Antoine Mornable

Antoine Mornable (also spelled Anthoine) was a French composer active in Paris during the first half of the sixteenth century. He was probably born around 1515, although this is not known for certain, and his activity is documented between 1530 and 1553. Much of his output was printed by Pierre Attaingnant, one of the great music printers of the period.

Before devoting himself to composition, he was a chorister at the Sainte-Chapelle until his voice broke. Between December 1530 and December 1532 he received his education at the expense of the canons of that institution. His first works were printed in 1534, and in 1546 two volumes appeared: a book of twenty-five Latin motets and another containing seventeen French psalms. In both he is named as 'de Mornable', a form not found in later anthologies. The title page of the motets describes him as 'a very learned musician', while the psalm book states that he was choirmaster and servant of Count Guy XVII of Laval, who is said to have sympathised with Protestantism.

He also composed 43 chansons, published between 1538 and 1553, mostly by Attaingnant. Courtly pieces in the manner of Claudin de Sermisy predominate, and his inclination to set epigrams is evident. Over the years the use of homophony grew, already visible in the 1546 psalms and in two airs of 1553, Je ne me confesseray point and Je ne sçay que c'est qu'il me fault, which alternate sections in duple and triple time.

Mornable is known above all for his chansons and for his psalms and motets, which document the transition towards a more homophonic style in French Renaissance music. Much of his biography, including his date of birth, remains uncertain.