Mass Cycles of the 14^th Century

© Dr. Jeffrey Carter

· Settings of the Propers of Masses and single movements of the Ordinary for 3 or 4 vv. were quite common in the 14^th century.

· Most were probably intended to be sung by soloists.

· Cyclic settings of the basic five (or six) parts of the Mass Ordinary developed in this century.

· For polyphonic Masses, probably from the mid to late 14^th century, have survived. All seem to be related in general to music from Avignon, preserved in the Ivrea and Apt mss. They are named after the cities of their present location.

49 M2011 .C3 1957

· probably the oldest

· anonymous

· five movements of the Ordinary plus “Ite, misa est.”

· not composed as a unified cycle

· polyphony is mostly in conductus style

· Consort Press edition by John Biggs

Mass of Toulouse

· probably later 14^th century

· anonymous

· Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus, Ite, and part of the Credo

· not composed as unified cycle

· mostly in song style

· for three voices

Mass of Barcelona

· probably later 14^th century

· anonymous

· five movements

· for 3-4 vv.

· conductus and song style

· not composed as unified cycle

Mass of Sorbonne

· probably late 14^th century

· Johannes Lambuleti??

· five movements plus “Benedicamus.”

· for 3 vv.

· conductus and song style

· Agnus Dei quotes from Kyrie and Sanctus

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Machaut’s Messe de Nostre Dame

Bibliography

*Leech-Wilkinson, Daniel. Machaut’s Mass: An Introduction. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990. ML 410 G966 L3

*Levarie, Sigemund. Guillaume de Machaut. New York: Sheed and Ward, 1954; reprint ed., New York: Da Capo Press, 1969.

Machabey, Armand. Guillaume de Machault. Paris: n.p., 1955.

Reaney, Gilbert. Guillaume de Machaut. Vol. 9, Oxford Studies of Composers. London: Oxford University Press, 1971. ML410 G966 R4

Williams, Sarah Jane. “The Music of Guillaume de Machaut.” Ph.D. dissertation, Yale University, 1952. ML410 G966 W5

La messe de Nostre Dame : (1349/1363) / Guillaume de Machault; Instrumentalfassung (1982) von Walter Gieseler. M1070.G84 M46 1984

The Notre Dame Mass

· First complete polyphonic setting of the Ordinary of the Mass………….

· Unified by materials repeated among movements…………….

· Known to have been written by one composer.

· All movements written for four vv.

· Probably 1360 for Marian feast at Rheims

· the fifth Mass cycle of the 14^th c.

Kyrie

· isorhythmic

· tenor from Kyrie of chant Mass IV

· Dorian mode on D

Gloria

· six sections

· tenor freely paraphrases chang Gloria IV

· simultaneous style; Amen section in motet style

· Dorian on D

Credo

· four sections

· tenor resembles chant Credo I

· simultaneous style; Amen section in motet style

· Dorian on D

Sanctus

· isorhythmic

· tenor from Sanctus of change Mass XVII

· Lydian on F

Agnus Dei

· isorhythmic

· tenor from Agnus Dei of chant Mass XVII

· Lydian on F

Ite missa est

· isorhythmic

· tenor from chant Magnificat antiphon “O quam suavis,” also used as Sanctus of chant Mass VIII

· Lydian on F

B. Chief Christian ritual, therefore important artistic element, but intimate and active