Ludovicus Episcopius

Lodewijk de Bisschop, latinised as Ludovicus Episcopius (c. 1520 in Mechelen – 29 April 1595 in Straubing) was a Flemish Roman Catholic priest and composer of the late Renaissance and one of the first to compose secular songs in the Dutch language.

Episcopius was born in Mechelen around 1520 as the son of Antonius de Bisschop. His father was the sexton and singer of the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-over-de-Dijle church in Mechelen. His received his musical training at the St. Rumbolds Cathedral in Mechelen. The choirmaster of the Cathedral was Theo Verelst, who was also the teacher of Philippus de Monte and Cypriano de Rore.

Episcopius studied from 1538 to 1541 at the University of Leuven and became a priest. From 1545 to 1565 and from 1577 to 1585, he was choirmaster at the Basilica of Saint Servatius in Maastricht. He was replaced by Jean de Chaynée. When his successor de Chaynée was assassinated, Episcopius was reinstated in his former position.

Around 1582, he moved from the Low Countries to Munich where in 1584 he became a singer in the choir that was led by Orlando di Lasso. He retired in 1591 and became a canon in Straubing.

Only a few of Episcopius' works survive. These include the Missa super 'si mon service a merite' , four motets, a Salve regina and 12 Dutch language songs.

The Dutch language songs are mainly contained in two anthologies published in the 16th century: Dat ierste boeck vanden nieuwe Duijtsche liedekens, published in 1554 in Maastricht by Jacob Bathen and Een Duytsch musyck boeck, jointy published in 1572 by Petrus Phalesius the Elder in Leuven and Johannes Bellerus in Antwerp. Some songs have been preserved in manuscript. Of the 8 songs from Bathen's edition, of which no complete copy has survived, some were reedited by Phalesius and Bellerus in their anthology (of which a complete copy survives), which contains, among works by other composers, 7 songs by Episcopius, the highest number of his works in any publication.

The Dutch language songs are:

Some of Episcopius' songs have been recorded a few times. An incomplete discography is to be found on medieval.org