Chapter 6 The Renaissance Late Renaissance Music

Key Terms Declamation Word painting Mass Motet

Late Renaissance Style Rooted in “High Renaissance” style pioneered by Josquin’s generation Remarkably stable since Josquin’s day Most evident in sacred music Especially Mass and motet Universal, international style practiced by composers from across Europe: Palestrina, Lassus, Victoria & Byrd

Late Renaissance Style

Counter-Reformation Luther, Calvin, King Henry VIII and others broke away from the Catholic church in the early 1500s The Counter-Reformation was the Catholic church’s answer to the Reformation Starting in 1545, Council of Trent met to reform the worship and practices of the Catholic church For a time, the Council considered banning complex polyphonic music

Palestrina, Pope Marcellus Mass From the Gloria Compared with Josquin’s Gloria: Palestrina’s is more homophonic, easier to follow (response to Council of Trent?) As a result, declamation is much clearer Six parts and varied groupings sound richer than Josquin’s four-part choir This full, sonorous, sensuous music is typical of the late Renaissance

Josquin vs. Palestrina Josquin Palestrina Qui tollis peccata mundi, MISERERE NOBIS. SUSCIPE DEPRECATIONEM NOSTRAM. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. Palestrina QUI TOLLIS PECCATA MUNDI, MISERERE NOBIS. Suscipe DEPRECATIONEM NOSTRAM. QUI SEDES AD DEXTERAM PATRIS, (Capital letters indicate homophony.)

Pope Marcellus Mass, Gloria QUI TOLLIS PECCATA MUNDI, MISERERE NOBIS. Suscipe DEPRECATIONEM NOSTRAM. QUI SEDES AD DEXTERAM PATRIS, You who take away the sins of the world, Have mercy upon us Hear our prayer. You who sit at the right hand of the Father, Have mercy upon us.

Pope Marcellus Mass, Gloria QUONIAM TU SOLUS SANCTUS, TU SOLUS DOMINUS, TU SOLUS ALTISSIMUS, JESU CHRISTE, CUM SANCTO SPIRITU, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. (Capital letters indicate phrases sung in homophony.) For you alone are holy, you alone are the Lord, You alone are the most high, Jesus Christ, With the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Renaissance Motet Relatively short composition using Latin words Text usually sacred, sometimes taken directly from the Bible Essentially same style as Mass, alternating between imitation and homophony Often more expressive than music of the Mass, with effective declamation and even text painting