CHAPTER 15 MUSIC AT THE CATHEDRAL OF FLORENCE

The cathedral of Florence serves as a cultural icon for all of Italy The gigantic dome was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi ( ) and was completed in 1436, at which time the cathedral was dedicated.

MUSIC FOR THE DEDICATION, 25 MARCH 1436 The dedication of the cathedral of Florence was celebrated by Pope Eugenius IV and the papal chapel, both then resident in Florence. The pope’s magister cappellae (master, or leader, of the chapel) was then Guillaume Dufay (pronounced “Du-fa-y”), a native of the region of Cambrai in northern France.

DUFAY’S NUPER ROSARUM FLORES To make the dedicatory ceremony more splendid, Dufay composed an isorhythmic motet Nuper rosarum flores (Recently roses). The isorhythmic structure of the work involves a complicated scheme, but can be reduced to a simple durational ratio of 6:4:2:3.

Schematic diagram of the four sections of Dufay’s Nuper rosarum flores II Duet then four voices 28 x 4 half-notes The proportions 6:4:2:3 were those of the biblical temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, and thus Nuper rosarum flores involves musical number symbolism. The musical and textual structures of Nuper rosarum flores are also informed by number symbolism in ways that allude to the Virgin Mary. I Duet then four voices 28 x 6 half-notes III Duet then four voices 28 x 2 half-notes IV Duet then four voices 28 x 3 half-notes

MUSIC AND ARCHITECTURE Dufay’s Nuper rosarum flores is one of the few pieces in the history of music to attempt to reflect in sound the dimensions of the architectural space for which it was created. Each of the dimensions of the cathedral of Florence, width, length, and height, is 72 braccia (the braccio, Italian for arm, is about 22 inches in length). Brunelleschi’s dome is 72 braccia wide and 2 x 72 braccia high. 2 x 72 = 144 and similarly 6 x 4 x 2 x 3 = 144.