Week Three

The Ars Nova

The fourteenth century was filled with events that tested the strength the Western world. The church was threatened by monarchs and secular culture. The Black Plague wiped out virtually the entire population at the time. The traditions of music were challenged and progress was made, especially in the development of measuring musical time. The liberal-arts educated theorist Philippe de Vitry led this movement with the writings in his treatise Ars nova (that subsequently gave a name to the whole movement). However, none of this happened without opposition (as is the human way). The music of this century was called Ars antiqua.

A large topic in the Ars nova was the dividing notes into two or three equal parts. The system of mensuration notation led to the development of a new musical style and technique with complex rhythmic combinations. The concept of numerical importance produced isorhythm, the organization of a line into repetitions of a fixed series of rhythmic values. Talea were the rhythmic groupings and the colors were the melodic grouping.

In de Vitry's motet In arboris/Tuba sacre fidei/Virgo sum, every time the breve was divided into two equal semibreves, the second was always twice as long as the first to maintain the number three- the 'perfect' division in music because of it's significance to the Trinity. Duple divisions were actually called 'imperfect' divisions. The piece is constructed based on the tenor (as were most pieces at this time), which consisted of two colors of the same chant phrase. Each of the chant is divided into taleae. This is only one of many examples of the numerical complexity in the music of the fourteenth century.

It was a time where intellectual thought began to challenge the long-standing traditions and beliefs of the church. This gave rise to the composition of more music being composed for pleasure, rather than only for the church.  One example of this is Machaut's composition Rose, liz, primtemps, verdue. Apparently this piece was a love song composed specifically for his young 'crush'. It is in four parts, but the triplum part is basically a decoration rather than a functional part in the piece, like had been common previously. While function was still a part of most music being composed at the time, Machaut leads the beginning of composing music for the sake of composing music. It will be interesting to see how it all unfolds!

Week Two

Comparing Two and Four Part Organum

The more I listen to Viderunt omnes, the more beautiful it becomes to me. I never thought I would say that about organum when I first learned about it during my undergrad. I am glad perception can change based on knowledge...in music and other things.

Leonin's setting of Viderunt Omnes

I enjoy the simple, resonant sound of organum duplum. It puts me in a trance more than the organum duplum. Less rhythmic motion, simpler texture, more time between syllables to ponder God...

The plainchant choir sections 'unify' the listener (or performers), as if to remind them of the function the chant holds...simply for worship.

Perotin's setting of Viderunt Omnes

The overall sound of the organum quadruplum is so dissonant in the beginning. It's eerie! The sound of organum quadruplum is much more complex than duplum....obviously because there are more parts. The resonant sound of organum duplum is now filled in with interesting harmonies. The sound of music is gradually changing and it is cool to see the large difference in such a short period of time between Leonin and Peortin's settings.

When the plainchant sections are sung, the unison sounds more poignant in the quadruplum than in the duplum. I imagine the effect it carried during services of the day was really awesome in those huge churches.


Ave Virgo Virginium

I think of conductus as the first instance of musical poetry (a concept we are very familiar with today). Rhymed, metrical, and rhythmic, they are sort of equivalent to pop songs today, right?! ...except they would be sacred pop songs....hm...

Conducti have newly composed tenors, a trait that sets them apart from clausulae. Could they be breaking away from the traditions?!! If so, this is one of many times this happens (and will infinitely continue to happen) in music history. 


De ma dame vient/Dieus, comment parroie/Omnes

At first, I hardly noticed the instrument playing along in this recording. I like the way it almost blends perfectly with the voices. These early motets are cool. When I listen to this piece, I imagine three people standing in a room telling three different accounts of the same event all at once. It could be a long shot, but could this be considered a building block for later "modern" compositional techniques such as bi tonality, poly meter, and the like? Just a thought. 

The different musical elements de la Halle borrowed for this piece (such as melisma from 'omnes' from Viderun omnes and a refrain from one of de la Halle's own rondeuas) shows how composers began to have an interest in creating music from more than one source. I am beginning to get nerdily excited about how all of this stuff builds on what preceded it. Sweet.

