moved on to Wismar
Wismar
Wismar , is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about 45 km due east of Lübeck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. Its natural harbour, located in the Bay of Wismar is well-protected by a promontory. The...
, where he held a position as a choirmaster for a short time. He lost this position after demanding too high a salary, and moved to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, where he became a singer and musician at the courts of Christian III and Marcellus Amersfortius. After the death of his wife, he remarried, and disappears from the court record books in September of 1562; it is assumed he died soon thereafter.
Works
- Consolationes piae: musica reservata (41 motets, Nuremberg, 1552)
- Disc bone clerices (4vv)
- Nulla quidem virtus (5vv)
- Si consurrexistis (8vv)
- Venite exultemus Domino (5vv)