Magister Franciscus

Magister Franciscus was a French composer in the style of late medieval music. He is known for two surviving works, the three-part ballades: De Narcissus and Phiton, Phiton, beste tres venimeuse; the former was widely distributed in his lifetime. Modern scholarship disagrees on whether Franciscus was the same person as the composer F. Andrieu.

Identity and career Franciscus may be the same person as the F. Andrieu who wrote Armes, amours/O flour des flours, a déploration on the death of poet-composer Guillaume de Machaut (–1377). Although, the scholarly consensus on this identification is unclear. He may also be Franciscus de Goano (a papal choir chaplain; ) or the singer Johannes Franchois. Machaut was the most dominant and important composer of the 14th century, and Franciscus's works show many similarities to his, suggesting the two were contemporaries.

Music Only two of his works survive, the three-part ballades: De Narcissus and Phiton, Phiton, beste tres venimeuse. They are both contained in the Chantilly Codex. Reaney notes that Magister Franciscus's works are likely earlier than Andrieu's, between 1370 and 1376. Phiton, Phiton is dedicated to Gaston III of Foix and includes a musical quotation of Machaut's Phyton, le mervilleus (B38), a ballade written sometime after 1369.

Works + List of compositions by Magister Franciscus Title of voices Genre Manuscript source: Folios Apel Greene De Narcissus 3 Ballade Chantilly Codex: 19v 26 : 16 Phiton, Phiton, beste tres venimeuse 3 Ballade Chantilly Codex: 20v 27 : 18colspan=6

Editions Franciscus's works are included in the following collections:

Recordings + Recordings of music by Magister Franciscus Year Album Performers Piece Label 1950 or before Monuments of the Ars Nova, vol. 102 Various De Narcissus Oiseau-Lyre OL 102 1973 The Late 14th Century Avant Garde Early Music Consort of London Phiton, Phiton, beste tres venimeuse EMI/HMV ASD 3621