Josquin de Prez in the Eyes of His Peers-Essay Response

The best part about this source reading was the description of Josquin’s interactions with Louis XII, the French King.  The first story that was described was Josquin’s response to not getting the payment promised for his work.  Josquin allegedly responded with a composition based on Psalm “Remember thy word unto thy servant”.  The composition was so wonderful that it was said to have brought shame onto the king and he then paid Josquin what was promised.  It is said that Josquin immediately composed another Psalm, “Thou has dealt well with thy servant, O Lord.”  I could not tell whether this story is known to be a true story or if it could possibly be a legend, but it was a great story and a great example of how music can be used to communicate all types of ideas and feelings, even in a very practical way.

The second story about Lois XII was even better and more humorous.  I liked how the author described the king as having an “inadequate voice”.  But he asked Josquin to compose a song in which he (the king) could sing a part.  This was apparently quite a challenge because the king was known to be “entirely ignorant of music”.  But josquin was able to solve this problem by composing a 4 part song with the upper 2 voices being very light so that the king’s voice would not be drowned out. He also gave the king a part with one continuous tone in the alto range.  On top of that, Josquin arranged the bass so that it would be supporting the King at various intervals at the octave.  This was done so that the king would not “waver in pitch.”  I found this story very amusing and thought that the solution was brilliant.  This is a problem that many composers and musicians face even today.  Sometimes situations arise when someone who is “entirely ignorant of music” wants to participate, and this person’s feelings are more important than protecting the music, but sometimes creative solutions can be supplied that provide the person with the joy of participating while still protecting the integrity of the music.  J  Some things that come to mind are, turning the microphone down or off or having a better musician double the part. 

There were other interesting points in this source reading.  The author described Josquin as a man of great talent and brilliance but made the criticism that he sometimes lacked “proper measure and a judgment based on knowledge” so that in certain places in his songs where he did not “fully restrain the impetuosity of a lively talent”.  I don’t know if this was an accurate criticism or not or if it is similar to the criticism of the Mozart in the movie “Amadeus” when he was told that there were “too many notes”.  In that case they were clearly jealous or not able to understand the music, but in some cases, musicians do have this problem.  I have noticed this lack of restraint the most in musicians that have amazing improvisation skills.  The musicians are sometimes tempted to overdo it a bit when the music would be more effective if they exercised some restraint.  This is also true of guitarists who like to show off with 10 minute guitar solos.

The other point that I thought was interesting was the description of Josquin as a teacher by one of his students.  The student described him as being able to make perfect musicians in a short time without writing out musical exercises or giving “lengthy and frivolous instructions”.  He also did not give his students assignments which he did not feel they were capable of doing well.  This was particularly interesting to me since I am a piano teacher.  I hope that I am not guilty of giving “lengthy and frivolous instructions”.  

"Gaude Virgo, Mater Christi" Josquin des Prez

This is a sacred motet with latin text.  The English translation is below:

Gaude, virgo mater Christi

"Rejoice, virgin mother of Christ who hast conceived by ear, with Gabriel as messenger.
 Rejoice, for full of God thou gavest birth without pain, with the lily of purity.
 Rejoice, for the resurrection of thy Son now shines, whose death thou mourned,
Rejoice, as Christ ascends, and, in thy sight, is carried into heaven by his own strength.
 Rejoice, thou who riseth after him and to whom great honor is due in the palace of heaven,
Where the fruit of thy womb is granted us, through thee, to enjoy in eternal rejoicing. Alleluia."

This was a 4 voice motet with women singing the top parts and males sing the bottom parts.  I enjoyed the mixture of male and female voices.  One feature that I noticed is that the cadences were kind of slipped in and the piece kept moving along with a sense of forward motion.

There was a lot of imitation that occured at the point of unison. I liked  that I could hear a sense of choral build up during the piece, something I had not preciously heard in earlier music, and it had a very nice cadence at the end.

Ave Maria-Josquin des Prez

This was a very beautiful, peaceful song.  The recording that I listened to had a female voice and several male voices. I found the combination of voices to fit really well. The style of this piece was a sacred motet.  The song was very canonical with the imitation initially occurring at the octave.  The bass imitation occurred down a fifth.

The song had a special feature where there were several duets occurring in the song with two voices at a time.  I really enjoyed this feature and thought it added a lot of interest to the piece.

This song was very syllabic with only a few melismas.

