Layolle, Francesco de

Layolle, Francesco de, notable Italian composer and organist; b. Florence, March 4, 1492; d. Lyons, c. 1540. He became a singer at the chapel of the church of the Ss. Annunziata in Florence in 1505, and also received private training from Bartolomeo deglia Organi. After leaving Florence in 1518, he finally settled in Lyons in 1521, where he became organist at the church of Notre Dame de Confort. He was also active as a collector and ed. of music for various Lyons printers, and later contributed to and ed. volumes for the publisher Jacques Moderne. Layolle’s works are marked by a mastery of melodic, harmonic, and contrapuntal writing. His son, Alamanne de Layolle (b. probably in Lyons, c. 1521; d. Florence, Sept. 19, 1590), was also a composer and organist. He was organist at St. Nizier in Lyons before going to Florence in 1565, where he was organist at the Badia (1570–75). His skill as a composer is revealed in his Intavolatura di M. Alammano Atolli, a collection of 16 arrangements of contemporary keyboard pieces. Also extant are the Canticum Zachariae for 5 Voices and 3 madrigals. See F. D’Accone, ed., Music of the Florentine Renaissance: Francesco de Layolle, Collected Works, Corpus Mensur abilis Musicae, XXXII / 3-6 (1969–73).

Works

vocal: sacred:Missa “Adieu mes amours” for 4 Voices on Mouton’s chanson; Missa “Ces fascheux sotz” for 4 Voices on Gardane’s chanson; Missa “O Salutaris hostia” for 4 Voices; 7 penitential Psalms for 4 Voices; 35 motets for 2 to 6 Voices. secular:Venticinque canzoni a cinque voci (Lyons, 1540); Cinquanta canzoni a quatro voci (Lyons, 1540?); 3 madrigals; 9 chansons.

Bibliography

D. Sutherland, Ed. L. (1492–1540): Life and Secular Works (diss., Univ. of Mich., 1968).

—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire