Composers never let a good idea go to waste. This week’s example of borrowing is Guerrero’s Missa de la batalla escoutez, based on Janequin’s madrigal “La Guerre” - a Spanish mass setting based on a French madrigal about the Battle of Marignano in 1515.
Janequin: Le chant des oyseaulx
Last week’s battle sounds not your thing? Janequin was into many different musical sound effects, including bird calls! Definitely listen long enough to hear the cuckoo…
Janequin: La Guerre
Some of the most fantastic Early Music pieces are secular, written for occasions, like “La Guerre” by Clément Janequin, written to celebrate the Battle of Marignano. This piece is particularly famous for how Janequin used words and syllables to mimic the sounds of battle. Check out this amazing recording (and score) and follow along with the translation here.