The English translation is below.  I noticed it is the typical "Hail Mary" prayer, still prayed by Roman Catholics today.

Ave Maria

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;
blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus [Christ].
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen

El Grillo-Josquin des Prez

All versions of this song that I listened to were sung in Italian.  The English translation is below.

El Grillo

The cricket is a good singer 

He can sing very long 

He sings all the time.

But he isn't like the other birds.

If they've sung a little bit 

They go somewhere else 

The cricket remains where he is 

When the heat is very fierce 

Then he sings only for love

I love this song.  I have heard it a number of times and it makes me laugh every time.  It is a very fast paced, rhythmic song, with a jovial and lively feeling. The whole tone is playful and light.  The texture was mostly homophomic and it had a lot of chordal movement with the top voice taking the melody.

Some scholars believe this may be a satirical piece used as a reminder to his patron Galeazzo Sforza that  musicians need to be paid. Some also believe that Josquin may be punning on the name of a fellow musician (Frillo) by calling him a cricket (Grillo).

Guillaume Dufay - Nuper rosarum flores

recording

This song was written for the consecration of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. It was consecrated under the direction of Pope Eugenius IV on March 25, 1436.

The composer is Guillame Dufay,a Franco-Flemish composer of the early Renaissance.  This is a very beautiful piece.  A unique feature of this performance is that in the middle an instrument (maybe a horn) begins playing the bass part.

I enjoyed this piece very much.

Bibliography

Jeremy S. Begbie, S. R. (Ed.). (2011). Resonant Witness: Conversations Between Music and Theology. Cambridge: Eerdmans.

This is a great book with some great quotes by Martin Luther about music.  It also discusses his views on music and how it can be used to communicate the word of God.  There was also a discussion about Luthers"s philosophy of music as a gift of creation, a gift that was created to appeal to our senses.

Luther, M. (2002;). An Invitation to the Writings of Martin Luther. (S. B. John F.Thornton, Ed.) New York, New York: Random House.

This is a good source because it has an entire chapter devoted to all of Luther's hymns that includes text and notation.  It also has some insights into the mind of Martin Luther, such as his preoccupation with the devil and how this theme made it into some of his hymns.

Marius, R. (1999). Martin Luther: The Christian Between God and Death . Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

This book is very biographical and it also contains many discussions about the philosophy of Martin Luther.  It will be very helpful as I try to show how the life experiences of Luther contributed largely to his compositions.

Martin, M. (2004). Martin Luther. London: Viking Penguin.

This book is also very biographical and contains some great quotes by Luther.

Oettinger, R. (2003). Thomas Murner, Michael Stifel, and songs as polemic in the early reformation. Journal of Musicological Research , 22:1-2, 45-100.

This is a journal article that is actually a review of a book that I wasn't able to get a hold of, but the article itself contains a lot of information about how music was used in the Reformation.  It was not specifically about Luther, but it had a lot of information and discussion about him.

Saliers, D. (2007). Music and Theology. Nashville: Abingdon.

This contained quotes from Martin Luther about how music and theology are linked and how music should be used to communicate good theology,

Tarry, J. E. (1973). Music in the Educational Philosophy of Martin Luther. Journal of Research in Music Education , 355-365.

This is a journal article with information about Luther's philosophy of music.

Guillaume Dufay: Missa l'Homme Armé 1. Kyrie

recording

I found this description about this particular piece and found it very interesting.

"L'Homme Arme was a monophonic melody with political and satirical strains. Dufay made one of the first versions of it in a polyphonic setting in his Missa L’Homme Arme. The beginning of the cycle is designed so that, in the absence of instrumental accompaniment, the cantus firmus is virtually indistinguishable until near the end of the Gloria. The tenor sings the cantus firmus, overlapped by the bass line and other voices that conceal the melody of L'Homme Arme. If this were played by instrumentalists, rather than vocalists, the tone quality of the varying instruments would serve to open up all the parts to the ear, thus illuminating the cantus firmus as well. This hidden quality of Missa L’Homme Arme suggests the playfulness of Dufay with his compositions."

This text of this piece did not seem to be important at all.  I could definitely imagine it played on an organ or with an orchestra.  I liked the cadence at the end.

