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MUS 211
Chapter 1 Summary
Late Renaissance Polyphony (1550-1600)
(Renaissance 1450-1600)
1. Music of this period was primary modal (Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian).
2. Musica Ficta—altered tones added to the pure modes, such as making B a flat note in Lydian
mode to avoid the tritone between F and B. The musica ficta accidentals were not notated.
3. In the Dorian and Mixolydian modes a “leading tone” was created at cadences by raising the
seventh scale degree.
4. Consonant intervals: P1, m3, M3, P5, m6, M6, P8.
5. Dissonant intervals: m2, M2, P4, m7, M7.
6. Dissonances found in 2-voice writing: passing tones, lower neighboring tones, suspensions,
portamentos (“anticipation”), cambiata (“changing tones”).
7. Unaccented passing tone: In half notes, UPTs are found on beats 2 and 4. In quarter notes,
UPTs may be on the second half of any beat, and in eighth notes in unstressed locations.
UPTs may be ascending or descending.
8. Accented passing tone: Occurs in quarter notes only on beats 2 and 4. In 4/2 meter, APTs
only appeared in a descending direction.
9. Lower neighboring tone: Occurs in quarter notes in unstressed locations.
10. Suspensions (2-voice): Only suspensions allowed in 2-voice CP was the 7-6 and 2-3. The
suspensions occur on beats 1 or 3 in 4/2 meter, resolving on beats 2 or 4. Decorated
suspensions are common.
11. Portamento: Resembles the later anticipation. Consists of three notes, often a dotted half or
half tied to a quarter, a quarter note, then a half or quarter note. The portamento tone is the
second tone.
12. Nota Cambiata: Similar to the later changing tones. Four-note melodic figure. The second
note is the nota cambiata. The surrounding first and third notes are always consonant with
the lowest voice. The second and fourth notes may or may not be dissonant.
13. Suspensions (3-voice): 9-8 (2-1), 4-3, plus the 7-6 and 2-3.
14. The 4th may be “consonant” in 3-part writing when a second inversion chord is created
(usually at a cadence point).
15. Characteristics of melody:
a. mostly stepwise
b. these skips are avoided: asc. M6, all desc. 6ths, all 7ths, all dim. & aug. intervals, skips
greater than an octave.
c. triads sometimes outlined in the melody
d. two or more successive skips in same direction rare
e. skip larger than a 3rd preceded and followed by interval in opposite direction, usually
stepwise
16. Rhythm and meter: quadruple and triple
a. note tied only to a note of equal or next-shorter value
b. quarter rests not used
c. eighth notes only occur on second half of beat and always in pairs (4/2 meter)
d. pieces usually begin with a value of at least a dotted half note; more common is the
whole note or breve
e. final note is at least a whole note, often a breve
f. two simultaneous voices never have the same rhythm; rhythmic figures not repeated in
successive measures
g. to maintain rhythmic flow at interior cadence points, one voice usually rests and begins
next phrase immediately. Staggering of rests is referred to as hocket (hiccup).
h. original manuscripts did not contain bar lines; modern editions do
i. rhythms of individual voices sometimes imply a meter other than the prevailing meter
17. Cadences
a. most final cadences in 2-voice writing are of the clausula vera type (two voices approach
the octave via stepwise motion)
b. in 3-voice writing, the third voice sometimes adds the falling 5th motion to the clausula
vera to simulate an “authentic” cadence
c. plagal cadence is sometimes found at interior cadence points
18. Parallel motion: P1s, P5s and P8s were prohibited.
19. Parallel 3rds and 6ths were quite common, but limited usually to four or five in succession.
20. Text setting:
a. syllables assigned only to half-note (or larger) values. A quarter note may carry a
syllable only when preceded by a dotted half and followed by a half or whole note.
b. after a series of quarter notes, a syllable is not changed until after a white note value
occurs
c. rhythms follow the accents of words closely. Accented syllables are often given agogic
(durational) stress.
21. Form:
a. each phrase of text is considered a section and is set musically so that a cadence (or
pause) will occur at the end of the line
b. each section of music begins with imitation that is usually abandoned before the end of
the section
c. after each cadence a new imitation begins
22. Four best-known composers of Renaissance sacred music:
a. Josquin Desprez (ca. 1440-1521)
b. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (ca. 1525-1594)
c. Orlande de Lassus (ca. 1530-1594)
d. Tomas Luis de Victoria (1548-1611)