Music 326/526

Ars Antiqua Continued

The Ars Antiqua (“Old Art,” late 12^th through 13^th Centuries) is characterized by development of polyphonic forms.  Various kinds of organum appeared first, followed by Polyphonic Conductus and Motets.  Also at this time:

·         Rhythmic modes were codified

·         Notation was invented that could express rhythm as well as pitch

·         Meter was always in triple subdivisions

·         Gregorian chant still used prominently

·         Ranges of vocal music still limited

·         Melodies are linear

·         Harmonies are simple, chromaticism is avoided

Prominent Forms of the Ars Antiqua

·         Conductus: polyphonic conductus has characteristics in common with monophonic conductus, which used newly composed (not Gregorian) melodies and which were non-liturgical but religiously oriented.  Polyphonic conductus resembles the discant sections of Notre Dame Organum with rhythmic tenor and 2-3 upper parts. 

·         Motet: Becomes popular in 2nd half of 13th Century.

·         The motet also originates from clausula, which became a more independent item, eventually separated from the melismatic organum (“organum purum”) sections.  They were musical alternatives that could be used interchangeably.

·         The main difference between motets and other polyphonic forms is that texts are added to upper voices

·         At first texts were in Latin

·         Later French texts were added to upper voices; sometimes different texts in each voice; sometimes even different languages in each voice

·         The Duplum starts to be called motetus

·         Naming conventions for motets: use first word or two of each line (incipits) starting from top voice

·         Gregorian melody (or any pre-existing melody used as basis for another composition) is called a cantus firmus.

Further Developments in Motets

·         Franconian Motet (described by Franco of Cologne, composer 1250-80): earliest motets had the upper voices in approximately the same rhythm; now the top voice is fastest moving and has the most text; the motetus has a bit less text and slightly simpler rhythm; tenor still longest note values.  Franco wrote treatise Art of Mensurable Music [c.1280])that  discussed rhythmic practices of the 13th Century.  Mensurable means that durations are fixed

·         Petronian Motet (defined by Petrus de Cruce, composer 1270-1300).  Very similar to Franconian, but triplum is freer in rhythm (even faster than Franconian), tenor usually has very uniform rhythm

·         By late 13th century, there were motets that were entirely secular; even tenor was newly composed or borrowed from a secular song

·         Hocket (a technique or a type of composition - name is French for hiccough): distributes melodic line between different voices so that one sounds while the other is silent