John Dunstable - Veni Sancte Spriritus

Here is an excellent recording of a performance by the Hilliard ensemble.
Hilliard ensemble recording


The Latin text is:


Veni Sancte Spiritus et emitte caelitus lucis tuae radium.
Veni pater pauperum, veni dator munerum, veni lumen cordium.
Consolator optime, dulcis hospes animae, dulce refrigerium.
In labore requies, in aestu temperies, in fletu solacium.
O lux beatissima, reple cordis intima tuorum fidelium.
Sine tuo numine nihil est in homine, nihil est innoxium.
Lava quod est sordidum, riga quod est aridum, sana quod est saucium.
Flecte quod est rigidum, fove quod est frigidum, rege quod est devium.
Da tuis fidelibus in te confidentibus sacrum septenarium.
Da virtutis meritum, da salutis exitum, da perenne gaudium.
Amen. Alleluia.


The English translation is:


Come, Holy Spirit, and send down from heaven the ray of your light.
Come, father of the poor, come, giver of gifts, come, light of the hearts.
Best consoler, sweet host of the soul, sweet refresher.
Rest in work, cooling in heat, comfort in crying.
O most blessed light, fill the innermost hearts of your faithful.
Without your power nothing is in man, nothing innocent.
Clean what is dirty, water what is dry, heal what is wounded.
Bend what is rigid, heat what is cold, lead what has gone astray.
Grant to your faithful who trust in you, your sevenfold holy gift.
Grant us the reward of virtue, grant us final salvation, grant us eternal joy.

 This song is written according to strict isorhythmic principals with a tenor based on plainsong.  It was composed by John Dunstaple who was an English composer of polyphonic music of the late medieval era and early Renaissance.

The overall effect of this piece is a smooth, peaceful, joyful sound.  There is very little dissonance, unlike the music of the Aurs Nova.  

Vos quid admiramini; Gratissima virginis species-de Vitry

This is a four voice motet. I enjoyed listening to this more than the other motet (Garrit Gallus).  It seemed less chaotic than the other, even though there was four voices rather than three.  Maybe the fact that it had four voices is what caused this piece to feel more refined and put together.  Rhythm becomes more and more important with a greater number of voices.

I was able to pick out many composition styles in this piece, and then was able to confirm my findings with a little research.  There was a lot of use of hocket (a rest in the top voice where the melody is carried on by the next voice).  There were also repeated rhythmic and melodic patterns throughout.

Vitry - Garrit gallus-In nova fert

I found several recordings of this.  In class we were given a copy of the score and the composer was listed as Anonymous, but everything I found said that it is generally attributed to Phillipe de Vtiry.  This piece is an isorhythmic motet, which means that there are repeated rhythms (talea) and melodic patterns (color) throughout. It is a three voice motet. The bottom voice or tenor is based on an original Gregorian chant.

In the original score there was red ink to indicate a change from tempus perfectum (triple meter) to tempus imperfectum (duple meter) and then back again.  (When the red ink ends it means that the triple meter resumes).

This piece was interesting to listen to because of all of these details, but musically speaking, I didn't find it to be very compelling.  It seemed to lack direction and sophistication.  I didn't think that the three parts really even fit together very well.  It just sounded very chaotic.  I know that de Vitry was enjoying the freedom of creating something new and not being bound by so many rules, but to me it seemed like he was using a bit too much freedom.  I like the idea, but it sounded like it needed to be refined a bit.  I do believe that there is such a thing as "too much freedom" in music and this piece is an example of that.

Ma fin est mon commencement: Guillaume de Machaut

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLEmVxqye4g&feature=related

The original text to this song (in French):

Ma fin est mon commencement

Et mon commencement ma fin

Est teneure vraiement

Ma fin est mon commencement.

Mes tiers chans trois fois seulement

Se retrograde et einsi fin.

Ma fin est mon commencement

Et mon commencement ma fin.

The English translation:


  My end is my beginning
  And my beginning my end
  And true tenor.

  My end is my beginning.
  My third part three times only
  Moves backwards and so ends.

  My end is my beginning
  And my beginning my end


This song is a rondeau with three parts.  The most interesting aspect of this song is that the musical score actually illustrates the text,  The top two voices have the same melody in opposite directions.  If you look at the score and read the second voice backwards, starting at the end, it is the same as the top voice starting at the the beginning and reading it normally.  This illustrates the text, "My end is my beginning and my beginning is my end."  The bottom voice reaches the midpoint of the song and then reverses itself.  The sections repeat three times so the text "My third part three times only, moves backwards and so ends" is literally true.


