Sam‌‌D’Amico‌  ‌
10.27.21‌  ‌
Music‌‌History‌  ‌
 ‌
El‌‌Grillo‌  ‌
 ‌
 ‌
Considered‌‌one‌‌of‌‌Josquin’s‌‌most‌‌popular‌‌songs,‌E
‌ l‌‌Grillo‌‌‌is‌‌a‌‌humorous‌‌4-voice‌‌secular‌‌ 

frottola.‌ ‌It‌‌was‌‌first‌‌published‌‌in‌‌1505‌‌by‌‌Ottaviano‌‌Petrucci,‌‌an‌‌Italian‌‌music‌‌printer‌‌who‌‌was‌‌ 

the‌‌first‌‌person‌‌to‌‌print‌‌polyphonic‌‌music‌‌from‌‌movable‌‌type.‌‌Petrucci‌‌had‌‌a‌‌long-running‌‌
 

monopoly‌‌on‌‌printed‌‌music‌‌during‌‌the‌‌16th‌‌century‌‌-‌‌his‌‌printing‌‌style,‌‌the‌‌triple-impression‌‌
 

method‌‌where‌‌the‌‌paper‌‌was‌‌pressed‌‌three‌‌times‌‌with‌‌staff‌‌lines,‌‌notes,‌‌and‌‌lastly‌‌text,‌‌was‌‌ 

accurate‌‌and‌‌clear‌‌but‌‌time-consuming‌‌and‌‌expensive.‌‌The‌‌book‌‌in‌‌which‌‌El‌‌Grillo‌‌‌is‌‌found,‌‌
 

Frottole‌‌libro‌‌tertio‌,‌‌was‌‌a‌‌collection‌‌of‌‌frottole‌‌by‌‌a‌‌variety‌‌of‌‌composers‌‌throughout‌‌the‌‌
 

Renaissance.‌‌Frottola‌‌was‌‌a‌‌popular‌‌form‌‌of‌‌Italian‌‌secular‌‌music‌‌in‌‌the‌‌15th‌‌and‌‌16th‌‌centuries‌‌ 

and‌‌was‌‌the‌‌precursor‌‌to‌‌the‌‌madrigals‌‌of‌‌the‌‌16th‌‌century.‌‌Frotolle‌‌were‌‌mostly‌‌homophonic‌‌and‌‌ 

had‌‌a‌‌clear‌‌rhythm,‌‌usually‌‌in‌‌3/4‌‌or‌‌4/4‌‌meters.‌‌Often‌‌the‌‌vocal‌‌lines‌‌had‌‌a‌‌narrower‌‌ambitus‌‌ 

and‌‌featured‌‌repetition‌‌often.‌‌This‌‌simplicity‌‌was‌‌paired‌‌with‌‌shorter‌‌texts,‌‌typically‌‌of‌‌six-line‌‌ 

verses‌‌followed‌‌by‌‌a‌‌four-line‌‌refrain‌‌that‌‌used‌‌the‌‌same‌‌music.‌‌
   ‌

As‌‌was‌‌common‌‌with‌‌frottola,‌E
‌ l‌‌Grillo‌‌‌is‌‌in‌‌ternary‌‌form‌‌with‌‌a‌‌duple‌‌meter‌‌and‌‌is‌‌ 

mostly‌‌homophonic,‌‌with‌‌some‌‌decorative‌‌polyphony‌‌throughout.‌‌The‌‌text‌‌of‌E
‌ l‌‌Grillo‌‌‌is‌‌
 

separated‌‌into‌‌three‌‌sections,‌‌with‌‌the‌‌first‌‌section‌‌being‌‌repeated‌‌as‌‌a‌‌coda:‌  ‌

