Unifying Elements in the Masses of Josquin des Prez by Jason Paulk Editor's note: This article is based on analysis of three representative masses until Josquin's death in 1521 at Conde, a presentation made at the Research will illuminate the performance possibili­ Poster Session in Los Angeles at the ties of this vast body of choral repertoire, 2005 ACDA National Convention. while also making the process of analyz­ The topic is based on research ing Renaissance music more palatable that the author undertook during and less intimidating by relaying some doctoral studies at the University of formal compositional processes that are Oklahoma. representative in choral music of the era. Deeper understanding will ensure that the conductors experience more in-depth and he primary purpose of the informed analysis, more efficient listen­ present research is to survey ing experiences, and ultimately, stron­ the unifying elements in the ger and more effective performances. masses of Josquin des Prez, Specifics about Josquin des Prez's and to determine how these techniques life and compositions are often debated Honolulu Symphony are employed to unify movements within among musicologists. It is generally Chorus and Orchestra the masses and unify each mass as an agreed upon, however, that Josquin's entire process. While it is impossible compositional output can .be divided Karen Kennedy to survey the entire output of Josquin's into three periods. Macey describes the Festival Artistic Director masses in the scope of this column, early period as spanning from 1450 until unifying elements employed throughout around 1485, just before Josquin's entry 2006 March 26 - April 2 CLOSED his musical output will be highlighted into the Papal Chapel in Rome. 1 Charac­ ;!Rcquicm, W. A. Mozart through the analysis of a representative terized by abstract, melismatic counter­ 2007 April 15 -April 22 mass from each period: Early-L'ami point, this period was likely influenced QEIijllij, Felix Mendelssohn Baudichon; Middle-Missa La, Sol, Fa, by Ockeghem and Dufay. Relationships A week ofchoral clinics, workshops, Re, Mi; and Late-Missa Pange Lingua. between textual and musical phraseology rehearsals, and pelformances. It is my wish that a survey of Josquin's are inconsistent. The middle period lasted Apply now: 2007 Festival unifying compositional techniques and until 1505, when Josquin accepted the CHORAL ENSEMBLES post of Provost at Conde-sur-I'Escaut, INDIVIDUAL SINGERS Borgogne (now France). It is during this Jason Paulk is director of choral Joseph McAlister, Executive Director period that he developed and perfected Email: [email protected] activities at Eastern New Mexico in the technique of imitation based on word­ Phone: 808-524-0815 ext 257 Portales, New Mexico. generated motifs. The late period lasted Web: www.OahuChoral.col1l February 2006 • CHORAL JOURNAL 53 where he continued to strengthen the connective relationships between text T and music. Ky - rie e - Ie - - son, __ Ky - rie e - Ie - - son, Missa L'ami Baudichon T The primary unifying elements found in the Missa L'ami Baudichon are cantus Ky - rie e - Ie - son, Ky - rie e - Ie - firmus technique, Ionian modality, head motif technique, imitation, sequencing, Figure 1. Josquin de Prez, Missa L'ami Baudichol1, "Kyrie," mm. 50-60. melodic reiteration, harmonic unity, and Cantus Firmus (Tenor) metric unification. Some of these elements can be seen within individual movements of the mass, including cantus firmus tech­ nique, imitation, sequencing, and melodic rhyme tune Three Blind Mice. 2 As is structure as a whole serves as an impor­ reiteration, while the use ofIonian modal­ the practice in cantus firmus masses of tant unifying characteristic. While the use ity, head motif technique, harmonic unity, the early Renaissance period, Josquin of the Ionian mode in early Renaissance and metric unification can be seen at confines the long notes of the L'ami masses is not common, it is even less work throughout the entire composition. Balldichon melody to the tenor voice common in the mass output of Josquin, The Missa L'ami Balldichon is classified in every section of the mass except the as evidenced by this single example of as a cantus firmus mass: a mass based duets and trio. This is the primary uni­ an Ionian mode mass setting in his entire on a pre-existing melody, usually sung fying characteristic of the composition. output. The cantus firmus is found in its in long notes in the tenor voice. In this (Figure 1) Ionian modality throughout, except in the case, the melody is based on a French In every large-scale composition, the Gloria in mm. 34-38, where it is modi­ secular ballad that reminds the contem­ element of harmonic unity of individual fied into a minor statement, with the use porary listener of the children's nursery movements and the harmonic unity of the of the paraphrase Bb, A, G, in a G-minor We're planning our greatest Choral School ever! 