1. Chapter 6 The Renaissance
Late Renaissance Music

2. Key Terms
Declamation
Word painting
Mass
Motet

3. 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

4. Late Renaissance Style

5. Counter-Reformation
Luther, Calvin, King Henry VIII and others broke away from the Catholic church in the early 1500s
The Counter-Reformation was the Catholic church’s answer to the Reformation
Starting in 1545, Council of Trent met to reform the worship and practices of the Catholic church
For a time, the Council considered banning complex polyphonic music

6. Palestrina, Pope Marcellus Mass
From the Gloria
Compared 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

7. Josquin vs. Palestrina Josquin Palestrina
Qui tollis peccata
mundi,
MISERERE NOBIS.
SUSCIPE DEPRECATIONEM NOSTRAM.
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris,
miserere nobis.
Palestrina
QUI TOLLIS PECCATA MUNDI,
MISERERE NOBIS.
Suscipe
DEPRECATIONEM NOSTRAM.
QUI SEDES AD DEXTERAM PATRIS,
(Capital letters indicate homophony.)

8. Pope Marcellus Mass, Gloria
QUI TOLLIS PECCATA MUNDI,
MISERERE NOBIS.
Suscipe DEPRECATIONEM NOSTRAM.
QUI SEDES AD DEXTERAM PATRIS,
You who take away the sins of the world,
Have mercy upon us
Hear our prayer.
You who sit at the right hand of the Father,
Have mercy upon us.

9. 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.

10. 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