The Ars Nova (“New Art”)

·         13th C had been stable politically, socially; Church was recognized as leader spiritually, intellectually, and often politically.  In 14th C that order is shaken:

·         People become aware of Church abuses

·         Because of anarchy in Rome, the Pope moved to Avignon in S. France for most of century; after returning to Rome, there were rival claims to papacy

·         14^th Century outbreaks of plague

·         Dissatisfaction expressed in French poem written 1310-1314: Le Roman de Fauvel (main poet : Gervais de Bus)

·         3000 lines, satirical attack on corruption of church

·         rich symbolism, even in name Fauvel (Flatterie, Avarice, Vilainie, Variété (fickleness),  Envie, Lâcheté (cowardice)); Fauvel is an ass embodying sins of the church

·         Important musical source: contains many pieces of music: mostly monophonic, but several motets that show newest trends.  Some motets by important composer, Philippe de Vitry (1291-1361)

·         He wrote treatise Ars Nova (1320’s: New Art): becomes title of movement in France and Italy. De Vitry’s treatise talks about rhythms, especially in duple subdivisions; also deals with repetitive rhythmic patterns, an important component in Isorhythm

·         Isorhythm: a line of music has rhythmic component and melodic component: in isorhythm there are different numbers of elements (e.g. 12 pitches and 8 rhythmic values), but both concepts repeat until they come together and end at the same time.

·         Isorhythm was an experiment demonstrating the new fascination with rhythm

·         In practice, isorhythm was used in motet tenors. Sometimes similar patterns found in other voices

·         Recurring melodic pattern is color; recurring rhythmic pattern is talea; they cycle until they come together again

·         Philippe de Vitry wrote several isorhythmic motets for the  Roman de Fauvel

·         Guillaume de Machaut (1304-1377): most important composer of Ars Nova

·         priest, prolific poet and composer

·         wrote lots of types of music including isorhythmic motets, secular monophonic songs, and mass settings

·         secular songs were in latest style with binary (duple) rhythms

·         motet texts were often on religious themes, but sometimes political

·         motets usually had at least one voice in French

·         Machaut wrote first complete polyphonic setting of the Ordinary: Messe de Notre Dame

·         main musical sections of Ordinary are: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus-Benedictus, Agnus Dei

·         he set them in 4 voices (standard number of voices was 3). 

Italy: 14th Century is first appearance of polyphony in Italy (according to documentation). 

·         This is partly due to the influence of Troubadours and Trouvères: monophonic tradition was very important. 

·         Secular music was main area of activity in Italy: madrigal, caccia, ballata.

·         General characteristics of Italian 14th C music:

·         duple meters

·         note-against-note part writing, especially in madrigals

·         didn’t like using cantus firmus (borrowed pre-existing melody)

·         didn’t like different texts in each voice

·         didn’t like isorhythm

·         principal melody is in upper voice (called Superius in Italy)

·         3-part compositions have superius, tenor, contra-tenor

·         contra-tenor is in same range as tenor but usually more ornate

·         Madrigal: refers to a type of poetry: three line stanzas with a couplet at the end

·         setting reflects poetic form: last two lines (ritornello) often completely different music and meter from strophic 3-line sets

·         two voices have same text, upper part more ornate

·         Caccia: modeled after French form called chace (chase or hunt).  In French version, one voice chanced the other in canon.  In Italian version, 2 voices were accompanied by instrumental part.

·         texts were descriptive, pictorial; melody was “popular”

·         Ballata:  evolved from 13th C monophonic version; song intended for dancing; also probably influenced by French model (ballade)

·         14th C version is for 2 or 3 voices

·         Best known composer of Italian 14th Century was Francesco Landini (1325-1397); composed lots of ballate (also a few madrigals).

·         blind organist; wrote almost all secular works

·         known for “Landini Cadence” a melodic formula.  Melody approaches cadence, doesn’t go from leading tone to tonic but goes to 6th degree first.