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Performing Choral Music from the Renaissance
A practical look at ways to make the performance of choral music from the Renaissance both authentic and fulfilling.
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Sicut Cervus
• As a deer longs for founts of water, so my soul longs for you, O God.
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Rationale for Performing Renaissance Sacred Music
1. The music is part of our choral heritage as an historical musical
experience.
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Rationale for Performing Renaissance Sacred Music
2. A body of literature that is accessible and affordable to many age and ability levels.
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Rationale for Performing Renaissance Sacred Music
3. 5 Vowels for unifying.
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Diction• International Phonetic Alphabetic = LOVE
• Vowels: 5 pure vowels - open
a = [a]e = [ɛ]i = [i]o = [ɔ]u = [u]
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Text / Form
Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum,
ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus.
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Rationale for Performing Renaissance Sacred Music
4. Helps to teach and establish musical independence.
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Rationale for Performing Renaissance Sacred Music
5. It is far removed from the over-sentimentality of later music,
particularly today’s music.
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It’s the economy text, stupid.
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It’s the economy text, stupid.
Perotin
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It’s the economy text, stupid.
Immediate communication to the listeners
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It’s the economy text, stupid.
Linear and storytelling nature of the music
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It’s the economy text, stupid.
Word Painting
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It’s the economy text, stupid.
Counterpoint - new materials match the old to reinforce the meaning.
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Text / Form
Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum, (as the deer desires for a fount of water)
ita desiderat anima mea ad te, Deus.(so desires soul mine for you, God)
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Historical Background
Rinascimento
from rinascere "to be reborn" - Italian
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Historical BackgroundPhilosophy began in Italy
with Petrarch in the 1300s.
“True, we love life, not because we are used to living,
but because we are used to loving.
!ere " always some madness in love,
but $ere " also some reason in madness.” - Petrarch
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Historical Background
The Rise of Humanistic Thought
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Historical Background
Recovery of the artistic influence of
Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome
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Historical Background
Innovation and Discovery
The Printing Press,1440 The New World, 1492
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Historical BackgroundGrowth of commercial enterprise (Italian City-States)
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Historical BackgroundProtestant Reformation
in the 16th century
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Ave Maria
• 1611 woodcut of Josquin des Prez
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Melody and Texture
Often based on Gregorian Chant (cantus firmus, commonly found in
the tenor)
Melody
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Melody and Texture
Each part is equally important
Melody
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Melody and Texture
Stepwise motion abounds
Melody
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Melody and Texture
Limited Ranges
Melody
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Melody and Texture
Phrasing is irregular
Melody
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Melody and Texture
Dramatic words are emphasized
Melody
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Melody and Texture
Dissonant and altered tones may be leaned on for their fullest effect
Melody
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Melody and Texture
Independence of voices
Points of imitation
Texture
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Melody and Texture
Homophony had its place
Texture
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Melody and Texture
Independent parts that result in a beautiful, blended, balanced whole
Texture
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Melody and Texture
The vertical is a result of the horizontal.
This is linear music.
Texture
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Ave Maria
• 1611 woodcut of Josquin des Prez
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Performing Editions
• How do I select a good performing edition?
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Choir Book
Palestrina’s only known autograph manuscript
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Part Book
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Alma Redemptoris Mater: Ockeghem
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Alma Redemptoris
Mater: Ockeghem
&VV?
###
#
23
23
23
23
I
II
III
IV
!.œ œ œ œ ˙ œ
Al - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
!!
Œ œ œ .œ Jœ .œAl - - - - - - - - - - - - -˙ Ó œ .œ
!!
Jœ œ ˙ œ .œJœ ˙ œ .˙
!!
Jœ ˙ œ .œ œ œœ ˙ ˙
!!
œ .œ jœ œ œ œŒ œ ˙ ˙
!!
˙ œ œ œ .œ˙ ˙ Œ œ
!!
&VV?
###
#
7 œ œ .œ œ œ œ .œ jœ˙ ˙ œ œ
!!
œ œ œ œ ˙˙ œ ˙ œ
ma
!!
w Óma
˙ Ó .œ JœRed -
!Ó .œ jœ ˙
Red - em -
!˙ w
em - pto -
!
.œ jœ œ œ œ ˙pto - - - ris
!˙ ˙ ˙ris Ma - - - -
!˙ œ œ œ
!.˙ œ ˙
!
œ œ œ ˙ œ
&VV?
