Antoine de Févin

A contemporary of Josquin des Prez, the Franco-Flemish Antoine de Févin was a singer and composer at the court of Louis XII, particularly noted for his vocal and choral music. The son of an alderman, Févin was probably born in Arras around 1475, and he is thought to have become a priest and possibly earned a master's degree. His whereabouts and activities are uncertain until 1507, when he entered the service of the chapelle royale. He died around 1512 in Blois. In his short career, Févin composed upwards of 14 masses, 16 motets, and 17 chansons, among other choral works, and his music was widely circulated in Europe, though there is doubt about some of the attributions. Stylistically, his music shared much in common with Josquin's, though his use of free counterpoint and contrasting vocal duets with the full choir was innovative. ~ Blair Sanderson