 ‌
El‌‌grillo‌‌è‌‌buon‌‌cantore‌
Che‌‌tiene‌‌longo‌‌verso.‌
Dale‌‌beve‌‌grillo‌‌canta.‌
El‌‌grillo‌‌è‌‌buon‌‌cantore.‌
 ‌
Ma‌‌non‌‌fa‌‌come‌‌gli‌‌altri‌‌uccelli‌
Come‌‌li‌‌han‌‌cantato‌‌un‌‌poco,‌
Van’‌‌de‌‌fatto‌‌in‌‌altro‌‌loco‌
Sempre‌‌el‌‌grillo‌‌sta‌‌pur‌‌saldo,‌
The‌‌cricket‌‌is‌‌a‌‌good‌‌singer‌  ‌
Who‌‌holds‌‌a‌‌long‌‌note.‌  ‌
Go‌‌ahead,‌‌drink‌‌and‌‌sing,‌‌cricket.‌  ‌
The‌‌cricket‌‌is‌‌a‌‌good‌‌singer.‌  ‌
But‌‌he‌‌is‌‌not‌‌like‌‌the‌‌other‌‌birds‌  ‌
Who‌‌sing‌‌a‌‌little,‌  ‌
And‌‌then‌‌go‌‌elsewhere,‌  ‌
The‌‌cricket‌‌always‌‌stands‌‌firm.‌  ‌

 ‌
 D’Amico‌‌-‌‌2 ‌ ‌

 ‌
Quando‌‌la‌‌maggior‌‌el‌‌caldo‌ When‌‌it‌‌is‌‌hottest,‌  ‌
Alhor‌‌canta‌‌sol‌‌per‌‌amore.‌ He‌‌sings‌‌alone‌‌for‌‌love.‌  ‌
 ‌
(Italian‌‌text‌‌modernized,‌‌English‌‌translation‌‌by‌‌Paul‌‌Hillier‌‌and‌‌Peter‌‌James)‌  ‌
 ‌
 ‌
As‌‌the‌‌translation‌‌shows,‌‌this‌‌text‌‌is‌‌about‌‌a‌‌cricket‌‌who‌‌loves‌‌to‌‌sing‌‌and‌‌differs‌‌from‌‌the‌‌other‌‌
 

birds‌‌because‌‌he‌‌stays‌‌strong‌‌in‌‌his‌‌song‌‌for‌‌love.‌‌A‌‌recurring‌‌pattern‌‌in‌‌this‌‌frottola‌‌is‌‌the‌‌use‌‌of‌‌ 

word-painting;‌‌for‌‌example,‌‌on‌‌the‌‌line‌‌che‌‌tiene‌‌longo‌‌verso‌,‌‌the‌‌verso‌‌‌is‌‌held‌‌out‌‌for‌‌much‌‌
 

longer‌‌than‌‌any‌‌other‌‌word‌‌in‌‌the‌‌song,‌‌symbolizing‌‌the‌‌length‌‌of‌‌the‌‌cricket’s‌‌verses.‌‌This‌‌is‌‌in‌‌ 

contrast‌‌to‌‌the‌‌next‌‌line,‌d‌ ale‌‌beve‌‌grillo‌‌canta‌,‌‌which‌‌shortens‌‌the‌‌note‌‌lengths‌‌into‌‌much‌‌
 

shorter‌‌note‌‌values.‌‌Some‌‌scholars‌‌speculate‌‌that‌b‌ eve‌‌‌could‌‌be‌‌a‌‌typesetter’s‌‌mistake,‌‌where‌‌the‌‌
 

original‌‌text‌‌was‌‌breve‌‌‌yet‌‌the‌‌br‌‌‌was‌‌often‌‌abbreviated‌‌to‌b‌ ‌‌with‌‌a‌‌tiny‌‌stroke‌‌through‌‌the‌‌stem.‌‌ 

This‌‌could‌‌help‌‌with‌‌the‌‌understanding‌‌of‌‌the‌‌shortness‌‌of‌‌these‌‌notes,‌‌as‌‌they‌‌would‌‌be‌‌making‌‌ 

fun‌‌of‌‌the‌‌cricket’s‌‌chirping.‌‌In‌‌the‌‌second‌‌section,‌‌there‌‌are‌‌scholars‌‌who‌‌believe‌‌that‌‌the‌‌line‌‌
 