Since I have a copy of the score I was able to see exactly how this was done.  Then I listened to the recording several times to see if I could pick any of this out by listening, but I couldn't. I don't think that anyone could pick this out by listening to it. I found this interesting.  It was as if a mystery  or a puzzle was hidden inside the score and the explanation was in the text, but musically it did not change the sound at all. It sounded pretty much like the other music of similar forms from this genre.  You can only put the puzzle together  by analyzing the text and the score.

Pérotin's "Beata Viscera"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0KX_Wr_kAo

Beata viscera is a single-voice conductus attributed to Perotin. This is the only monophonic work attributed to him.  Beata viscera means "blessed offspring". It was written for the Communion during the Mass celebrating the Virgin Mary.

. The words are by Philippe the Chancellor The musical form of this piece is known as conductus.  This particular one is  monophonic. The distinguishing characteristic of the conductus is the melody which was newly composed, instead of built on existing chant.

This particular recording was exceptionally beautiful because the woman who sang had a beautiful voice.She didn't need any type of accompaniment.  The melody was also very beautiful. 

I was able to find the text as well as the English translation:
Translation

Beata viscera Marie virginis cuius ad ubera rex magni nominis; veste sub altera vim celans numinis dictavit federa Dei et hominis O mira novitas et novum gaudium, matris integrita post puerperium.		Blessed flesh of the Virgin Mary, at whose breasts the king of eminent name, concealing, under altered guise, the force of divine nature, has sealed a pact of God and Man O astonishing novelty and unaccustomed joy of a mother still pure after childbirth.
Populus gentium sedens in tenebris surgit ad gaudium partus tam celebris: Iudea tedium fovet in latebris, cor gerens conscium delicet funebris, O mira novitas et novum gaudium, matris integrita post puerperium.		The people of the nations huddling in the darkness rise up at the joy of so celebrated a birth. Judea nourishes its resentment in the shadows, its heart bearing the knowledge of the fatal crime. O astonishing novelty and unaccustomed joy of a mother still pure after childbirth.
Fermenti pessimi qui fecam hauserant, ad panis azimi promisa properant: sunt Deo proximi qui longe steterant, et hi njovissimi qui primi fuerant. O mira novitas et novum gaudium, matris integrita post puerperium.		Those who drunk the dregs of the most villanous ferment hasten at the promises of unleavened bread; they are the ones who had long stood close to God and these the newest who were first. O astonishing novelty and unaccustomed joy of a mother still pure after childbirth.
Partum quem destruis, Iudea misera! De quo nos argues, quem docet littera; si nova respuis, crede vel vetera, in hoc quem astruis Christum considera. O mira novitas et novum gaudium, matris integrita post puerperium.		The birth which you destroy O wretched Judea! of him whom you denounce to us because he teaches the law; if you refuse the new law then believe the old law, in this One, whom you accuse, behold the Christ. O astonishing novelty and unaccustomed joy of a mother still pure after childbirth.
Te semper implicas errore patrio; dum viam indicas errans in invio: in his que predicas, sternis in medio bases propheticas sub evangelio. O mira novitas et novum gaudium, matris integrita post puerperium.		You entangle yourself always in the ancestral error; as you point the way wandering aimlessly: among those things which you preach you strew into the midst the prophetic foundations, below the gospel. O astonishing novelty and unaccustomed joy of a mother still pure after childbirth.
Legis mosayce clausa misteria; nux virge mystice nature nescia; aqua de silice, columpna previa, prolis dominice signa sunt propera. O mira novitas et novum gaudium, matris integrita post puerperium.		The mysteries of the Mosaic Law have been closed; the fruit of the mystical rod is unknown to nature; water from a stone, a column leading the way, are early signs for the people of God . O astonishing novelty and unaccustomed joy of a mother still pure after childbirth.
Solem, quem librere, Dum purus otitur In aura cernere visus non patitur, cernat a latere dum repercutitur, alvus puerpere, qua totus clauditur. O mira novitas et novum gaudium, matris integrita post puerperium.		Vision does not endure to behold in its radiance the sun, unconcealed, as he rises forth, pure. Let the wholly enclosed womb of the woman delivered of child behold from the side as it is reflected. O astonishing novelty and unaccustomed joy of a mother still pure after childbirth.

