A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Rue, Pierre de la

RUE, Pierre de la, also known as Pierchon, Pierson, Pierzon, Pierozon, and Petrus Platensis, born in Picardy about the middle of the 15th century and fellow-pupil of Josquin des Prés in the school of Okeghem. State records prove that he was in the service of the court of Burgundy in the years 1477, 92, 96, 99, 1500 and 1502. In 1501 he was a prebend of Courtrai, and later held a similar benefice at Namur, which he resigned in 1510. Most writers on music accord him a position as a contrapuntal composer scarcely second to that of Josquin, and the magnificent copies of his masses made by order of the Princess Margaret of Austria, and now in the libraries of Vienna and Brussels, testify to the value set upon his works by those he served. Indeed, considering his great reputation, it is somewhat surprising that so little is known of the events of his life, and that so little of his music has been printed. Of the 36 masses now existing Petrucci printed five in the composer's life-time (Misse Petri de la Rue; Venetiis, 1503), and a few more in later collections. Of motets only 25, and of secular pieces no more than 10, are to be found in the publications of the 16th century—a small result compared to the long catalogue of Josquin's printed works. Burney, Forkel and Kiesewetter give short examples from Pierre de la Rue's compositions.

[ J. R. S. B. ]