Career
He was maitre de chapelle to the Archbishop of Cambrai in present-day France. His motet Venite populi terrae was written to celebrate Emperor Charles V and was performed in the Cathedral. The Emperor who would have heard it in 1539 on his march to suppress the Revolt of Ghent.
He wrote 19 chansons, 14 motets, and 2 masses which have survived.
Courtois’ work exhibits the varied imitative procedures and shifting textural treatment which typify the Franco-Netherlandish motet style. The chansons, for 4 voices, are in the "Parisian" style of the day.
The works for 5 or 6 voices are in the more contrapuntal "Netherlandish" style.
