Rogier Pathie

Franco-Flemish composer Rogier Pathie was a one-hit wonder of the Renaissance; his four-voice chanson "D'amour me plains" was one of the most popular tunes in Europe during the sixteenth century. The son of a singer in the court of French King Francis I, the first mention of Pathie is found in a payment record from the King to his father; an extra stipend paid as an affectionate gesture "to take care of my little organist." The affectionate regard must have worn out its welcome, as about 1534 Pathie fled Paris. He turned up a short time later in the chapel of Queen Mary of Habsburg, Governor of the Netherlands, whose court was based just south of Brussels. Pathie worked in Queen Mary's retinue until she retired in 1555 and subsequently followed her to Spain, where she settled afterward; Queen Mary was Spanish, her grandparents being none other than Ferdinand and Isabella. In addition to playing the organ in the Queen's chapel, Pathie is identified in documents as having served as her personal "valet," helping to manage her finances; when the court went abroad he was in charge of engaging singers for mass. After she died in 1558, Pathie acted as the executor of her will, and he is last heard from in that capacity around 1565.

It is somewhat surprising that a composer who left such an extensive paper trail within the context of his day job -- Pathie's detailed catalog of Queen Mary's personal library and musical instruments still exists -- is represented by so little music. Outside of "D'amour me plains," only three other chansons and two motets have come down to posterity. "D'amour me plains," however, is well accounted for; first appearing in Paris in 1535, this chanson appears in no less than 25 additional early prints, the last of which was published in 1644. It was particularly popular as an intabulated piece, and more than 20 instrumental arrangements of "D'amour me plains" were printed through the end of the sixteenth century. The best known of these in modern times is the unusual arrangement for lute by Hungarian composer <a href="spotify:artist:7fM8Ts1GJDuofGt5mCHx5W">Valentin Bakfark</a> of 1553, in itself published a number of times through the 1580s.