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.