University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Literature and Styles in Music I

Music of the Counter-Reformation

I As Rome falls to mercenary armies and Lutheranism presents a challenge to dominance of Roman Catholic Church, reform elements within the Church begin to take control

II Council of Trent Attempts to Reassert Authority of Roman Catholic Church

A. Council of Trent (in Northern Italy) holds a series of meetings from 1545-1563 with the purpose of purging the church of "laxities and abuses"

Church music is criticized for: l "pervading secular spirit" shown by use of secular cantus firmus and parody masses based on chanson material l Difficulty in understanding text due to
- complicated polyphony
- bad pronunciation (& "irreverent attitude")
- excessive use of loud instruments

B. Final instructions from Council of Trent were to "avoid the impure and lascivious," to urge the employment of a "lucid and dignified choral style in which the music should serve the text by setting the words in an easily intelligible context

Palestrina (incorrectly) credited for "saving polyphony" by showing in Pope Marcellus Mass that polyphonic music can be compatible with the liturgical spirit
- more likely that Jacobus de Kerle (1532-1591) impresses church leaders with a setting of a series of prayers in clear, homophonic style

III Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1524-1594)

A. Known as the "Prince of Music"; Master of the Julian Chapel in Rome (known for his conservative approach)

B. Works

105 Masses
- approx. 40 each for 5 & 5 voices
- 22 for 6 voices, 4 for 8 voices
Other sacred works:
- 450 motets, including Song of Songs (21 motets based on "Songs of Solomon"
- hymns, Magnificats, psalms, litanies, Lamentations, Stabat Maters
- Madrigals: 83 secular, 56 spiritual
- 8 instrumental ricercari (attributed)

C. Musical style based on Netherlands tradition

Roman positions which he holds are traditionally conservative
Imitative counterpoint is standard texture
- new melodic motive for each phrase of text
- all voice parts in continuous rhythm; moving voices overlap cadences
- master of Josquin's imitative techniques but closer to Ockeghem in conservative spirit
  - generally unemotional, balanced music taking its essential spirit from chant
- Homophonic texture emphasized in short motets for double chorus (e.g., his "Stabat Mater"), his setting of the "Improperia" and in longer Mass movements (e.g., Credo, Gloria)
  - in homophonic textures, a tendency to divide large group into smaller combination to achieve variety of texture and sonority
- Approach to harmony generally conservative: m basic vocabulary of major and minor triads and 6th chords; bass movement by 4ths and 5ths suggest periodic cadences
  - treatment of dissonance stricter than predecessors
    - primary dissonance is suspension: always prepared as a consonance and resolved down by step to another consonance
  - chromaticism infrequent
  - emphasizes variety of sonority rather than variety of harmony
- Conservative treatment of melody as well
  - avoids "dramatic" melodic leaps or unusual intervals
- Word-painting minimal: some use of standard devices (e.g., ascending and descending lines) but seldom attempts to reflect the emotional content of specific words as had Josquin or the Italian madrigalists
- known for remarkable rhythmic flexibility
  - music often shows metric ambiguity
  - metric accents determined by harmonic changes and suspensions
- Approach to form:
  - early Masses of "Cantus Firmus" type
    - some "paraphrase" chant in all voices
  - some later Masses use "Parody" techniques
  - most based in some way on Gregorian chant
  - internal continuity aided by systematic repetition of harmonic progressions

D. Summary of Palestrina's Accomplishment:

Master of the conservative late Renaissance sacred style
Famous for consistency of craftsmanship, including the strict treatment of melody and harmony which allows for the abstraction of rules
Embodies the conservative, introspective spirit of the Counter-Reformation
- not necessarily a summation of Renaissance polyphony as a whole
- artful manipulation of a "purposely restricted vocabulary"

IV Cristobal de Morales (ca. 1500-1553; Spanish)

A. Most eminent Spanish composer of early 16th century

B. Becomes famous in Italy while a member of the Papal Chapel in Rome (1535-45)

C. Like many Spanish composers, known for employing Netherlands contrapuntal technique in conjunction with a tone that is dark and somber but expresses religious emotion with passionate intensity (often gained by unusual chromatic progre

V Tomas Luis de Victoria (1549-1611, Spanish)

A. Works 20 years in Rome (until 1583) and influenced by conservative Roman style

probably a student of Palestrina

B. Works: 20 Masses (some for voices and organ) , motets (some with dual texts), Passion settings, hymns, Magnificats (16)

C. Form:

Some Cantus Firmus Masses; also Parody Masses based on his own works as well as those of Palestrina and Morales (avoids secular models)
Some Masses for double chorus used antiphonally

D. Musical style:

style comparable to Palestrina but darker and more intense (preference for minor modes)
consistency and clarity to match Palestrina, but uses melodic intervals and repeated notes avoided by Palestrina
although skilled in imitative counterpoint, tends to emphasize homophonic textures more than Palestrina
more expressive use of chromaticism and dissonance
more rhythmically distinctive and vigorous than Palestrina

VI Orlando di Lasso (Roland de Lassus) (Netherlands)

A. Most versatile of late Renaissance composers

B. Over 2000 works: 53 Masses (mostly Parody type), over 750 motets; also Italian madrigals, French chansons, German Lieder, hymns, Magnificats, Passions, Lessons, Penitential Psalms, Sufferings of Job, Lamentations of Jeremiah

C. Musical style:

works show "cosmopolitan fusion of Northern and Southern national elements" and a mixture of religious and secular influences
more explicitly dramatic than Palestrina and Victoria; some abrupt modulations and shifts in mood
freer use of chromaticism and dissonance than Palestrina or Victoria; also more unusual melodic intervals
early works rely more on imitation, but Lasso is less interested in "abstract" musical forms based on canon and cantus firmus
- when imitation is used, it is treated freely
- Later works are more homophonic with short phrases that are typically declamatory in nature
- emphasis on harmonic rather than polyphonic aspects of music
  - harmonic rhythm irregular, often rapid
  - harmonic emphasis results in a more "functional" and less melodic bass line
- concentrates on careful treatment of text to provide continuity
- in later years, works exclusively in sacred style, especially "spiritual madrigals"

D. Lasso represents the most complete summary of the Renaissance style

employs imitative counterpoint from Netherlands tradition (especially in early works)
employs chromatic and word-painting effects associated with Italian madrigalists
employs polychoral effects of Venetian School
employs serious style of conservative German lied
employs clever, witty style of chanson

VII William Byrd (1543-1623; English, student of Thomas Tallis)

A. Works:

3 Latin Masses for 3,4 & 5 voices
Sacrae Cantiones: 2 books of devotional motets
Gradualia (1605): Latin motets and settings of the Proper of the Mass and Canonical Hours
Psalmes, Sonets & Songs of Sadness and Piety (1588) (originally composed as solo songs with instrumental accompaniment, later published in all-vocal form)
Madrigals
Music for Church of England (Anglican Church): Anthems, "The Great Service"
Consort music for viols, virginal music

B. Musical style:

more consistently contrapuntal than Lasso
use of chromaticism sometimes as extensive and innovative as Lasso
treatment of dissonance sometimes unusual
- like other English composers, fond of "cross-relations"
strong, distinctive rhythms comparable to Lasso's

C. Summary:

contrapuntal skill comparable to Palestrina
use of chromatic harmony and dissonance comparable to Lasso
Develops religious style based on a personal, subjective approach similar to Lasso rather than the objective and carefully controlled approach of Palestrina

Last Update 6/21/06

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