Ars Nova & Ars Subtilior: Medieval Polyphony and Notation

Ars Nova

Ars nova

• Polyphonic, French music
• New system of notation
• Note values to be divided into two or three parts
• Plus different levels of division
  • Mode (long) - perfect / imperfect
    • Triple is perfect / duple is imperfect
  • Time (breve) - perfect / imperfect
  • Prolation (semibreve) - major and minor
    • Major is triple / minor is duple

Philippe de Vitry

Philippe de Vitry

Cum statua / Hugo, Hugo / Magister Invidiae

• Note values
• Isorhythmic motet
• A structural principle
• Tenor: talea and color(es)
• Color
  • Repeat of melodies in a phrase
• Talea
  • Repeat of rhythm in a phrase
• Hocket

Polyphonic Mass Cycle

Polyphonic mass cycle

• Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei
• Use same number of voices, rhythm, melodies among the setting movements
• Ite, missa est is the 6-1-

Guillaume de Machaut

Guillaume de Machaut

• La Messe de Nostre Dame
  • (Mass of Our Lady)
  • Isorhythmic
• Contratenor is a tenor that competes with the normal tenor in melody (no range difference)

Ars Subtilior

Secular French music in the late 14th century

Vocab

Vocab

Intertextuality - leave trace or a refrain from another work

• “Eye name”
• Graphic notation

Codex - Song in a book form

Mensuration sign - works against red coloration; move a 3rd down

• Use a bracket sign |- -|

• Love song
• More subtle drama

Jaquemin de Senleches,

“La Harpe de melodie”

From the Chantilly Codex

Ars Subtilior

• Relationship to Ars Nova
• Rhythm
• More florid counterpoint
• Countertenor becomes more independent from tenor

Rhythm

• Elaborate rhythm subdivisions and disruptions

Coloration

• Indicates a change in rhythmic values
• Most common: reduce the value of a note by 1/3 (⅓)

Philippus de Caserta

Philippus de Caserta,

“En remirant vo douce pourtraiture”

• Ballad: aabC
• How is the rhythmic adventurousness and complexity of rhythmic notation evident here?
  • Lots of ties. Countertenor and the cantus against the tenor part (measures 38–40). Coloration being used makes notes reduce by 1/3.
• What is the relationship between the tenor and the contratenor?
  • Sync
  • Countertenor is higher in range

Contenance Angloise

Contenance angloise — Characteristics of the English sound

• Few dissonances
• Simple melodies
• Syllabic text setting
• Homorhythmic
• Frequent use of harmonic thirds and sixths, often in parallel motion
• Regular phrases

Listening

Alleluia: A Newe Work (anonymous)

Guillaume Dufay

Guillaume Dufay

“Se la face ay pale”

1. Ballade aabC
2. English elements

The Polyphonic Mass Cycle (again)

The polyphonic mass cycle

• Du Fay, Missa Se la face ay pale, Gloria

Imitation Mass

• Borrow melody from different movement

Listening: The L’homme armé

Canon

Listening

Antoine Busnoys

Antoine Busnoys

• “Je ne puis vivre”

Jean de Ockeghem

Jean de Ockeghem