Alexander Agricola

Alexander Agricola was a Flemish composer who lived from c.1446 to 1506. He was one of the most prominent composers of the late 15th century and is considered a master of the Franco-Flemish polyphonic style. He was born in the town of Ghent in what is now Belgium. As a young man, he travelled and worked in Italy, France, and the Netherlands, gaining a reputation as a skilled composer. In 1474, he became a singer in the chapel of Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy, one of the most prestigious musical establishments of the time.

Agricola's compositional output includes masses, motets, chansons, and instrumental works. His masses demonstrate his mastery of counterpoint and his ability to weave complex polyphonic textures. Pieces like the Missa “Je ne demande” and the Missa “Salve sancta parens” are considered among his finest works in this genre. His chansons, or French secular songs, also display his technical prowess. Compositions like Allons, allons, mon cœur and Tandernaken showcase his melodic gifts and his handling of text-setting. His instrumental works, including keyboard pieces and arrangements of vocal works, further demonstrate his versatility as a composer. Throughout his career, Agricola maintained close ties to the Burgundian court and its musical traditions. His style reflects the rich, sonorous polyphony that characterized the Franco-Flemish school of the late 15th century. Agricola's music was widely disseminated and influential, helping to shape the development of Renaissance music.

Today, Alexander Agricola is recognized as a pivotal figure in the transition from the medieval to the Renaissance eras of Western classical music. His innovative and technically sophisticated compositions continue to be studied and performed by scholars and musicians alike.

There are no known portraits of this composer. The ones that are commonly used to depict him on CD covers and the like are actually the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrait_of_Folco_Portinari Portrait of Folco Portinari], which is by Hans Memling but at least dates from around the right time period (1490-ish); or the [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrait_of_a_Gentleman_by_Jan_Gossaert,_1528-1530.jpg Portrait of a Gentleman] by Jan Gossaert, which dates from at least 20 years after Agricola's death and is therefore entirely inappropriate! This site instead uses one of its two 'anonymous' pictures to 'identify' him.