Perotin documentary

We were shown several sections of this documentary in our listening lab on Thursday. Because the documentary was so long, we skipped several sections which made it seem very disjointed.

The first historian/musicologist that was featured made an interesting point.  He spoke about how history doesn't always progress smoothly and methodically.  Sometimes it makes leaps.  And this was the case with Perotin.  He was a man who created something completely new.  He created music with three or even four separate voices, and this was brand new.

In another part of the documentary, someone made the connection of Perotin's music coinciding with the invention of the clock.  The clock changed society and gave it a rhythm, it pushed everything forward and this is mirrored in Perotin's music where rhythmic modes became important.  And this is what made it possible for three and four voice parts. 

My favorite part of the documentary was watching the Hilliard ensemble practice and perform.  In one of their practices they are interrupted by a historian who asks them to sing it less rhythmically.  He wanted them to forget the rhythm and sing it freer, more ecstatically.  I was confused about whether he thought that they were singing it wrong, not the way that Perotin had intended it to be sung, or if he wasn't sure which way Perotin intended it, and was just experimenting with hearing performed in a different manner.  It seemed that the performers were using their knowledge of the rhythmic modes to aid in their interpretation of the music.

Part of the documentary showed a symposium where a few people got pretty feisty over their views of Perotin's music.   Because it was in another language and I was trying to take notes and read subtitles at the same time, I am not sure I understood everything that they were debating.  It seemed that the featured speaker was making the case that we really have no idea what the music sounded like in the day.  We can only make educated guesses and pretend to know what it sounded like.  Others strongly disagreed with him and made the case that we can know quite well what it sounded like if we use all of our knowledge.  I actually found it a little humorous that the debate got so heated over such a specialized issue.  I could never imagine myself at a symposium getting worked up over what the music of Perotin sounded like. 

That particular aspect of music is not one that interests me, but I know that it is important that those fields of study exist.  These men are similar to archeologists or paleontologists in that they gather as much information as they can so that we can know about people and cultures who lived hundreds of years ago.  The insights that they gather help us as performers to perform the music in the way it was intended, and if we do a good job, we can actually be a part of the preservation of history and culture, and that is pretty exciting.

Robins m'aime

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7ncJV30610

This song began with a stringed instrument (maybe a lute) playing through the melody. Then a woman sang the song.  This is a secular love song from the 13th century. It was composed for a play entitled The Jeu de Robin et Marion, written by Adam de La Halle, a French-born trouvère. 

The words are:

Robins m’aime, Robins m’a
Robins m’a demandée, si m’ara.
Robins m’achata corroie
Et aumonniere de soie;
Pour quoi donc ne l’ameroie?
Aleuriva!
Robins m’aime, Robins m’a.
Robins m’a demandée, si m’ara.

The English translation is:

Robin loves me, Robin has me.
Robin asked for me, and he will have me.
Robin bought me a satchel
and a silk purse;
Why shouldn’t I love him?
Hurrah!
Robin loves me, Robin has me.
Robin asked for me, and he will have me.

This song was written in refrain form, known specifically as a Rondeau. The musical phrases take the form of ABAABAB, and the text takes the form of 1234512.

I loved it and found it to be simple, yet beautiful.  I love that we have a French musical from the 13th century that we can study and enjoy today. 

Summer is Icumen in

Middle English

Sumer is icumen in,
Lhude sing cuccu!
Groweþ sed and bloweþ med
And springþ þe wde nu,
Sing cuccu!
Awe bleteþ after lomb,
Lhouþ after calue cu.
Bulluc sterteþ, bucke uerteþ,
Murie sing cuccu!
Cuccu, cuccu, wel þu singes cuccu;
Ne swik þu nauer nu.
Pes:
Sing cuccu nu. Sing cuccu.
Sing cuccu. Sing cuccu nu!

Modern English

Summer has arrived,
Loudly sing, Cuckoo!
The seed grows and the meadow
blooms
And the wood springs anew,
Sing, Cuckoo!
The ewe bleats after the lamb
The cow lows after the calf.
The bullock stirs, the stag farts,
Merrily sing, Cuckoo!
Cuckoo, cuckoo, well you sing,
cuckoo;
Don't you ever stop now,
Sing cuckoo now. Sing, Cuckoo.
Sing Cuckoo. Sing cuckoo now!

