John Dunstaple (1390-1453) - “Quam pulchra es”
Rhythmically this is such a contrast to Machaut. Simple long notes with some ornaments on the cadence. The emphasis here is on harmonic progression. There is a clear top melody and the bottom voices are supporting it to create clear triads. The cadences still remain as perfect intervals.
There is thought to counterpoint but the lines remain balanced - one voice moves when others sustain.
There is definitely pleasure involved in writing and listening to this lush, gentle and "pretty" sound.
This is a motet, but it is a startling difference from 14c. It is cohesive, with language, melody, part writing, harmony and form.
At first, the text baffled me - it is earthly, even a bit raunchy, and then ends with an "Alleluia" (?)
Is this a biblical poem? Yes indeed! It is from Song of Songs. The first part belongs to a male, the second to a female. I'm still not sure why it requires an Alleluia though.
Here's a translation:
How beautiful and fair you are, my beloved,
most sweet in your delights.
Your stature is like a palm-tree,
and your breasts are like fruit.
Your head is like Mount Carmel
and your neck is like a tower of ivory.
Come, my beloved, let us go into the fields
and see if the blossoms have born fruit,
and if the pomegranates have flowered.
There will I give my breasts to you.
Alleluia.
Gillaume Du Fay (1397-1474) - Kyrie from Missa L'homme Arme.
L'homme Arme (the armed man) is a folk song. It is used as a cantus firmus here.
Appropriation! It's surprising that a folk song is appropriated as a cantus firmus by the church, instead of chant.
I'm enjoying the new balance found in the counterpoint, where activity is not simultaneous. There is also a stronger harmonic progression and triadic harmony.
Josquin De Prez (1450-1521) - Missa de L'homme Arme
Wow, 6 voices. The emphasis on harmony is apparent since he is working with richer sounds, broader ranges and triadic structures.
I am witnessing the incorporation of imitation, theme development and counterpoint writing that resembles baroque practices. The Agnus Dei is gorgeous!
There is a careful balance between sustaining notes and moving notes. De Prez's biography shows that he was a choir singer, which sheds light on his careful and innovative writing. The control of the different parts and components is evident.
The cantus firmus here is also L'homme Arme, as the title suggests.
I also sang a version of L'homme Arme, a setting by Robert Dennis along with 5 other folk songs in his series "The Golden Peacock".
As I tried to find a recording of his setting, the only one I found is of the performance I was in! Sadly the camera only shows our (fabulous) conductor Phillip Cheah, but you can still listen to a different setting of the piece, if you're interested of course.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Ars Nova
Philippe de Vitry
"In Arboris/Tuba..." and "Garrit gallus/In Nova..."
These are motets for 3 voices, with a different text for each voice.
One can absolutely hear the development of rhythmic notation, pulse and smaller subdivisions. The writing is very intricate, with emphasis on rhythmic variation and development. The voices sound very independent yet work very well together even to our contemporary ears, although the text is basically incomprehensible. The use of triads the way we hear them today is noticed, although the coda still remains a 5th.
The music is lively, and does not relay a heavy, religious, praying sentiment.
Gillaume de Machaut
"Kyrie" from the Mass of Notre Dame
The first recording of this I heard by "ensemble organum" was very surprising to me because of the tone and ornamentation used my the singers. I am familiar with this type of ornamentation from eastern music and found it surprising that it was acceptable in classical western music. I am interested to find out more about this tone and ornamentation in medieval music.
here it is:
I also found a rendition with brass doubling the voices. This just tells me how flexible instrumentation was back then and how much we impose a formal classical tone to something we're not sure actually sounded that way.
now, back to musical observations:
Triadic harmonies are used more frequently. There is great thought given to harmonic progression, development and voicings. The shift is apparent and stands out from the modal and more "diatonic" writing of the past.
While the rhythm sounded metric and more even with de Vitry, with Machaut the rhythmic modes overlap to create overlapping rhythmic patterns - something that I hear as "syncopation" or "3 over 2" with my modern ears...
