La Prosopographie des chantres de la Renaissance (PCR) rassemble les biographies des chanteurs professionnels employés dans les chapelles princières et les principales églises européennes de c. 1350 à c. 1600. À ce jour, la base de données recueille environ 4500 notices qui offrent une grande variété de profils de carrière et d’informations, depuis les variantes des noms des chanteurs à leurs lieux et dates d’activité, ainsi que leurs biographies complètes et détaillées. Bien que la PCR inclut inévitablement la plupart des compositeurs de la fin du Moyen Âge et de la Renaissance, elle vise avant tout à enrichir les biographies de leurs collègues employés dans les mêmes établissements qui, n'ayant pas été identifiés comme auteurs d'œuvres musicales, ont beaucoup moins retenu l'attention des musicologues et des historiens. La PCR est un projet en cours. Ses notices élaborées dans le back-office font l'objet de constantes validations éditoriales pour publication en ligne, et elle s'enrichit régulièrement de nouvelles notices.
Initié comme un élargissement des annexes prosopographiques de la thèse de doctorat de David Fiala sur les musiciens de la cour de Bourgogne à la fin du XVe siècle (2002), le projet a démarré en 2007 avec une campagne financée par l’Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), en collaboration avec l’Université de Rouen, le Centre d’études supérieures de la Renaissance (CESR) de l’Université de Tours, le CNRS et Le STUDIUM. La base de données rassemble principalement les recherches biographiques sur des chanteurs actifs en France, en Italie et aux Pays-Bas, mais considère également les activités des chanteurs en Espagne, en Allemagne, et dans d’autres pays européens. Certaines notices dans la base de données sont en cours de rédaction, et ne proposent que des esquisses biographiques, tandis que d’autres sont complètes, accessibles en français et en anglais. La recherche plein texte est possible, mais les requêtes en français donnent de meilleurs résultats car un grand nombre de biographies sont écrites en français.
Le modèle de données de la PCR repose sur un principe de structuration des biographies comme séries d'événements. Un événement est un noeud d'informations situé dans le temps et mettant en relation un individu avec différents éléments tels que : type d'événement, rôle, lieu, institution. La production d'événements étant la tâche la plus chronophage de l'enrichissement de la PCR, ils ne sont que progressivements attachés aux biographies. La qualité et la précision des réponses aux requêtes avancées dépendent directement de la disponibilité d'événements correspondants.
En plus de sa bibliographie de plusieurs centaines de références, la PCR tient à jour son propre référentiel de dépôts d'archives européens, tandis que ses renvois à la documentation conservée en bibliothèques recourent aux sigles du RISM. Elle tient également à jour un thésaurus multilingue de prénoms et de leurs diminutifs qui facilite les identifications dans des contextes divers, ou des tables de mécènes et d'établissements musicaux.
Les musicologues intéressés à contribuer peuvent contacter la personne responsable du projet, David Fiala.
Fichiers
Échantillon de 65 biographies de la PCR en rédaction bilingue français et anglais, décembre 2008
Contributeurs
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Member of a church (musician) ; Singer
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Member of a court chapel (lower ranked officer)
Rôles : Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Choirmaster ; Composer ; Instrumentalist ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer ; Teacher
Rôles : Cleric ; Composer ; Member of a confraternity ; Member of a princely/private household ; Singer
Rôles : Copyist/Scribe
Rôles : Priest ; Singer
Rôles : Master of choirboys
Rôles : Choirboy ; Singer
Rôles : Composer ; Instrumentalist ; Member of a princely/private household ; Singer
Rôles : Dedicator
Rôles : Bookseller ; Composer ; Instrumentalist ; Music printer ; Singer
Rôles : Composer ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer
Rôles : Bassus ; Member of a church (musician) ; Priest ; Singer
Rôles : Music printer ; Printer/Publisher
Rôles : Choirmaster ; Composer ; Organist
Rôles : Master of choirboys
Rôles : Music copyist
Rôles : Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer
Rôles : Copyist/Scribe ; Music copyist
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Altus ; Choirboy ; Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer ; Singing teacher ; Superius
Rôles : Bassus ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Monastic Order ; Priest ; Singer
Rôles : Music printer
Rôles : Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Choirmaster ; Cleric ; Composer ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer
Rôles : Member of a court chapel (higher ecclesiastic)
Rôles : Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Priest ; Singer ; Tenor
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Choirmaster ; Cleric ; Composer ; Instrumentalist ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer
Rôles : Member of a church (musician) ; Music copyist
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Dedicatee/Owner
Rôles : Composer ; Master of choirboys
Rôles : Altus ; Choirmaster ; Composer ; Illegitimate birth ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a confraternity ; Member of a court chapel (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Member of a princely/private household ; Priest ; Singer
Rôles : Choirmaster ; First Chaplain ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a princely/private household ; Singer
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Priest ; Singer
Rôles : Composer ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Organist ; Singer
Rôles : Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Choirboy ; Choirmaster ; Cleric ; Composer ; Illegitimate birth ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Member of a princely/private household ; Priest
Rôles : Composer ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer)
