What is Pope Marcellus Mass?
Pope Marcellus Mass was named for the composer’s second papal employer, Marcellus II, who was pope for less than a month in 1555.
How many days did Pope Marcellus II reign?
Having reigned for just 22 calendar days, Pope Marcellus II ranks sixth on the list of 10 shortest-reigning Popes. His successor was Giampietro Carafa, Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, who reigned as Pope Paul IV (1555–59).
When was Missa Papae Marcelli written?
Palestrina 's Missa Papae Marcelli (dating from 1565 or before ), one of the glories of polyphonic sacred choral music, is traditionally believed to have been composed in his memory, ca. 1562. Having reigned for just 22 calendar days, Pope Marcellus II ranks sixth on the list of 10 shortest-reigning Popes.
What instruments are used in the Marcellus Mass?
At the time the piece was written, boy choristers sang the soprano and alto voices, and the entire mass was sung a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment). 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.
Why was Pope Marcellus Mass written?
What we know: Palestrina wrote this mass most likely in 1562 to honor the late Pope Marcellus II, who reigned for 3 weeks during 1555.
Who wrote the song Pope Marcellus Mass?
Giovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaMissa Papae Marcelli / ComposerGiovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition. Wikipedia
When did Palestrina compose Missa Marcelli?
1562The mass was composed in honor of Pope Marcellus II, who reigned for three weeks in 1555. Recent scholarship suggests the most likely date of composition is 1562, when it was copied into a manuscript at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
When was Missa Papae composed?
1562Missa Papae Marccelli is considered one of Palestrina's best-known works (most likely composed in 1562). The mass was dedicated to Pope Marcellus II, who reigned for only three weeks in 1555.
What language was Pope Marcellus Mass Kyrie?
LatinTo see how this music worked, we will consider the Kyrie and the Credo. These are the most disparate movements of the Mass. The Kyrie has the shortest text: It translates in its entirety to “Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.” The text is also unusual because it is in Greek, not Latin.
What texture is Pope Marcellus Mass?
The Catholic Church stressed that the Latin text must be made perfectly clear within the music, which is best achieved with a simple monophonic texture.
When was Kyrie by Palestrina composed?
The Mass was published in Rome in 1590 in the fifth collection of Palestrina's Mass settings. The four-voice Kyrie, in its smooth treatment of voices entering in imitation, offers a perfect example of Palestrina's achievement, although once again musicological detectives have sought to find traces of L'homme armé.
Who is Pope Marcellus Mass?
Giovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaPope Marcellus Mass, Latin Missa Papae Marcelli, mass by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, the best known of his more than 100 masses. Published in 1567, the work is renowned for its intricate interplay of vocal lines and has been studied for centuries as a prime example of Renaissance polyphonic choral music.
What did William Byrd compose?
The death of Tallis in 1585 may have prompted Byrd to set his musical house in order, for in the next three years he published four collections of his own music: Psalmes, Sonets, & Songs of Sadnes and Pietie (1588), Songs of Sundrie Natures (1589), and two further books of Cantiones sacrae (1589 and 1591).
Which composer saved church music during and following the Council of Trent?
Composer Giovanni Pierluigi da PalestrinaComposer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina is often credited with “saving” Italian Renaissance liturgical music.
What is the harmony of Pope Marcellus Mass Gloria?
Gloria from Pope Marcellus Mass was composed by Palestrina as a sacred choral work performed purely in 6-part choirs including a soprano, an alto, two tenors, and a bass. Its texture is mixed mostly by homorhythmic and particular parts of polyphony.
Who composed Motets on by the waters of Babylon?
Josquin wrote both sacred and secular music, but it was his motets, which number over a hundred, that would be his most influential legacy.
What is the style of Missa Papae Marcelli?
Style. The Missa Papae Marcelli consists, like most Renaissance masses, of a Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus / Benedictus, and Agnus Dei, though the third part of the Agnus Dei is a separate movement (designated "Agnus II"). The mass is freely composed, not based upon a cantus firmus, paraphrase, or parody.
What is Missa Papae Marcelli used for?
In the latter part of the 20th century, the Missa Papae Marcelli has been recorded frequently, and is often used as a model for the study of stile antico Renaissance polyphony in university courses on music.
How many Masses did Palestrina sing?
Palestrina was there as well...they sang three Masses, of which the Pope Marcellus Mass was the last...The greatest and most incessant praise was given to the third, which was extraordinarily acclaimed and, by virtue of its entirely novel character, astonished even the performers themselves.
Who was the first to believe that music such as Palestrina's was all too beautiful to ban from
It was believed that the simple, declamatory style of Missa Papae Marcelli convinced Cardinal Carlo Borromeo, on hearing, that polyphony could be intelligible, and that music such as Palestrina's was all too beautiful to ban from the Church . In 1607, the composer Agostino Agazzari wrote:
Who was the savior of polyphony?
Jesuit musicians of the 17th century maintained this rumor, and it made its way into music history books into the 19th century, when historian Giuseppe Baini, in his 1828 biography of Palestrina, couched him as the "savior of polyphony" from a council wishing to wipe it out entirely: On Saturday, 28 April 1565, by order of Cardinal Vitellozzi, ...
Did Baini mention the Missa Papae Marcelli?
