Guillaume Franc

FRANC, Guillaume. b. Rouen, ca. 1515 ; d. Lausanne, Switzerland, 1570. He worked in Geneva as singer, professor of music and cantor in the reformed Cathedral Saint-Pierre. In 1541 he became the director of ‘une eschole de musique’ (music school), where he was appointed professor of music and singing. When Jean Calvin* returned to Geneva, the Council introduced psalm-singing and the training of school children to sing in church. On 2 May 1542, Franc was appointed as ‘maystre des escholes’. From 1543, he taught singing at the famous Collège de Rive but, not receiving a wage increase, he decided to leave Geneva on 3 Aug 1545, and settled down as ‘cantor’ and ‘maystre de musique’ (music...