My favorite version sung by young children:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-5axHaBlvo&feature=related

I found and listened to several versions of this song.It was always sung in a round with four or more parts.  It is a traditional English round, also known as a rondellus.  This song is believed to have been composed around 1260 and it is not sure who the composer is.

The overall effect of the song is jovial and upbeat which goes along with the theme of the text, which is clearly a joyful celebration of summer.  Almost every performance of this song was sung in a jovial, upbeat manner with the exception of one youtube clip which was the end of a horror movie from 1973 and the people sang it in a slow, creepy manner during a pagan, human sacrifice. This version even added some instrumentation with some minor chords in it to make it a little creepier. But even in the creepiest setting, it didn't really fit, because the melody is so happy sounding.  When sung properly, (not slowly and creepily)  I believe that it exemplifies the "merry sound of England".  Music from England during that time period had specific qualities that was described as a merry sound.  One of the qualities that produces that sound is that many thirds and sixths were present.  This is also what makes it possible to sing in a round with multiple parts.

Side note: The melody and the structure reminds me a lot of "Three blind mice".  In fact I could even sing "Three blind mice"  along with the song and it fit perfectly. But then I noticed that I could also sing other famous rounds along with it, so maybe it is just characteristic of rounds to fit that particular pattern.

Two Motets - 13th and late 13th cent.(double & Franconian)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLD7FiHaTqE

This link contained 2 motets, both from the 13th century.

These motets are known as "Franconian Motets" after Franco of Cologne, a German musical theorist    Motets composed from this period did not use the rhythmic modes of the Notre Dame motets. 


I enjoyed the free flowing rhythm and the joyful sound that the two voices singing together created. 


I also enjoyed the specific performance and the blending of the voices and the style of singing.  I loved how each of the voices moved independently, singing different melodies,  yet together they fit perfectly.  


Interesting note:  Franco of Cologne is believed to be the first musical theorist with the idea that musical notation should be changed so that the duration of a note could be determined by how it appeared in the score, and not only from the context.  This is how Franconian notation came about.

Pérotin: Viderunt omnes

 Viderunt omnes is a plainchant that was used often on  Christmas Day. The text is from parts of Psalm 98 , the theme of which is  God's salvation being made known to all of the Earth.


This piece was performed by the Hillard ensemble and it gave a detailed description of the structure of this hymn.  I listened to it several times, trying to follow along and understand the description.


This is the English translation:


All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Sing joyfully to God, all the earth.
The Lord hath made known his salvation: he hath revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles. Alleluia.


I enjoyed this piece very much.  It had joyful medieval sound and it reminded me of Christmas.  This piece was based on an ancient gradual, also called Viderunt omnes. 


From the description under the recording  "The cantus firmus, or Tenor, "holds" the original chant, while the other parts develop complex melismas on the vowels."   This was very apparent while listening to it.  I was also able to find some sheet music of this exact piece where it had been transcribed into modern musical notation and the vowels were carried out for an average of 20 measures with the bottom voice being held out the entire time and the top voice moving all around very rhythmicly.   It created a very interesting effect, like water flowing or birds singing.  

Alleluia: Justus ut palma

This is an example of parallel organum.  The beginning of the text is is "Allelulia".  It consists of two voices singing  either 4th or 5ths apart.  I like this sound.  It is not something that I hear often.  The next two alleluias were sung by one man and both very melismatic.  The last syllable of Allelulia (the "ia") would go on for several lines.

 The next part of the text "Justus ut palma."  It again started with 2 voices singing in 4ths or  5ths and then the single male voice took over and sang some other text that was extremely melismatic, the same syllable would be sung over 10 or 12 notes.

The final part of this song returned to the beginning with the two voices singing Allelulia in 4ths and 5ths and the single voice finished the song.

I was interested in hearing this type of recording so that I could hear the very beginning of polyphony and how it developed.  This example showed the earliest form and I am hoping to understand the progression as it develops into more complex forms of polyphony.

Hildegard-Ordo Virtutum

We were able to watch large portions of a DVD production of this morality play.  I found it to be fascinating.  I couldn't believe that we were watching a drama that had been written almost 1000 years ago, with all of the text and the music.  I have to confess that this is not something that I would ever have sought out on my own to watch, but I am glad that the class gave me the experience.

I liked the way that Hildegard personified all of the virtues and also the human soul. Each virtue had a song that described the virtue in poetic language and was sung by a soloist.  Then all of the virtues joined together in a chorus and praised the virtue who had just sung. Usually during the chorus, the characters would hold hands and circle around.

