As we continue our journey through the sacred repertoire of Catholic composers of polyphony of the 15th Century, we come to Jean Mouton, the composer who taught the famous Josquin des Prez.  In the present piece, Nesciens Mater, we see a complex 8 voice choral composition in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mother, who knew not man.

Jean Mouton was born around 1459, just a few years after the Fall of Constantinople to the heathen Turks, and he lived a long live, dying on October 30, 1522, a few years after the Arch-Heretic, Martin Luther, began his revolt against Jesus Christ.

He was born at Haut-Wignes, near Boulogne-su-mer, in the northern part of the then Kingdom of France, and worked first as a music teacher at St. Omer. He then obtained a position at Nesle in 1477, where he remained after 1483.  He was ordained a priest and by 1500 was the choirmaster for the boys’ choir at the Cathedral of Amiens. In 1501 he obtained a prestigious position at the Cathedral of Grenoble, and then entered service to Queen Anne of Brittany. He became the principle composer for the French Court, thuswise.

FromRome.Info features every day at 5 P.M. a selection of sacred polyphony from the repertoir of Catholic Composers throughout the ages, for the edification of our readers.