Ars Nova and 15th Century Music: Vitry, Muris, and Ockeghem Innovations

Historical Context: Ars Nova and Musical Shifts

Philippe de Vitry and Johannes de Muris

Philippe de Vitry and Johannes de Muris, professors of music at the University of Paris, were pivotal figures in the development of music theory. Vitry's students compiled his notes into a treatise called Ars Nova, which explained his perspective on the new music and contrasted it with the older Ars Vetus, detailing the art of early music.

Innovations in Time and Harmony

Vitry considered creating a system to change from the triple time prevalent before, introducing binary time. In France, the melodic line became the basis for harmonization, with voices and instruments supporting it from above and below, leaving the melody in the middle. Until the fifteenth century, music was largely based on this melodic line, known as organum.

Philosophical and Musical Evolution in the 15th Century

The fifteenth century witnessed a significant innovation in philosophical thought, moving beyond medieval ideas. Neoplatonic philosophy emerged, viewing humanity not in a vertical relationship with God, but in a circular one with God and the cosmos. During this period, music became even more abstract.

The Mass and Ockeghem's Contributions

In the fifteenth century, the Mass remained divided into the Ordinary (five fixed movements: Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei) and the Proper (specific to saints). Composers focused on the Ordinary. Previously, a melody from Gregorian chant was used as the basis (cantus firmus) for five voices, with varying combinations of upper and lower parts. Each part could have a different tune.

Johannes Ockeghem expanded this concept. He did not limit the cantus firmus to Gregorian melodies but also drew from secular songs (chansons). He would write a Mass with the same name as a chanson, using its melodic line not only as the cantus firmus but also in modulations and other voices throughout the Mass to create unity. This approach marked the beginning of polyphony, where voices are distinct melodic lines that typically enter at different times, often employing counterpoint or imitation.

Secular Music in the 15th Century

The French Chanson

In France and Flanders, the chanson emerged. In the fifteenth century, composers relied on fixed poetic forms, while the sixteenth century saw a move towards greater freedom. Among the fixed poetic forms, the bergerette was highly appreciated. These could be composed by men or women, had a score, and were sung a cappella. They narrated themes of courtly love with rhetorical wordplay. The structure typically included:

• Estribillo (Refrain): Two lines (ouvert and clos), musically distinct from the chorus.
• Stanza: Different text but set to the same music as the chorus.

Spanish Poetic Forms

In Spain during the fifteenth century, several fixed poetic forms were also in use:

• Song: The chorus always had 4 verses, followed by a mudanza 1 (2 lines) and mudanza 2 (2 lines). The second part was called the vuelta, and the last 2 verses returned to the chorus.
• Villancico: Similar to the song, but with a 3-line chorus. It was generally more cheerful, with the final lines coinciding with the 2 lines of the chorus. The mudanza ended with a suspended cadence, not a final one. The structure was typically (Estribillo / mudanza 1 / mudanza 2 / vuelta).