The term Franco-Flemish School, also known as Netherlandish School, Burgundian School, Low Countries School, Flemish School, Dutch School, or Northern School, describes the style of music with multiple voices singing together. This style of music and the composers who created it originated in France and the Burgundian Netherlands during the 15th and 16th centuries. The spread of their techniques, especially after the invention of printing technology, led to the first truly international music style since the time when Gregorian chant was standardized in the 9th century. Franco-Flemish composers mainly wrote sacred music, mostly masses, motets, and hymns.

Term and controversy

During the Renaissance, many composers from the Low Countries—areas that included parts of modern-day Northern France, Belgium, and the Southern Netherlands—were grouped together as part of the "Franco-Flemish School." These composers were often born in the Burgundian provinces of Artois, Flanders, Brabant, Hainaut, or Limburg. Some were born in Northern or Southern France, such as Guillaume Faugues, Simone de Bonefont, and Antoine Brumel, who was a highly influential composer of his time. The courts of the Burgundian dukes were important centers of cultural activity in Europe during periods of political and economic stability.

Many Franco-Flemish composers studied in church schools located in cities like Saint-Quentin, Arras, Valenciennes, Douai, Bourges, Liège, Tournai, Cambrai, Mons, Antwerp, Bruges, and Ghent. These musicians later worked in other places, including French courts, Italian and Spanish courts, and in Germany, Poland, the Czech lands, Austria, Hungary, England, Sweden, Denmark, and Saxony. In Italy, they were sometimes called "I fiamminghi" or "Oltremontani," and in Spain, they were part of the Habsburgs' Flemish chapel. Over time, the center of musical activity in Europe shifted from the Low Countries to Italy.

The terms "Franco-Flemish" and "Dutch school" are still debated by musicologists. These terms were not used during the Renaissance and do not fully reflect the complex mix of languages, politics, territories, and history of the time.

Development

Following are five groups, or generations, sometimes used to describe the Franco-Flemish/Netherlandish school. The musical style developed continuously over time, and these groups help identify key changes in the music.

• The First generation (1420–1450) was led by Jean Tapissier, Guillaume Du Fay, Gilles Binchois, and Antoine Busnois. This group is often called the Burgundian School. The musical style of this group combined earlier Burgundian traditions with influences from Italian and English music. For example, in 1442, the poet Martin le Franc praised Binchois and Du Fay for following Dunstaple’s style, which was called "contenance angloise" ("English character").
• The Second generation (1450–1485) was led by Ockeghem, with other composers including Orto, Compère, Prioris, Agricola, Caron, Faugues, Regis, and Tinctoris.
• The Third generation (1480–1520) included Jean Mouton, Obrecht, de la Rue, Isaac, Brumel, Févin, Pipelare, Richafort, Divitis, and most importantly, Josquin des Prez.
• The Fourth generation (1520–1560) included Gombert, Phinot, Crecquillon, Manchicourt, Arcadelt, Rore, Willaert, Courtois, Clemens non Papa, and Bonefont.
• The Fifth generation (1560–1615/20) included Lasso, de Monte, Vaet, Regnart, Luython, Wert, de Macque, Claude Goudimel, and Rogier. By this time, many composers of polyphonic music were from Italy and other countries. The Netherlandish style had spread to other regions and became a true European style.

The Franco-Flemish motet

These motets were composed between 1450 and 1520. They were often written for four voices, with each voice being equally important. They usually have thick, dark textures and include a lower range that extends further down. The most famous composers of this style were Ockeghem and Josquin. Their work, De profundis clamavi ad te, created between 1500 and 1521, is a clear example of this style.