Part of it probably has to do with the extension of range from the bottom part to the top, it sounds richer and chordal.
While the "Kyrie" is more stoic, the "Christe" has fast, ornate rhythms.
It is apparent that Machaut innovated both in harmonic and rhythmic development.
"Sumer Is Icomen In" - Anonymous
A 6 voice Rondellus - in old English and Latin.
A secular piece, light.
The bottom two parts hold down a steady accompaniment, while the upper four voices sing in canon. Rhythmically and harmonically it is on the simple side, using only a few rhythmic notes but the mastery here is envisioning how all 6 voices would sound together during the repetitions. The sound is lush, full, rhythmically busy, and very enjoyable.
"In Arboris/Tuba..." and "Garrit gallus/In Nova..."
These are motets for 3 voices, with a different text for each voice.
One can absolutely hear the development of rhythmic notation, pulse and smaller subdivisions. The writing is very intricate, with emphasis on rhythmic variation and development. The voices sound very independent yet work very well together even to our contemporary ears, although the text is basically incomprehensible. The use of triads the way we hear them today is noticed, although the coda still remains a 5th.
The music is lively, and does not relay a heavy, religious, praying sentiment.
Gillaume de Machaut
"Kyrie" from the Mass of Notre Dame
The first recording of this I heard by "ensemble organum" was very surprising to me because of the tone and ornamentation used my the singers. I am familiar with this type of ornamentation from eastern music and found it surprising that it was acceptable in classical western music. I am interested to find out more about this tone and ornamentation in medieval music.
here it is:
I also found a rendition with brass doubling the voices. This just tells me how flexible instrumentation was back then and how much we impose a formal classical tone to something we're not sure actually sounded that way.
now, back to musical observations:
Triadic harmonies are used more frequently. There is great thought given to harmonic progression, development and voicings. The shift is apparent and stands out from the modal and more "diatonic" writing of the past.
While the rhythm sounded metric and more even with de Vitry, with Machaut the rhythmic modes overlap to create overlapping rhythmic patterns - something that I hear as "syncopation" or "3 over 2" with my modern ears...
Part of it probably has to do with the extension of range from the bottom part to the top, it sounds richer and chordal.
While the "Kyrie" is more stoic, the "Christe" has fast, ornate rhythms.
It is apparent that Machaut innovated both in harmonic and rhythmic development.
"Sumer Is Icomen In" - Anonymous
A 6 voice Rondellus - in old English and Latin.
A secular piece, light.
The bottom two parts hold down a steady accompaniment, while the upper four voices sing in canon. Rhythmically and harmonically it is on the simple side, using only a few rhythmic notes but the mastery here is envisioning how all 6 voices would sound together during the repetitions. The sound is lush, full, rhythmically busy, and very enjoyable.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Early Polyphony - Viderunt Omnes
For this week's listening I wanted to focus on the development of Viderunt Omnes.
Viderunt Omnes - Leonin (1163-1190)
A few developments from the Viderunt Omnes plainchant:
1. Polyphony - 2 parts are now present. The bottom holds out long notes taken from the original chant (cantus firmus) and a higher voice embellishes. I was able to follow along with the lower part because I was looking at the "score" while listening, but I probably wouldn't be able to recognize the cantus firmus because it is lengthened significantly.
2. Effect on the listener - the words are no longer the most important thing in the listening experience, the melisma is so long that the words are hardly understood. The intention seems to me is either to impress the listeners with the higher voice part, or to put them in a more meditative state.
3. Sections - the chant has been stretched to such an extent that every few words of the original chant start a new section.
4. The plainchants do come back in between the sections, probably to get back to the original intention.
5. The purpose of the chant now seems to be more artistic then functional.
Viderunt Omnes - Perotin (1180-1225)
(I am actually very familiar with this piece since I wrote an expansion on it, transforming the parts to be played by woodwinds and adding another part to it. I called it "Viderunt Omnes and Friends")
Here are some further developments:
1. Polyphony - 4 parts. The lower holds the original cantus firmus notes while the upper three voices embellish in counterpoint.
which brings me to...
