Josquin des Prez, born around 1450 in the region of Condé-sur-l’Escaut, Burgundian Hainaut (now France), and deceased on August 27, 1521, in the same town, was a preeminent composer of the Renaissance era. Often referred to simply as Josquin, he was a central figure in the Franco-Flemish School and is regarded as one of the greatest composers of his time, influencing the music of the 16th century significantly.

Josquin's early life remains largely undocumented, but he likely began his musical education at the Cambrai Cathedral or under the tutelage of Johannes Ockeghem. By the late 1470s, he was singing for the courts of René I of Anjou and Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza of Milan. He later served in the papal chapel from 1486 to about 1494 and held connections with the Chapel Royal of Louis XII of France. Between 1499 and 1505, he was the choirmaster for Duke Ercole I of Ferrara, composing notable works such as the mass "Hercules Dux Ferrariae" and the motet "Miserere."

Josquin's compositions, which include masses, motets, and chansons, are celebrated for their expressive polyphony and innovative use of text and music integration. His works were widely published during his lifetime by Ottaviano dei Petrucci, including 20 complete masses, with 17 printed in three sets between 1502 and 1514. Josquin's music was highly esteemed by contemporaries like Martin Luther, who praised him as a "master of the notes."

In his later years, Josquin returned to Condé-sur-l’Escaut, where he served as provost of the collegiate church of Notre Dame. His final compositions, including the masses "Missa de Beata Virgine" and "Missa Pange lingua," continued to demonstrate his mastery of the high Renaissance style of polyphonic vocal music. Despite the challenges in accurately attributing some of his works, Josquin's legacy endures, with his music remaining influential and widely studied even beyond the Renaissance.