The Lost Voices Project

Companion resource to Les livres de Chansons Nouvelles de Nicolas Du Chemin (1549–1568), hosted by the Centre d’Études Supérieures de la Renaissance in Tours, France

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Clereau, Pierre (Cler’eau)

d. before 1570

Pierre Clereau (d before 1570) was a French composer active in Nancy and closely associated with the Lorraine-Guise family of the sixteenth century. Much of his music was published by Le Roy et Ballard. In 1554 Du Chemin published two books of sacred music. His 59 chansons are notable for their reliance on texts of Ronsard, Tyard, Baïf, and others. Possessing a clear and subtle sense of melodic design, his chansons also show the influence of Neapolitan villanelles in the context of the new air de cour idiom. Frank Dobbins, New Grove 2, VI, 49-50.