2. Counterpoint - there is a more complex thought in terms of how all 4 parts are sounding together and a real mastery in part writing is coming though.
3. Pulse - there is a sense of pulse and beat, it is easy to translate it to modern notation and feel a more even sense of phrase.
4. Imitation - the 3 upper parts use patterns that repeat as is, in variation and expansion. As more complex rhythms are introduced they are developed as imitation by the other voices and rhythmic patterns old and new mix together to create an evolving and lush sound.
5. Length - If Leonin expanded a few words into its own section that lasts about 2 minutes, Perotin is taking this farther by expanding 2 words to last as long at 5 minutes.
6. Effect on the listener - I am left impressed at the part writing technique and enjoying the lush sound and development of material. This is not a meditative, or a praying experience. It may still a religious experience to those who find it listening to music, but it is not a religious experience through text.
7. The plainchant does make an appearance in between the sections probably to bring the listener to the original intent.
In case you are interested in my expansion, here it is. Unfortunately I don't have a good recording of it. I dropped the low cantus firmus line because it is not a fun part for woodwinds and I didn't find it necessary for my purposes. I used the original upper 3 voices as an accompaniment that reminded me a lot of minimalist texture. I often displaced octaves to create a more rangy sound. The flute melody is added on.
Viderunt Omnes - Leonin (1163-1190)
A few developments from the Viderunt Omnes plainchant:
1. Polyphony - 2 parts are now present. The bottom holds out long notes taken from the original chant (cantus firmus) and a higher voice embellishes. I was able to follow along with the lower part because I was looking at the "score" while listening, but I probably wouldn't be able to recognize the cantus firmus because it is lengthened significantly.
2. Effect on the listener - the words are no longer the most important thing in the listening experience, the melisma is so long that the words are hardly understood. The intention seems to me is either to impress the listeners with the higher voice part, or to put them in a more meditative state.
3. Sections - the chant has been stretched to such an extent that every few words of the original chant start a new section.
4. The plainchants do come back in between the sections, probably to get back to the original intention.
5. The purpose of the chant now seems to be more artistic then functional.
Viderunt Omnes - Perotin (1180-1225)
(I am actually very familiar with this piece since I wrote an expansion on it, transforming the parts to be played by woodwinds and adding another part to it. I called it "Viderunt Omnes and Friends")
Here are some further developments:
1. Polyphony - 4 parts. The lower holds the original cantus firmus notes while the upper three voices embellish in counterpoint.
which brings me to...
2. Counterpoint - there is a more complex thought in terms of how all 4 parts are sounding together and a real mastery in part writing is coming though.
3. Pulse - there is a sense of pulse and beat, it is easy to translate it to modern notation and feel a more even sense of phrase.
4. Imitation - the 3 upper parts use patterns that repeat as is, in variation and expansion. As more complex rhythms are introduced they are developed as imitation by the other voices and rhythmic patterns old and new mix together to create an evolving and lush sound.
5. Length - If Leonin expanded a few words into its own section that lasts about 2 minutes, Perotin is taking this farther by expanding 2 words to last as long at 5 minutes.
6. Effect on the listener - I am left impressed at the part writing technique and enjoying the lush sound and development of material. This is not a meditative, or a praying experience. It may still a religious experience to those who find it listening to music, but it is not a religious experience through text.
7. The plainchant does make an appearance in between the sections probably to bring the listener to the original intent.
In case you are interested in my expansion, here it is. Unfortunately I don't have a good recording of it. I dropped the low cantus firmus line because it is not a fun part for woodwinds and I didn't find it necessary for my purposes. I used the original upper 3 voices as an accompaniment that reminded me a lot of minimalist texture. I often displaced octaves to create a more rangy sound. The flute melody is added on.
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