Auxcousteaux (Also Aux-Cousteaux, Hautcousteaux), Artus

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Auxcousteaux (Also Aux-Cousteaux, Hautcousteaux), Artus

Auxcousteaux (Also Aux-Cousteaux, Hautcousteaux), Artus, French singer and composer; b. probably in Amiens, c. 1590; d. Paris, c. 1654. He studied at the St. Quentin Cathedral choir school. After singing haute-contre at Louis XIII’s chapel (1613–27), he became maître de musique at St. Quentin in 1631, and also served in that capacity in Amiens (c. 1632–34). He then was a clerk haute-contre at the Paris St. Chapelle, where he was named maître de musique about 1643. About 1651 he received a canonry at the church of St. Jacques de l’Hôpital. His output includes sacred works and chansons.

—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire