FÉVIN, ANTOINE de. - Musician, born at Arras between 1470 and 1473. He was a priest and master in the chapel of the kings of France. In this capacity he died at the end of 1511 or at the beginning of 1512 at Blois, in the royal castle.
Belonging to the numerous group of Franco-Flemish polyphonists, many DESSIÈ (v.) their master and model, he was greatly appreciated by his contemporaries. The most important part of his work consists of 11 masses, among which may be mentioned Mente tota, Ave Maria, and Sancta Trinitas, printed by Petrucci in Venice in 1515, and the Ferialis for 5 voices, published by Antiquus in the Liber XV Missarum (Rome 1516); then some twenty motets and several chansons. Certain of his procedures recall the style of Josquin. The merits of his musical language are clarity and charm, but he does not always succeed in avoiding a certain prolixity, especially in the numerous Duo.
Some Masses are found in more recent editions, for example, Mente tota (H. Expert), Ave Maria (J. Delporte and J. Bank), Sancta Trinitas and Ferialis for 5 voices (B. Kahmann).
St-Gervais, 21 (1919-20), pp. 4-7 and 33-35; G. de Chrétin, Plainte sur le trépus de feu maistre Johan Draconnier, London 1932; J. Delporte, Missa Ave Maria di A. de P., Introduzione, Tournai 1934.