Jacobus Barbireau - Music

Music

The library of the cathedral in Antwerp was destroyed by religious fanatics in 1556, probably destroying most of Barbireau's music. Some, however, has survived, mostly in foreign sources, including the Chigi Codex, and that which has survived is of outstanding quality. Writing in the 2001 New Grove, Rob Wegman notes "Barbireau shows a degree of contrapuntal polish and melodic-harmonic resourcefulness that puts him firmly on a par with such composers as Isaac and Obrecht." Indeed his style is closely related to that of Heinrich Isaac, another Netherlander who spent much of his life working in German-speaking areas.

Two masses have survived, one for four and one for five voices, as well as a Kyrie for the Easter season, and a famous motet based on the Song of Solomon, Osculetur me, for four voices. The mass for five voices has an unusual arrangement where the voices have divisi parts, indicating that at least ten actual voices would be required to sing it. In this composition the textural contrasts are high, with homophonic passages alternating with polyphonic, and with fast-moving parts weaving around the slower-moving parts. The motet Osculetur me uses low voice tessituras reminiscent of Ockeghem.

Of his secular music, the song "Een vroylic wesen", for three voices, became a "hit" song all over Europe, appearing in numerous arrangements from places as far apart as Spain, Italy and England; Heinrich Isaac used it as the basis for his own Missa Frölich wesen. Indeed all three of his surviving secular songs were used as the basis for masses, both by Isaac and Jacob Obrecht.