2. Palestrina, Lamentations

3. I. Ars perfecta (The Perfect Art) A. Ars perfecta = Catholic Sacred Music of the Late Renaissance B. Dates = ca. 1550 - 1600 C. Ars perfecta connotes esp. Josquin + sacred music of late Renaissance composers: Lasso (Germany), Byrd (England), Victoria (Spain) and Palestrina (Italy)

4. II. Placing the Ars perfecta historically

9. II. Placing the Ars Perfecta historically Early Ren1. Dufay Binchois 1425-75 2. Ockeghem, Busnois and Contemporaries 1450-1500 High3. Josquin and Contemporaries1480-1520 4. Arcadelt, Gombert, Willaert 1500-60 LateARS PERFECTA1550-1600 5. Palestrina, Lasso, Victoria, Byrd A. Chronology: Stable Features?Changing Features?

10. 1.Performing Forces? 2.Texture? 3.Tempo (Fast – Slow – Moderate)? 4.Tempo (Steady Pulses or Fluctuating)? 5.Number of Different Voices? 6.Amount of Dissonance? 7.Amount of Imitation? 8.Phrases clearly set off or “Run on”?

11. II. Renaissance in Review: Placing the Ars Perfecta historically Early Ren1. Dufay Binchois 1425-75 2. Ockeghem, Busnois and Contemporaries 1450-1500 High3. Josquin and Contemporaries1480-1520 4. Arcadelt, Gombert, Willaert 1500-60 LateARS PERFECTA1550-1600 5. Palestrina, Lasso, Victoria, Byrd A. Chronology: Stable Features?Changing Features? 1.Performing Forces? 2.Texture? 3.Tempo (Fast – Slow – Moderate)? 4.Tempo (Steady Pulses or Fluctuating)? 5.Number of Different Voices? 6.Amount of Dissonance? 7.Amount of Imitation? 8.Phrases clearly set off or “Run on”?

12. III. Placing the Ars Perfecta Musically 1. Stable Traits from Early to Late 2. Changing Traits increasing preference for more voices (fuller textures) 3. Imitative polyphony in many voices + careful control of dissonances= A “Perfect Art” texture: polyphony; some homophonic texture performance style: a cappella phrases: seamless, no sharp breaks, stops, or silences tempo: moderate and steady pulse increasing control of dissonance increasing use of imitation

13. IV. Sacred Music and Catholic Liturgy A. Mass vs. Offices (Hours) B. Proper of the Mass vs. Ordinary of the Mass (see Wright, p. 83) C. The Texts of the Ordinary Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei D.Masses often take titles from borrowed music: cantus firmus, paraphrase, parody (a.k.a. imitation Mass) Sanctus from the Mass, Eternal Gifts of Christ by Palestrina *Ite missa est (rarely set as polyphony)

14. V. Palestrina and the Counter-Reformation A. Council of Trent, 1545 - 1563 B. Controversies Surrounding Music C. Palestrina and the Myth of the Pope Marcellus Mass Lack of standardization Use of profane melodies in cantus firmus compositions Complicated imitative polyphony renders sacred words unintelligible

15. No problemo!

16. Palestrina, Pope Marcellus Mass, Gloria Et in terra pax hominibus, bonae voluntatis, Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te Gratias agimus tibi, propter magnum gloriam tuam...

17. Palestrina, Pope Marcellus Mass: Agnus Dei

18. VII. A Perfect Art: The Musical Style of Palestrina and the Late Renaissance A. Melody B. Harmony C. Dissonance

19. Suspension: 1.Preceded by Consonance (Cons) 2. 1 voice “hangs onto” its note while other voice moves (Diss) 3. Suspended note “catches up” resolves down by step (Cons) (Finetti Suspensions)

20. V. A Perfect Art: The Musical Style of Palestrina and the Late Renaissance A. Melody B. Harmony C. Dissonance Treatment D. Texture E. Pulse or Beat

21. Holy, Holy, Holy, Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.

22. Wright Textbook, p. 100: Even today, courses for advanced music students include practice in composing in the pure contrapuntally correct style of Palestrina. Thus, the spirit of the Counter-Reformation continued to influence musicians long after the Renaissance had come to an end.