c.1525 Jean Daniel. “Ung gracieulx oyselet” in S’ensuyvent plusieurs noels nouveaulx. In this noel, Angers organist Jean Daniel rattles off the names of a dozen or so musicians from Josquin to Claudin, including Janequin, who “played his part well.”
1529 Eustorg de Beaulieu. Geste des solliciteurs. In this poem dedicated to Bordeaux lawyer Bernhard de Lahet, Beaulieu says that Lahet, in order to increase his appreciation of music, “became acquainted with Clement Janequin and other experienced persons…”
1551 Simon Gorlier discusses the challenges of adapting La Guerre for guitar in Le troysieme Livre contenant plusiers duos et trios avec la bataille de Ianequin a trois nouvellement mis en tablature de Guiterne par Simon Gorlier excellent jouer. A Paris…Robert Granjon & Michel Fezandant, 1551. English translation in Heartz, Daniel. «Parisian Music Publishing Under Henri II», Musical Quarterly 46 (1960) 448–67.
1552 Francois Rabelais. Le Quart livre des faicts et dicts heroïques du bon Pantagruel (Paris: Fezandat). In the Prologue to the 1552 edition, Rabelais lists 24 older (including Josquin and Mouton) and 33 younger (including Willaert, Gombert and Janequin) musicians that he claims to have heard singing.
1554 Maximillian Guilliaud. Rudiments de Musiqe Pratique… (Nicolas du Chemin: Paris, 1555) Discussing hemiola, Guilliaud includes an example from “L’alouette” and says “This is how it was used by Master Clement Janequin, a man very expert in this art.” (Transcribed at website TFM: Traités Francais sur la Musique, Indiana University.)
1555 Francois de Billon. Le fort inexpugnable de l’honneur du sexe feminin. (Paris, 1555) De Billon writes “Notwithstanding all that can be said of Sandrin, Arcadelt and Janequin, the most reknowned musicians of our time…” and then goes on to argue for the superiority of women’s innate musicality. (Transcribed in Brooks 2003:1-2).
1555 Pierre Belon. L’Histoire de la nature des oyseaux. (Paris: Cavellat, 1555). Writing in praise of natural birdsong, Belon says that it is “more varied even than the excellent efforts of Janequin, du Tertre, Goudimel and others.” (Transcription in Halévy 2013:471-474).
1560 Pierre de Ronsard. Livre des Meslanges… [Preface au Roy Francoys II] (LeRoy & Ballard: Paris, 1560) Ronsard lists composers who are of an excellence “which rarely appears”, starting with Josquin and followed by Josquin’s “disciples” Mouton, Willaert, Richafort, Janequin, Maillard, Claudin, Moulu, Certon and Arcadelt. (Transcribed: La Pléiade 1994, 1173-1174; English translation in Strunk1950:286-289.)
1563 Simon Proxenus a Sudetis. Commentarii de Itinere Francogallico (extract from 22. November, 1563). On his travels in France 1562-64, the Czech humanist Simon Proxenus observed the song competition (puy) in Rouen, in which a piece by Janequin was awarded the prize. (Transcribed in Bonniffet 05:11.)
1570 Hans Müelich. Medalion under a painting of Lasso’s choir in Munich. Following the inscription “Distinguished and Most Excellent Authors of Music”, Müelich lists the names of a couple dozen of the leading musicians of the era, including Obrecht, Janequin and Orlando di Lassus. (Transcribed in Meconi 2003:308.)
1578 Guy Le Fèvre de la Boderie. La Galliade. (Paris: Guillaume Chaudière, 1578) In this catalogue of the advancement of arts and sciences, Janequin is accorded six lines which describe, in rhymed couplets, how his songs imitate both nature and life. (Transcribed in Margolin 1981:137).
1585 Ambroise Paré. Le Voyage de Mets (Les OEuvres, Paris: Gabriel Buon, 1585) Paré borrows sounds from Janequin for his description of the siege of Metz. (Transcribed in Halévy 2013:478.)
1585 Noel du Fail. Contes et Discours d’Eutrapel Du Fail describes how on hearing “La guerre” by Janequin, courtiers stood tall and steadied their weapons.
1600 Brantôme (Pierre de Bourdeille, 1535-1614). (Memoirs, Leyde, Jean Sambix le jeune, 1565). Brantôme recounts how on her deathbed, one of Catherine de Medici’s ladies in waiting requested that her valet play an extract from “La guerre” on the violin. (Transcribe at website Gallica [F:Bn] 461-462, Tome 9e.)
1601 André Valladier (Abbé de S. Arnoul de Metz) describes the use of Janequin’s music during a royal entry of the queen. Labyrinthe Royal de l’Hercule gaulois triomphante…Représenté à l’Entrée triomphante de la Royne en la cité d’Avignon le 19 Novembre, Avignon, J. Bramereau, 171.