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'Pierre Attaingnant' (c.1494 – late 1551 or 1552) was a French music printer, active in Paris.

Contents

Life

Works

In popular culture

References

Media

External links

Life

Attaingnant is considered to be the first to use single-impression movable type for music-printing, thus making it possible to print faster and cheaper than predecessors such as Ottaviano Petrucci. He published over 1500 chansons by many different composers. In this collections the Paris composers, like Claudin de Sermisy, Pierre Sandrin and Pierre Certon, are prominently present, but Clément Janequin is at the top of the list with five books of chansons, dedicated to his chansons only. He acquired royal privileges for his music books, which were renewed many times. Eventually he was named ''imprimeur et libraire du Roy en musique'' (Royal music-printer and librarian).

Works

Attaingnant's major contribution to music printing consists in his popularizing the single-impression method for music printing, which he first employed in his 1528 publication ''Chansons nouvelles en musique à quatre parties''. In this system, the individual notes were printed directly onto segments of staff, and so the notes, staff lines, and text could all be printed with one send through the printing press. The main disadvantage of this method was the alignment of the staff lines, which often had a “bumpy” look - some being slightly higher or slightly disjointed from others. Nevertheless, this method became standard music printing practice across Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Apart from his 36 collections of chansons, he also published books with pieces in lute or keyboard tablature, as well as Masses and motets.

In popular culture

An original, untitled composition by Attaingnant has been used twice in contemporary popular music. The piece is titled 'Play Minstrel Play' as performed by renaissance band Blackmore's Night, and titled "The March Of The Swordmaster" as performed by Rhapsody.

References

★ D. W. Krummel and Stanley Sadie, ''Music Printing and Publishing''. New York, Norton, 1990.

Media

External links

★ Listen to free recordings of songs from Umeå Akademiska Kör.