Van’‌‌de‌‌fatto‌‌in‌‌altro‌‌loco‌‌‌could‌‌be‌‌a‌‌reference‌‌to‌‌the‌‌idea‌‌that‌‌while‌‌birds‌‌can‌‌change‌‌pitch,‌‌
 

crickets‌‌cannot‌‌and‌‌can‌‌only‌‌vary‌‌their‌‌rhythms:‌‌this‌‌would‌‌imply‌‌that‌‌the‌‌cricket‌‌is‌‌not‌‌like‌‌birds‌‌
 

and‌‌other‌‌singing‌‌creatures‌‌because‌‌while‌‌they‌‌change‌‌their‌‌pitches,‌‌or‌‌‘go‌‌elsewhere’,‌‌the‌‌
 

cricket‌‌always‌‌stands‌‌firm‌‌on‌‌his‌‌pitch.‌‌This‌‌would‌‌make‌‌sense‌‌as‌‌each‌‌of‌‌the‌‌voice‌‌parts‌‌are‌‌ 

quite‌‌consistent‌‌throughout‌‌the‌‌song‌‌in‌‌their‌‌ambitus’‌‌and‌‌note‌‌ranges.‌‌
   ‌

While‌E
‌ l‌‌Grillo‌‌‌tells‌‌the‌‌story‌‌of‌‌a‌‌cricket,‌‌there‌‌are‌‌arguments‌‌this‌‌song‌‌could‌‌be‌‌
 

dedicated‌‌to‌‌Carlo‌‌Grillo,‌‌a‌‌singer‌‌and‌‌colleague‌‌of‌‌Josquin‌‌des‌‌Prez,‌‌and‌‌the‌‌song‌‌is‌‌talking‌‌
 

about‌‌his‌‌vocal‌‌prowess‌‌and‌‌other‌‌abilities.‌‌Others‌‌believe‌‌that‌‌this‌‌song‌‌is‌‌a‌‌message‌‌to‌‌Cardinal‌‌ 

Ascanio‌‌Sforza,‌‌the‌‌patron‌‌of‌‌Josquin,‌‌and‌‌that‌‌it‌‌was‌‌intended‌‌to‌‌remind‌‌him‌‌that‌‌their‌‌salaries‌‌
 

were‌‌overdue.‌‌Both‌‌of‌‌these‌‌ideas,‌‌though,‌‌are‌‌under‌‌the‌‌notion‌‌that‌‌Josquin‌‌des‌‌Prez‌‌is‌‌the‌‌ 

composer‌‌of‌‌El‌‌Grillo;‌b‌ ut‌‌is‌‌this‌‌true?‌  ‌
 D’Amico‌‌-‌‌3 ‌ ‌

Very‌‌little‌‌is‌‌known‌‌about‌‌Josquin‌‌des‌‌Prez’s‌‌early‌‌life.‌‌Born‌‌in‌‌the‌‌mid‌‌15th‌‌Century,‌‌
 

Josquin‌‌was‌‌a‌‌Franco-Flemish‌‌composer‌‌who‌‌spent‌‌most‌‌of‌‌his‌‌career‌‌in‌‌Italy,‌‌most‌‌notably‌‌at‌‌ 

the‌‌Sistine‌‌Chapel‌‌in‌‌Venice.‌‌He‌‌is‌‌considered‌‌to‌‌be‌‌the‌‌central‌‌figure‌‌of‌‌the‌‌Franco-Flemish‌‌
 

School‌‌and‌‌has‌‌gained‌‌the‌‌reputation‌‌of‌‌the‌‌greatest‌‌composer‌‌before‌‌Bach.‌‌Known‌‌for‌‌both‌‌his‌‌ 

sacred‌‌and‌‌secular‌‌music,‌‌Josquin‌‌was‌‌praised‌‌for‌‌his‌‌ability‌‌to‌‌create‌‌melodies‌‌and‌‌virtuosity.‌‌In‌‌
 

recent‌‌history,‌‌many‌‌music‌‌historians‌‌have‌‌tried‌‌to‌‌define‌‌key‌‌attributes‌‌of‌‌Josquin’s‌‌style‌‌to‌‌
 

correct‌‌misattributions,‌‌but‌‌this‌‌is‌‌difficult‌‌as‌‌his‌‌style‌‌of‌‌writing‌‌was‌‌not‌‌consistent,‌‌as‌‌well‌‌as‌‌ 

the‌‌fact‌‌that‌‌many‌‌music‌‌publishers‌‌would‌‌publish‌‌work‌‌under‌‌his‌‌name‌‌so‌‌that‌‌it‌‌would‌‌sell.‌‌ 

