# Gradual [View the canonical artwork record]() ## Artwork - Artist: [MINIATURIST, Flemish]() - Date: 1451-1500 - Technique: Manuscript ## Commentary The Gradual \(Latin: graduale\) is a chant or hymn in the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist for many Christian denominations. Gradual can also refer to a book collecting all the musical items of the Mass. The folio from this gradual with polyphonic masses contains the Missa Salve diva parens, from Kyrie I, by Jacob Obrecht \(Hobrecht\). Obrecht \(1458-1505\) was the son of the Ghent city trumpeter Willem Hobrecht. The composer Obrecht was appointed choirmaster at Cambrai Cathedral in 1484. Following his dismissal for mismanagement, he was given the corresponding post \(succentor\) at St Donatian's in Bruges. He was granted six months leave in 1487 to go and work at the court of Ferrara, at the request of Duke Ercole I d'Este. He was subsequently connected with Our Lady's in Antwerp between 1492 and 1496, before being reappointed in Bruges on 31 December 1498. He travelled to the court of Ferrara for a second time in 1504, where he died of plague in 1505. <a onclick="return OpenOther\('/html/m/memling/5late/40obrech.html'\)" href="/html/m/memling/5late/40obrech.html">Obrecht's portrait</a> was painted by Hans Memling in 1496. <p> <table align=left cellpadding=5 border=1 width=320 bgcolor="\#99cccc"> <tr valign=middle><td><img src="/support/gif/listen.gif" border=0 valign=middle> Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 3 minutes\):<br><a href="\#" onClick="w=window.open \('/music1/15\_cent/ockeghem\_homme\_arme.html', 'newWin', 'scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350'\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true"><b>Johannes Ockeghem: Kyrie from Missa L'homme armé</b></a> </td></tr></table> ## Related artworks - [Apocalypse]() - [Boccaccio: Des cas des ruynes des nobles hommes et femmes]() - [Boethius: De consolatione philosophiae]() - [Book of Hours \(La Flora\)]() - [Book of Hours \(La Flora\)]() - [Book of Hours of Isabella of Castile]() - [Book of Hours of Isabella of Castile]() - [Book of Hours of Marie of Gueldern]() - [Book of Hours of Marie of Gueldern]() - [Book of Hours]() - [Book of Hours]() - [Book of Hours]() ## Attribution [Web Gallery of Art]()