“Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.”
— Leonardo da Vinci
Josquin De Prez – El Grillo
Josquin De Prez wrote eighteen masses and over one-hundred Motets during his life. Three of the most popular of his Motets today are ‘El Grillo’, ‘Ave Maria … Virgo serena’, and ‘Benedicta es, coelorum regina’. ‘El Grillo’ is considered the most popular. However, its meaning is often argued and debated. This bibliography identifies different sources that help distinguish the meaning of ‘El Grillo’ and shed light on it’s debates.
Christopher H. Gibbs and Richard Taruskin. “The Oxford History of Western Music: College Edition”, Chapter 5. Eds Adams, Byron; Gooley, Dana; Holzer, Robert; Levitz, Tamara; Levy, Beth; Maloy, Rebecca; Moricz, Klara; Pederson, Sanna; Rothenberg, David; Schneider, David; Treadwell, Nina. New York: Oxford University press, Inc., 2013
A comprehensive look into Josquin’s style of music and the different legends that are associated with his music. This source also gives details concerning his career and personal life including a timeline and examples of his work in modern notation. Give insights into how Josquin’s music effected the generations after him and the overall feel of his music. The different techniques he uses and perfects, including imitation and word-painting are exampled.
Marianne Hund and Elders Willem. “Unravelling Josquin’s Quant Je Vous Voy, with a Postscript on El Grillo.” Early Music, vol. 41, no. 4, Nov. 2013, pp. 633–644. EBSCOhost, libsecure.camosun.bc.ca:2443/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=94394187&site=eds-live
This source focuses on the word ‘breve’ or ‘beve’ from ‘El Grillo’ for the cricket drinking and the controversy on how it has been translated over the years. The source makes an argument against the idea that the text of this Motet was meant to convey the idea that the cricket was intoxicated with alcohol or even singing of being intoxicated. This source uses the word ‘beve’ as the proper translation which do not keep the parallels of intoxication from being drawn. It draws conclusions on the cricket consuming water rather than alcohol from the historical context as well as the typesetting reading. It also refers to the word painting that Josquin uses to back up it’s claim on the meaning of ‘beve’ as not being of alcohol. Contains a fragment of early ‘El Grillo’ notation and some modern examples.
David Fallows. “What Happened to ‘El Grillo.’” Early Music, no. 3, 2003, p. 391. EBSCOhost, libsecure.camosun.bc.ca:2443/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.3138101&site=eds-live.
‘El Grillo’ was debated for a long time as not a composition by Josquin De Prez. David Fallows follows historians to find source and understanding behind ‘El Grillo’ labelled as Josquin De Prez’s composition although under the ascription of ‘Iosquin Dascanio’. The source shows why many historians believed that Iosquin could not possibly be Josquin, while proving that it is by Josquin. This source provides examples and much background to ‘El Grillo’ undoubtedly being a Josquin composition. Contains an early example of ‘El Grillo’ as a whole notated piece of music and a few fragments.
Marianne Hund. “Fresh Light on Josquin Dascanio’s Enigmatic ‘El Grillo.’” Tijdschrift van de Koninklijke Vereniging Voor Nederlandse Muziekgeschiedenis, no. 1, 2006, p. 5. EBSCOhost, libsecure.camosun.bc.ca:2443/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.20203933&site=eds-live.
An invaluable source on the history of rewrites for ‘El Grillo’ by Josquin and understanding what the composer initially conveyed. It starts with the original print by Petrucci, to Petrucci’s reprint, all the way into the revises of modern notation. It also investigates word choice and changes within the generally accepted words of choice. The word that comes under the most speculation is ‘breve’ or ‘beve’. The word ‘beve’ is the considered correct translation of drinking. There is an in-depth explanation of each change and reprint and why it was revised. Includes an modern notated example of ‘El Grillo’.
McDonald, Grantley. “Josquin’s Musical Cricket: El Grillo as Humanist Parody.” Acta Musicologica, vol. 81, no. 1, May 2009, p. 39. EBSCOhost, libsecure.camosun.bc.ca:2443/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edo&AN=43800378&site=eds-live.
An interesting and thought-provoking look at El Grillo as a Humanist Parody. This source contradicts the others in use of word choice and translations but backs up this contradiction with historical references and contexts of the time-period. Crickets were often associated with erotic dialogues in Italian poetry and this source draws parallels between them. It suggests that ‘El Grillo’ is a parody of a scene in the Hesiodic ‘Shield of Heracles’ which has erotic subtext because the dew is feminine ‘beve’ instead of ‘breve’.