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His ability to use tempus hnpelfectum-alla breve meter. quin employs is the use of a recUlTing sequencing without becoming monoto­ As the intrinsic nature of these two meters musical phrase in the soprano and alto nous displays his ingenuity. In the Credo suggests, the triple meter sections in the voices at the beginning of every major at m. 129 ("Et ResulTexit"), he begins the mass tend to move with quicker harmonic movement. This technique is a forerun­ use of the descending three note motive motion and greater rhythmic variety than ner to the "head motive" technique that of the cantus firmus in the tenor voice the alla breve sections. The alla breve belongs to the generation of composers, with a long stretch of sequences that sections hint at homophonic textures at including Byrd and Palestrina. Josquin continue until m. 269. In this section, he times, which become a standard technique includes not just a musical motive, but shows that the old cantus firmus tech­ of Josquin in later periods, especially in an entire musical phrase in both voices. nique that has been in existence for some particularly reverent sections of textual The Soprano melody simply outlines the time can be developed by beginning each declamation. This can be seen in the Glo­ scale from c2 descending to c1, while the statement on a different note of the Ionian ria at m. 102 ("Qui sedes ad dexteram"). alto outlines the Ionian triad beginning scale. Another example of cantus firmus With regard to rhythmic unifying ele­ on c1, descends to low g and cadences on development is found in mm. 28-68 with ments in the Missa L'ami Baudichon, the c1. (Figure 2) a retrograde statement in the tenor voice. listener would have the perception that Josquin's procedures of polyphonic Although the technique of motivic the entire composition is very similar. The imitation aid greatly in the unification sequencing and reiteration evolves into a harmonic changes are slow, in every sec­ of each mass movement. The imita­ much greater unifying device in J osquin' s tion, changing at the pulse of a half note. tive texture is generally constructed of later masses, early examples can be seen paired voices in imitation. In most in the Gloria of the Missa L' ami Baudi­ instances, the imitative voice answers chon (mm. 20-23 in the bass and soprano Missa La, Sol, Fa, Re, Mi in an exact manner then moves to a voices.) The descending pattem in the One of the most famous anec­ free development nearer the ends of soprano voice from gl to c1 is reiterated dotes associated with Josquin is re­ the musical phrase. A good example three times, while the ascending pattem lated to the composition of the Missa of paired voice imitation can be found in the bass is reiterated twice. (Figure 3) La, Sol, Fa, Re, Mi. Henricus Glareanus, in the Credo mm. 6-25, where the so­ The metric unification between the sixteenth-century Swiss theorist, prano and alto begin in exact imitation movements of the L'ami Baudichon is relays a humorous story about the for two measures after which each voice clear: each of the major movements is conception of Josquin's mass in his diverges into its own polyphonic path. composed in tempus pelfectum-triple ,.,. S I I (;; -----~ illt] ---- -& n ~ ,.., 19- B ------- ~ teo Glo - ri - fi - en Figure 3. Josquin de Prez, Missa L'ami Baudichon, "Gloria," mm. 21-23. Melodic reiteration (Soprano and Bass) February 2006 • CHORAL JOURNAL 55 ......---:= T tl tCiJ J I .. s I .. JD J err r F r r F IF rTtr Ii Pie ni sunt cae Ii, Cae Ii Figure 4. Josquin de Prez, Missa L'ami Baudichon, "Sanctus," mm. 28-32. Ostinato pattern beginning on different notes of the hexachord (Tenor) Dodecachordon. "Josquin, when he asked leta of the time which began "Lassa far La, Sol, Fa, Re, Mi.