Josquin des Prez (c.1450/55-1521) was a Franco-Flemish composer and one of the towering figures of Renaissance music. He worked in Italy and France and became famous across Europe both during and after his lifetime.

His works include masses, motets and chansons, many of which circulated widely in manuscript and print. Pieces such as the Missa Pange lingua and Ave Maria... virgo serena became models of expressive polyphony.

Josquin’s music combines contrapuntal mastery with unusual clarity of gesture and text. He could make learned technique feel direct, human and emotionally focused.

His reputation was so high that many works were later misattributed to him, a tribute of sorts from the age of musical name-dropping. The authentic Josquin remains one of the great architects of Western vocal music.