Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palstrina Comparison

Comparison of the distinctive composers in the early and late Renaissance

The Renaissance stood as an age of renascence and immense cultural upheaval. Along with the rich interchange of ideas in inventive, communal, systematic, and administrative domains of the society - Music was a vital part of municipal, holy, and civil life in the Renaissance. Numerous Artists in Western Europe became conscious of the classical preceding and the world past the constricted limitations of feudal theology. The period 1400–1600 headed to key modifications in styles of composing and means of publicizing music. Society acquired receptiveness to the new ideas. The printing press was a noteworthy new invention, which helped out composers economically. Even though,

1525, Palestrina, near Rome and died on February 2, 1594, in Rome. He is considered to be one of the most renowned Italian Renaissance composers. “Palestrina composed more than 105 masses and 250 motets, a master of contrapuntal composition”. (http://www.britannica.com/biography/Giovanni-Pierluigi-da-Palestrina). Palestrina even in the modern day is considered to be a role model and a legend of the Italian school. His fame got him so far where he was requested to overwrite churches’ primary plainchant books. Palestrina’s most famed Mass is Pope Marcellus Mass or Missa Papae Marcelli. It was written in honor of Pope Marcellus the second, hence the name. The mass like the most Renaissance masses consist of: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. However, Pope Marcellus mass isn’t based off the cantus firmus. His setting “The Marcellus is a musical setting of the so-called Ordinary of the mass—that is, the texts that remain constant throughout the annual church calendar”. (http://www.britannica.com/topic/Pope-Marcellus-Mass) Palestrina makes the use out of the both imitative polyphony, where he the separate lines are analogous in their sounds and shapes, as well as homophonic where you have one melody at one time, while everything else is used for the accompaniment purposes. The masse’s choir contains six voices: Tenor in two parts, baritone, bass, alto and soprano. The Agnus Dei is set in two sections. As far as the analysis of the parts goes - “The first iteration of Agnus Dei recalls the melodic shape and feeling of the Kyrie while the second Agnus Dei introduces an additional soprano part to the texture and explores all manner of canonic imitation as the work comes to a tranquil close”. ("Palestrina: Kyrie, Gloria, and Agnus Dei from Missa Papae Marcelli." San Francisco Symphony. Web. 8 Oct.