Rôles : Involved in a criminal case ; Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Lyricist-Poet ; Printer/Publisher ; Writer/Scientist
Rôles : Choirboy ; Cleric ; Composer ; Illegitimate birth ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer
Rôles : Composer ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Organist
Rôles : Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Priest
Rôles : Bookseller ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Music printer ; Printer/Publisher
Rôles : Choirboy
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Organist
Rôles : Illegitimate birth ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer ; Tenor
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Priest ; Singer
Rôles : Choirboy ; Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer
Rôles : Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Lyricist-Poet ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Member of a princely/private household
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon)
Rôles : Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Member of a princely/private household ; Monastic Order
Rôles : Member of a court chapel (lower ranked officer)
Rôles : Composer ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Member of a princely/private household
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Composer ; Organist
Rôles : Choirboy ; Composer ; Dedicatee/Owner ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Member of a princely/private household ; Priest
Rôles : Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Organist
Rôles : Dedicatee/Owner ; Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Choirmaster ; Composer ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Student ; Succentor (ecclesiastical office)
Rôles : Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer
Rôles : Composer ; Monastic Order
Rôles : Composer ; Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer
Rôles : Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (musician) ; Priest
Rôles : Choirmaster ; Composer ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Composer ; Dedicator
Rôles : Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Priest
Rôles : Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Priest
Rôles : Member of a church (musician) ; Tenor
Rôles : Bookseller ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Music printer ; Printer/Publisher
Rôles : Composer ; Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Composer ; Monastic Order ; Music copyist
Rôles : Choirmaster ; Composer ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Choirboy ; Singer
Rôles : Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Involved in a criminal case ; Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer ; Tenor
Rôles : Choirmaster ; Composer ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Priest
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Member of a confraternity ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Composer ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Singer
Rôles : Cleric ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Instrumentalist ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (musician) ; Music copyist ; Organist ; Priest
Rôles : Choirmaster ; Composer ; Master of choirboys
Rôles : Choirmaster ; Composer ; Master of choirboys ; Teacher
Rôles : Choirmaster ; Cleric ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Priest ; Singer
Rôles : Dedicatee/Owner ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon)
Rôles : Composer ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Member of a princely/private household
Rôles : Member of a church (musician) ; Organist
Rôles : Choirboy ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a confraternity ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Priest ; Singer
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Member of a church (musician) ; Tenor
Rôles : Employer/Patron ; Music printer
Rôles : Choirboy ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon)
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Tenor
Rôles : Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (musician) ; Priest
Rôles : Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a church (musician) ; Priest ; Tenor
Rôles : Master of choirboys
Rôles : Organist
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer
Rôles : Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Member of a church (musician) ; Tenor
Rôles : Member of a church (musician) ; Singer
Rôles : Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Choirboy ; Singer ; Tenor
Rôles : Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Tenor
Rôles : Choirboy ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer)
Rôles : Cleric ; Composer ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Priest
Rôles : Bassus ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Music copyist ; Priest ; Singer ; Tenor
Rôles : Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer ; Tenor
Rôles : Composer ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (musician) ; Teacher
Rôles : Cleric ; Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a church (musician) ; Member of a princely/private household ; Music copyist ; Priest
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician)
Rôles : Member of a church (higher ecclesiastic, canon) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Member of a princely/private household ; Noble birth
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Composer
Rôles : Illegitimate birth ; Master of choirboys ; Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a church (musician)
Rôles : Composer ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Organist ; Singer
Rôles : Member of a church (lower ranked officer) ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Member of a princely/private household ; Music copyist ; Priest
Rôles : Composer ; Member of a court chapel (musician) ; Singer
http://preprod-ricercar.cesr.univ-tours.fr/projects/5/
Fiala David, Prosopography of Renaissance Singers (2007-...), in RicercarDataLab [http://preprod-ricercar.cesr.univ-tours.fr/projects/5/] (accessed 23 June 2025).