Chapter 6The 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 1500sThe Counter-Reformation was the Catholic church’s answer to the ReformationStarting in 1545, Council of Trent met to reform the worship and practices of the Catholic churchFor a time, the Council considered banning complex polyphonic music

Palestrina, Pope Marcellus Mass

From the GloriaCompared 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

JosquinQui tollis peccata mundi,

MISERERE NOBIS.

Qui tollis peccata mundi,

SUSCIPE DEPRECATIONEM NOSTRAM.

Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,

miserere nobis.

PalestrinaQUI TOLLIS PECCATA

MUNDI,

MISERERE NOBIS.

QUI TOLLIS PECCATA MUNDI,

Suscipe DEPRECATIONEM

NOSTRAM.

QUI SEDES AD DEXTERAM PATRIS,

MISERERE NOBIS.

(Capital letters indicate homophony.)

Pope Marcellus Mass, Gloria

QUI TOLLIS PECCATA MUNDI,

MISERERE NOBIS.

QUI TOLLIS PECCATA MUNDI,

Suscipe DEPRECATIONEM NOSTRAM.

QUI SEDES AD DEXTERAM PATRIS,

MISERERE NOBIS.

You who take away the sins of the world,

Have mercy upon us

You who take away the sins of the world,

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