I found it interested that the devil never sang, he only spoke. Is was as if music were such a precious thing to Hildegarde that she could not bring herself to write any melodies for the text.

This play was a classic good vs. evil struggle going on inside the human soul.  I also liked the way that the play portrayed the devil as a handsome man and the temptation was portrayed by him seducing the woman who was depicting the soul.  In the end the soul was rescued by the virtues and was able to overcome the temptation of the devil.   This type of depiction of good vs. evil was new and fascinating to me and I felt that I could maybe begin to understand how Hildegarde viewed the soul and the struggle against temptation.  I have often thought of people asking God to grant them these virtues, and give them the strength to overcome temptations, but in Hildegarde's depiction it seemed that the virtues were already present and the soul only needed to summon them to her aid so that altogether they would be strong enough to defeat the temptation of the devil.

The music in the play was very beautiful.  It resembled plainchant, but it seemed like it did not follow any specific modes or practices.  None of the melodies jumped out to me, and I cannot recall any of them.  It was like free flowing voices.  It almost sounded like improvisation.  It was pleasant and enjoyable to listen to.  I am curious as to how important the musical structure was to Hildegarde, or if she just put it to music in order to communicate the theme of the morality play.  I wonder if she spent more time on the words or the melodies.  I would guess that she wrote the words first and then set it to music.

Program Notes- Pange Lingua (Corpus Chrisit)

This hymn was composed by Thomas Aquinas, an Italian Dominican priest of the Roman Catholic Church.  Thomas Aquinas was born in 1225 and became a monk at the age of 19.  He is one of the most well know saints of the Roman Catholic church as well as a very influential philosopher and theologian.

This hymn was composed by Aquinas for the office of Corpus Christi, a feast day celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church to commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist.  Corpus Christi is also know as the Solemnity of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ.  This hymn is still sung today in traditional Roman Catholic services during the feast of Corpus Christi as well as on Holy Thursday.

Below is the origian Latin text of the hymn:

Pange, lingua, gloriosi Corporis mysterium, Sanguinisque pretiosi, quem in mundi pretium fructus ventris generosi Rex effudit Gentium.
Nobis datus, nobis natus ex intacta Virgine, et in mundo conversatus, sparso verbi semine, sui moras incolatus miro clausit ordine.
In supremae nocte cenae recumbens cum fratribus observata lege plene cibis in legalibus, cibum turbae duodenae se dat suis manibus.
Verbum caro, panem verum verbo carnem efficit: fitque sanguis Christi merum, et si sensus deficit, ad firmandum cor sincerum sola fides sufficit.
Tantum ergo Sacramentum veneremur cernui: et antiquum documentum novo cedat ritui: praestet fides supplementum sensuum defectui.
Genitori, Genitoque laus et iubilatio, salus, honor, virtus quoque sit et benedictio: procedenti ab utroque compar sit laudatio. Amen. Alleluia. The English translation is below:  (not a literal translation, but a poetic translation) Of the glorious Body telling, O my tongue, its mysteries sing, And the Blood, all price excelling, Which the world's eternal King, In a noble womb once dwelling Shed for the world's ransoming. Given for us, descending, Of a Virgin to proceed, Man with man in converse blending, Scattered he the Gospel seed, Till his sojourn drew to ending, Which he closed in wondrous deed. At the last great Supper lying Circled by his brethren's band, Meekly with the law complying, First he finished its command Then, immortal Food supplying, Gave himself with his own hand. Word made Flesh, by word he maketh Very bread his Flesh to be; Man in wine Christ's Blood partaketh: And if senses fail to see, Faith alone the true heart waketh To behold the mystery. Therefore we, before him bending, This great Sacrament revere; Types and shadows have their ending, For the newer rite is here; Faith, our outward sense befriending, Makes the inward vision clear. Glory let us give, and blessing To the Father and the Son; Honour, might, and praise addressing, While eternal ages run; Ever too his love confessing, Who, from both, with both is one. Amen. R. Thou hast given them bread from heaven. V. Having within it all sweetness. Let us pray: O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament left us a memorial of Thy Passion: grant, we implore Thee, that we may so venerate the sacred mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, as always to be conscious of the fruit of Thy Redemption. Thou who livest and reignest forever and ever. R. Amen.