###
#
13 Ó Ó ˙quae
w Óter,
Ó Ó ˙quae˙ ˙ ˙
Ma - - - -
.˙ œ ˙per - - - -.˙ œ ˙
quae per - - - -
œ œ œ œ ˙per -
œ ˙ œ ˙ter,
˙ œ œ ˙vi - - - - -w ˙
˙ .˙ œvi - - -
˙ ˙ ˙quae
œ ˙ œ œ œ˙ œ ˙ œvi - a
˙ œ œ Œ œa coe - - - - - -
Œ œ ˙ ˙per - - -
œ œ ˙ ˙a coe - li˙ œ ˙ œ
coe - - - -
œ œ œ œ œ œœ ˙ œ œ œ
vi - - -
!
Jœ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ˙ œ œ
l̇i
˙ œ œ ˙a coe -
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Copyright © 2001 by the Choral Public Domain Library (http://www.cpdl.org)Edition may be freely distributed, duplicated, performed, or recorded.
Johannes Ockeghem
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O magnum
mysterium ed.
Gerald Custer
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O magnum mysterium
O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the new-born Lord, lying in a manger!
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord.
Alleluia!
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Rhythm and Tempo
Everything is editorial regarding tempo.
No tempos indicated
Tactus was about mm. 50 - 80
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Rhythm and Tempo
Bar lines did not exist
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Choir Book
Palestrina’s only known autograph manuscript
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Rhythm and Tempo
The music is put together in arches, with cadences as points of repose and regathering of energy.
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Rhythm and Tempo
3 Types of stress 1. Syllabic2. Agogic3. Tonic
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Rhythm and Tempo
The music naturally wants to group into 2s and 3s
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Rhythm and Tempo
Syncopation should be handled on a case by case basis.
The metrical pulse is often clouded, or syncopated.
The inflection of the text is dominant.
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Rhythm and Tempo
Tempus Perfectum
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Rhythm and Tempo
Finding the tempo1.What is the pulse note or tactus?
2.What is the smallest division of the beat?
3.Consider the text - Joyous? Sad? Contemplative?
4.What are the acoustics of the performance space?
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O magnum mysterium
O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the new-born Lord, lying in a manger! Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord. Alleluia!
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Cantate Domino
Hans Leo Hassler (1564 - 1612)Sing unto the Lord a new song:
Sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord, bless His name;
show forth His salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the heathen,
His wonders among all people.
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Cantate Domino
Hans Leo Hassler (1564 - 1612)Sing unto the Lord a new song:
Sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord, bless His name;
show forth His salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the heathen,
His wonders among all people.
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Instruments
a cappella (Notice the Correct Spelling!!!)
referred to the Sistine Chapel: Palestrina, Victoria, Anerio, etc. . .
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Instruments
“The singers of the King [Ferdinand] sang one part of the Mass, the singers of monseigneur [Philip the Fair] the other part; master Augustin played the cornet with the singers of monseigneur, which was good to hear with the singers.”
-from the chronicle of Antoine de Lalaing at a Mass in Toledo in 1502
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Michael Praetorius 1618-1620
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Hermann Finck 1556
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Size of Choirs
The Bavarian Court Chapel
Choir with Lassus
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Sing Joyfully
Sing joyfully unto God our strength. Sing loud, sing loud unto the God of Jacob. Take the song and bring forth the timbrel, The pleasant harp and the viol. Blow the trumpet in the new moon! Even in the time appointed and at our feast day. For this is a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
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Tone and Timbre
• Men only• Purity of tone • Compatibility of tone between voices • Vibrato-less • Voice Types were different than today
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Dynamics
• No dynamics indicated• Most performances probably did not use extreme dynamics: pp - f is a
good starting point• Avoid excessive crescendo and diminuendo - long notes either
intensify or decay within a dynamic• Steady sound - more voices equal more sound.• Used to heighten dramatic contrasts
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Sing Joyfully
Sing joyfully unto God our strength. Sing loud, sing loud unto the God of Jacob. Take the song and bring forth the timbrel, The pleasant harp and the viol. Blow the trumpet in the new moon! Even in the time appointed and at our feast day. For this is a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
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Sing Joyfully
Sing joyfully unto God our strength. Sing loud, sing loud unto the God of Jacob. Take the song and bring forth the timbrel, The pleasant harp and the viol. Blow the trumpet in the new moon! Even in the time appointed and at our feast day. For this is a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
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O Nata LuxO Light born of light
Jesus, redeemer of the world
Mercifully deem us worthy
To offer prayers and praise
You who once deigned to become flesh
For the sake of your lost ones
Grant that we become members
Of your holy Body
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O Nata LuxO Light born of light
Jesus, redeemer of the world
Mercifully deem us worthy
To offer prayers and praise
You who once deigned to become flesh
For the sake of your lost ones
Grant that we become members
Of your holy Body
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Sacred v SecularLiturgical Everyday
Larger choir One per part
Men and boys Men and women
Functional Non-functional, for wealthy
Benefit of the service Benefit of the singers (entertainment)
Evenness of tone and phrasing Lilting with variety
Smooth lines Dance rhythms
Constant mood within work, or at least sections Rapid changes of mood possible
Imitation abounds Imitation not as common
Rhythm less important Rhythm more important
Meaning of text rarely used for internal interpretation Start with the meaning of the text
Traditional harmony Bold harmonic expressiveness
Through composed Repetitious/strophic
Word stress and accent Word meaning important
Extreme legato Articulation
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Il est bel est bon
He is handsome and fine, my husband is,There were two gossiping women in the village,Saying one to the other, do you have a good husband?He doesn't scold me, or beat me either.He does the chores,He feeds the chickensAnd I take my pleasure.Really you have to laughto hear the cries of the chicks and hens:Co, co, co, co, dae, little flirt, what's this?
