Martini: Twenty Pieces

Johannes Martini was born in Brabant around 1440 and worked extensively in Italy.

Johannes Martini was born some time in the 1440s in Brabant (now part of Belgium), and died in Ferrara in 1497. There is remarkably little information about him, but he turns up in 1473 in Milan, then an important centre for music under the patronage of Ascanio Sforza: colleagues there included Loyset Compère, Colinet de Lannoy and Gaspar van Weerbecke; even the great Josquin des Prés was for a time associated with this court, where he composed the highly sarcastic song El grillo. in an attempt to obtain money owed to him by the Sforza family. Martini probably did not spend too long at Milan, for a couple of years later he was working in another north Italian city with artistic ambitions, Ferrara. Ercole d’Este, the ruling figure there, inspired the Missa Hercoles Dux Ferrarie of Josquin. There is a possibility that Martini was the personal music tutor to Isabella d’Este, who was also a very active musical patron.

1. La Martinella
2. Cayphas
3. Helas comment
4. Des biens d’amours
5. Fortuna d’un gran tempo
6. Fortuna desperata
7. J’ay pris amours I
8. J’ay pris amours II
9. Cela sans plus
10. Fuga ad quatuor
11. Fault il que heur soye
12. La fleur de beauté
13. Biaulx parle tousjours
14. Sans siens du mal
15. Tres doulx regart
16. Il est tel
17. Re Fa Sol La La
18. Fuge le morire
19. De la bonne chiere
20. Vive, vive