Week One

Tecum principum from Vespers for Christmas Day

This example is antiphonal, led by one singer and joined by the congregation. The first part that is sung by one voice has more large interval jumps than the part sung by the congregation. It is sort of like a 'call' to the others to join the singing of the Antiphon before continuing to the Psalm.

Gradual: Viderunt omnes

This chant is more melismatic than the one preceding. Perhaps to exemplify the important words in the scripture. There is more of a presence of the (what we call today) major triad pattern. It sounds like it has more tonality than the Tecum principum. It is overall much more ornate as well. While it is one single line, there are multiple voices singing, but no introduction by a solo voice.

Kyrie Eleison from Christmas Mass

The first time through each section, the text is sung by a small group of cantors who are joined by the rest of the ensemble in the repeats. This is still antiphonal in a sense that more voices join after the cantor(s) introduce the chant.

Dies irae

Again, antiphonal where a small group of cantors sing one 'verse' and are joined by more singers on the second 'verse'. However, this trading continues for each verse. One being sung by the small group and the next being sung by the 'congregation'. While there is rhythm in the sense of note values, most of the rhythm comes from the rhyme in the text.

Can vei la lauzeta mover by Bernart de Ventadorn (troubadour song)

I just have to say that I love the first recording on the Spotify listening list for this piece. The introduction played by the vielle (not sure exactly what instrument it is) is beautiful and sets up a perfect atmosphere for the vocalist to sing the text to. I also really enjoy the space between the introduction and the entrance of the vocalist. That silence also helps set the mood. The lute interludes that accompany the vocalist give the piece a bit of spice, but in the context of the emotion of loss the singer is experiencing.

In the next recording, it is interesting to sense the difference in overall affect of this version of the piece. Because of the hurdy-gurdy (I think) that drones during the instrumental introduction, there is more of a sense of uncertainty, whereas the first recording sounds sad and mournful to me. The drone is then taken over by voices which is just chilling! The ornamentation in the vocalists part adds that same type of spiciness, but again, because of the drone, this version sounds foreboding.  The finger cymbals also add spice. Hopefully me using 'spice' makes some sense...

Each verse in the instrumental version (solo pipe/flute instrument) is more ornamented than the previous.

The next version with voice and lute is fairly simple. No introduction by the lute, rather, an interlude between verses. The last few verses are very ornamented in both the lute and vocal part.

The final version of this piece on the listening list uses a larger group of instruments than any of the previous recordings-both plucked and bow stringed instruments-and solo voice. The hammer dulcimer sometimes adds a percussive sound, which is new to my ears.

I found another version of this piece on YouTube that I also like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfCkmiQ0nDs

This recording uses actual drums for percussion as well as vielles, flutes, hammer dulcimer, and voice. The drums add a whole new layer and realm to the piece. The vocalists' take on the text in this version definitely has an urgent and dramatic flair. I personally think this is how the text is interpreted the best. If someone were to speak the text as poetry, I think they would speak it in the way this vocalist sings-with urgency and broken hearted furor.

 "When I see the lark beating its wings joyfully against the sun's rays,
which then swoons and swoops down because of the joy in its heart,
oh! I feel such jealousy for all those who have the joy of love,
that I am astonished that my heart does not immediately melt with desire!"

Just one more observation- I think all of the recordings of this piece we have heard use female vocalists, while the text refers to the subject of the lover's lament as a 'lady'. Maybe the Occitan can be translated either way.

A chantar by Comtessa de Dia (troubadour song)

A simple voice and lute song with verses. The vocalist adds drama in her voice in corresponding parts of the text. There is musical rhyme between the text in the verses.

Robins m'aime by Adam de la Halle

The simplicity of the music in this piece reflects the simple concept of the text-joy that Robin loves. The tuneful melody is catchy and happy. The added bells are a nice effect, something we haven't heard yet in takes on troubadour songs.

The second recording begins quite plain with one voice singing the simple melodic line. However, it is joined by a few more voices (3 or 4?) who sing a very modal accompaniment. This reminds me of the chant we have been listening to.