This‌‌brings‌‌us‌‌back‌‌to‌E
‌ l‌‌Grillo‌:‌‌in‌‌Petrucci’s‌‌book,‌‌this‌‌song‌‌is‌‌attributed‌‌to‌‌a‌‌composer‌‌by‌‌the‌‌
 

name‌‌of‌‌Josquin‌‌D’Ascanio,‌‌yet‌‌no‌‌other‌‌records‌‌of‌‌a‌‌composer‌‌by‌‌this‌‌name‌‌have‌‌been‌‌found.‌‌ 

Could‌‌it‌‌be‌‌that‌‌Josquin‌‌des‌‌Prez‌‌was‌‌Josquin‌‌D’Ascanio?‌  ‌

This‌‌is‌‌likely‌‌to‌‌be‌‌true.‌‌Considering‌‌Josquin’s‌‌background‌‌in‌‌the‌‌types‌‌of‌‌songs‌‌he‌‌
 

wrote,‌‌as‌‌well‌‌as‌‌the‌‌idea‌‌that‌‌during‌‌that‌‌time‌‌it‌‌is‌‌known‌‌that‌‌he‌‌was‌‌working‌‌for‌‌Cardinal‌‌ 

Ascanio‌‌Sforza‌‌and‌‌could‌‌have‌‌just‌‌taken‌‌his‌‌name‌‌as‌‌the‌‌nomenclature‌‌for‌‌the‌‌song,‌‌many‌‌signs‌‌ 

point‌‌to‌‌the‌‌fact‌‌that‌‌Josquin‌‌D’Ascanio‌‌is‌‌the‌‌alias‌‌of‌‌Josquin‌‌and‌‌he‌‌did‌‌write‌‌‌El‌‌Grillo‌,‌‌and‌‌ 

with‌‌the‌‌only‌‌source‌‌of‌‌the‌‌song‌‌being‌‌from‌‌Petrucci’s‌‌book‌‌it‌‌is‌‌difficult‌‌to‌‌debate‌‌otherwise.‌‌
 

Whether‌‌or‌‌not‌‌he‌‌is‌‌the‌‌true‌‌composer‌‌of‌‌the‌‌frottola,‌‌though,‌E
‌ l‌‌Grillo‌‌‌will‌‌continue‌‌to‌‌live‌‌on‌‌ 

as‌‌one‌‌of‌‌the‌‌most‌‌famous‌‌songs‌‌of‌‌this‌‌era‌‌due‌‌to‌‌its‌‌humor,‌‌lightness,‌‌and‌‌simplicity.‌  ‌

 ‌

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 D’Amico‌‌-‌‌4 ‌ ‌

Sources‌‌used:‌  ‌

https://dalemcgowan.com/josquin-grillo/‌‌    ‌
https://sophia.smith.edu/~rsherr/introbio.htm‌‌   ‌
https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/1175347/pages/22-07-frottola‌‌
   ‌
https://s9.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usimg/c/c0/IMSLP306302-PMLP495480-frottole_3.pdf‌‌   ‌
https://www.britannica.com/art/frottola‌‌
   ‌
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/effects-printing-music‌‌   ‌
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ottaviano-dei-Petrucci‌‌   ‌
https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/josquin-des-prez-and-his-erotic-cricket-2090-2719-10‌
00118.php?aid=84823‌‌    ‌
https://davidwarinsolomons.bandcamp.com/track/el-grillo‌‌   ‌
https://www.jstor.org/stable/3138101?seq=1&cid=pdf-reference#references_tab_contents‌‌   ‌
http://www.grumpymulemusic.com/page61.html‌‌    ‌
https://www.pcmsconcerts.org/composer/josquin-des-prez/‌‌    ‌
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