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.