Claude Goudimel

A student at the University of Paris (and most certainly not the teacher of Palestrina) chansons printed by Goudimel began to appear by 1549 when he was a pupil. He became a proofreader for the publishing company of du Chemin and met Ronsard whose works Goudinmel helped to publish. He lived in Metz from about 1557 until his death when the St Bartholemew's Day massacre occured. Musically Goudimel was noted for his psalms which were composed in three different manners. The first type can be characterized as free motet style with the melodic line divided evenly throughout the voices. The second form contains the melody predominantly in the superius voice while the other voices were written in counterpoint. The third set of psalms qualitatively consist of the melodic line in the tenor with horizontal harmonies dominant. His masses and Magnificat settings were terribly concise compared to other settings of the same genre. ~ Keith Johnson