MUP 435—Advanced ConductingRenaissance Stylistic Considerations

1. Polyphonic, linear textures, equal vocal lines a. Overlapping points of imitationsb. Paired voices

2. Rhythmically sophisticated counterpoint

3. Use of fewer modes; slow move toward major and minor tonality

4. Melody influenced by Gregorian chant a. Liturgical and profane cantus firmi

5. Long arched phrases must have rhythmic interest, yet maintain restraint.

6. Conjunct melodic movement

7. Controlled dissonance; examine the placement of dissonance.

8. Text is important to formal consideration

9. Non-metered Rhythmsa. A metrical accent must not be on the first beat of the

“measure.”b. Stress is determined by the text; rhythmic flow also tied to

the text.

10. Principal forms included secular canons, rondeaux, and chansons, also liturgical music, motets, masses, and psalm settings.

11. Motivic development and repeated thematic material provided a unifying element to the form.

12. Word painting, or representative music, illustrated the text

13. Variety of textures a. Paired voices usually in thirds or sixthsb. Attained by contrasting high and low vocal registersc. Passages of block chords in the midst of polyphony.

14. Tempo and Rhythma. Standard pulse based on the human heartbeat or pace of

normal walking (M.M. 60-80).b. Tempo influenced by the text.

c. Tempo does not appreciably vary during a section of a work.d. Syllabic sections may often be taken slightly faster than

polyphonic sections.e. Polyphonic sections should not be too slow--impede the linear flow.f. Ritards should be avoided.

15. Conducting Patterna. Most scores in 4/4 should be conducted in 2.

16. Pitch Levela. You may want to shift the pitch up as high as a min. 3rd.

17. Dynamics a. Should be kept with the mood of the text.b. No dynamics were written in the scorec. forte and piano are used only to contrast complete sections

and are never applied suddenly within a phrase.d. Contrasts in dynamics are built in to the music by adding to

the number of voice parts.

18. Melodic Considerationsa. Diatonic and chromatic lines are sung legato.b. Skips are most often separated, especially large skips.c. Consecutive skips in the same directions are rare.d. Large skips tend to be resolved by stepwise motion in the

opposite direction.e. Octaves and sixths are common.f. Faster notes are performed lightly and clearly.g. Syncopated notes approached from above are sung smoothly.h. Ascending intervals larger than a second are accentedi. Notes tied across barlines in modern editions are given no

accent and should be sung as if no barlines were there.j. Each line has a focal point to which it moves and from which it

flows away. Arsis and thesisk. A slight increase in sonority is appropriate at final cadences.l. Music often began and ended on perfect intervalsm. Cadences are often plagal or phrygian.

19. Texturea. Clarify of each moving part is of primary importance.b. Suspensions should receive slightly more emphasis than its

resolution. Lean into suspended note.c. Suspensions should have a slight growth in the tone; no

accentd. Secular music can be doubled by instruments.e. Instruments used in church festivals

f. A dry hall will require increased volume and faster tempos.

20. Tone Qualitya. Well-focused with minimal vibratob. Mixed of tenors and altos in interior parts.c. There were 12-24 singers in the Papal Court.

21. Check original manuscript or collected worksEvaluating the original mensural signatures in manuscripts will help you decide which rhythmic value is intended to represent the tactus/beat.