Francesco de Layolle

Francesco de Layolle (also spelled dell'Aiolle, dell'Aiuola, dell'Ajolle, dell'Aiolli), (March 4, 1492 – c.1540) was an Italian composer and organist of the Renaissance. He was one of the first native Italian composers to write sacred music in the Franco-Flemish polyphonic style, combining it with the indigenous harmonic idioms of the Italian peninsula.

Music

While much of Layolle's music is lost, that which remains is generally progressive in style, melodic, and finely crafted. Most of his sacred music was published by Moderne, but no copies remain of 61 motets and at least three masses.

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He was one of the first composers to blend the Franco-Flemish and Italian styles. Prior to the early 16th century, most polyphonic sacred music was written by northerners, and Italians focused mainly on the lighter secular forms, and some uniquely Italian forms such as the laude spirituale; however in the early 16th century native Italian composers such as Layolle, and later Costanzo Festa, began to blend the northern polyphonic style with the Italian harmonic and tonal idioms, a blending which eventually resulted in the musical style of Palestrina and Lassus.

Related Topics:
16th century - Laude spirituale - Costanzo Festa - Palestrina - Lassus

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Two books of madrigals have survived, although he called them "canzoni". Some are in Italian and others in French, and more closely related to the contemporary chanson than the Italianate madrigal. At least one of the madrigals he wrote, Lasciar il velo, became hugely popular in Europe and appears in many geographically scattered sources, both as a vocal piece and in instrumental transcription.

Related Topics:
Madrigal - Chanson

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