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Il est bel est bon
He is handsome and fine, my husband is,There were two gossiping women in the village,Saying one to the other, do you have a good husband?He doesn't scold me, or beat me either.He does the chores,He feeds the chickensAnd I take my pleasure.Really you have to laughto hear the cries of the chicks and hens:Co, co, co, co, dae, little flirt, what's this?
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Hark, all ye lovely saintsThomas Weelkes (1576 - 1623)
Hark, all ye lovely saints above, Diana hath agreed with Love,His fiery weapon to remove. Fa la.Do you not seeHow they agree?Then cease, fair ladies; why weep ye? Fa la.
See, see, your mistress bids you cease, And welcome Love, with love's increase;Diana hath procured your peace. Fa la.Cupid hath swornHis bow forlornTo break and burn, ere ladies mourn. Fa la.
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Hark, all ye lovely saintsThomas Weelkes (1576 - 1623)
Hark, all ye lovely saints above, Diana hath agreed with Love,His fiery weapon to remove. Fa la.Do you not seeHow they agree?Then cease, fair ladies; why weep ye? Fa la.
See, see, your mistress bids you cease, And welcome Love, with love's increase;Diana hath procured your peace. Fa la.Cupid hath swornHis bow forlornTo break and burn, ere ladies mourn. Fa la.
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Fair PhyllisFair Phyllis I saw sitting all aloneFeeding her flock near to the mountain side.The shepherds knew not,they knew not whither she was gone,But after her lover Amyntas hied,Up and down he wanderedwhilst she was missing;When he found her,O then they fell a-kissing.
note: 'hied' is a form of the archaic verb 'hie' which means 'to hasten or hurry';
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Fair PhyllisFair Phyllis I saw sitting all aloneFeeding her flock near to the mountain side.The shepherds knew not,they knew not whither she was gone,But after her lover Amyntas hied,Up and down he wanderedwhilst she was missing;When he found her,O then they fell a-kissing.
note: 'hied' is a form of the archaic verb 'hie' which means 'to hasten or hurry';
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Il bianco e dolce cigno
The white and sweet swandies singing, and I,weeping, approach the end of my life.Strange and diverse fates,that he dies inconsolateand I die happy.Death, that in dyingfills me wholly with joy and desire.If in dying I feel no other pain,I'd be content to die a thousand times a day.
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Il bianco e dolce cigno
The white and sweet swandies singing, and I,weeping, approach the end of my life.Strange and diverse fates,that he dies inconsolateand I die happy.Death, that in dyingfills me wholly with joy and desire.If in dying I feel no other pain,I'd be content to die a thousand times a day.
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Rehearsal Techniques
• Start with the text meaning• Rehearse cadences first• Learn metrics first without the text• Short rehearsal segments are preferable to longer
segments• Rehearse in Circles
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Conducting Sacred Music
• Little conducting is necessary. • Each new line is a continuation, building upon music
that came before. The music must change with each new line.
• Discover the linear flow of text in each part. • Tactus = Touch (Common pulse)• Meter is what we think, Pulse (tactus) is what we
feel. Things want to group.
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5 Principles (Gerald Custer)
1. Textual Primacy!2. Independent Linearity - avoid downbeats - motion is always forward except
at the cadence3. Embrace of contrast4. Arsis et thesis (anacrusis and crucis) - gathering and releasing energy
(dance - raising the foot, lowering the foot)5. Cadential inevitability - goal oriented
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The Beans
• I Fagiolini