An entry in the papal chapel diaries confirms that a meeting such as the one described by Baini occurred, but no mention is made of whether the Missa Papae Marcelli was performed there or what the reaction of the audience was.
Who was Pope Marcellus II?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Pope Marcellus II (6 May 1501 – 1 May 1555), born Marcello Cervini degli Spannochi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 April 1555 until his death 22 days later. He succeeded Pope Julius III. Before his accession as pope he had been Cardinal-Priest of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme.
When was Missa Papae Marcelli composed?
Palestrina 's Missa Papae Marcelli (dating from 1565 or before ), one of the glories of polyphonic sacred choral music, is traditionally believed to have been composed in his memory, ca. 1562. Having reigned for just 22 calendar days, Pope Marcellus II ranks sixth on the list of 10 shortest-reigning Popes.
What was the first conclave in Italy?
The first conclave of 1555 , following the death of Julius III (1550–55), involved a struggle between French interests in Italy (which had been favored by Julius III) and Imperial interests, which were intent on Church reform through a Church council, but with the Emperor controlling the outcome. On 9 April 1555, on the evening of the fourth day of the papal conclave, Cervini was "adored" as pope, despite efforts by cardinals loyal to Emperor Charles V to block his election. Next morning, a formal vote was taken in the Capella Paolina, in which all of the votes cast were for Cardinal Cervini except his own, which he cast for the dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, Giampietro Carafa.
Where did Paul III go to promote the truce?
He was made a papal protonotary. He travelled in the suite of the Pope during the papal visit to Nice, where Paul III was promoting a truce between Francis I and Charles V. He then accompanied the young Cardinal Farnese on a trip to Spain, France and the Spanish Netherlands to help implement the terms of the truce.
Who did the Pope vote for in the Capella Paolina?
Next morning, a formal vote was taken in the Capella Paolina, in which all of the votes cast were for Cardinal Cervini except his own, which he cast for the dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, Giampietro Carafa. The new pope chose to retain his birth name, the most recent pope to do so, reigning as Marcellus II.
Who was the Pope in 1549?
Coat of Arms of Pope Marcellus II. In the conclave of 1549–50 to elect a successor to Paul III, fifty-one cardinals, including Marcello Cervini, participated at the opening on 3 December 1549. The initial candidates included Cardinals Pole, Sfondrati, Carpi and Ridolfi (who died on the night of 31 January).
Who were Marcello's half brothers?
Marcello had two half-brothers, Alexander and Romulus. One of his sisters, Cinzia Cervini, married Vincenzo Bellarmino, and was the mother of Robert Bellarmine . Marcello was educated locally, and at Siena and Florence, where he became proficient in writing Latin, Greek, and Italian.
Style
The Missa Papae Marcelli consists, like most Renaissance masses, of a Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus / Benedictus, and Agnus Dei, though the Agnus Dei is in two parts rather than the common three. The mass is freely composed, not based upon a cantus firmus or parody.
History
The mass was composed in honor of Pope Marcellus II, who reigned for three weeks in 1555. Recent scholarship suggests the most likely date of composition is 1562, when it was copied into a manuscript at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
Who wrote the Masses of the Catholic Church?
Giovanni Peirluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525-1594) wrote 104 Masses, some which were cantus firmus Masses and paraphrase Masses, and 250 motets. Palestrina's style epitomized the sober, conservative spirit of the Counter-Reformation, making him the "Lone Ranger" of Roman Catholic church music. Because an increasing number of Masses were based on melodies ranging from sacred motets to popular songs, such as "The Armed Man" described on the previous page, hard-line reformers of the Council of Trent wanted polyphony, which often obscured textual clarity, banned in favor of monophonic plainsong. Respecting the edicts from the Counter-Reformation, Palestrina composed a six-part polyphonic Mass called the Pope Marcellus Mass, to prove that counterpoint IS compatible with the criteria for acceptable church music. Published in 1567, the Mass was dedicated to Pope Marcellus II (1501-1555), who reigned only three weeks in 1555. Palestrina's Mass apparently calmed the hard-liners, whose the final injunctions of the Council warned only against everything "impure or lascivious" in the music (Early Music 1995). The Pope Marcellus Mass a polyphonic masterpiece of Renaissance church music; it was such a big success in terms of vocal and harmonic clarity that his music became the model for generations of composers after him, well into the classical period.
Who is the composer of the Ave Maria Mass?
Josquin des Prez (aka "Josquin") was a prolific composer of Masses, including many paraphrase Masses. His Ave Maris Stella Mass is a good example of a paraphrase mass based on a plainchant, Ave Maris Stella, which was created in the early eighth century.
What is the oldest type of Mass?
This is the oldest type of Mass dating back to early Medieval monophonic plainchants. In this type, the cantus firmus melody is heard in its original, archaic form, usually in the tenor voice of each of the five sections of the Mass. The cantus firmus Masses of the Renaissance developed from the medieval plainchants and organa (plural of organum). Machaut's Notre Dame Mass (1360) is a good example of a cantus firmus Mass. Kamien points outs that when you hear Machaut's Angus Dei from this Mass, you hear medieval plainchant set to an elaborate style of polyphony, which was new to the early Renaissance. Cantus firmus Masses were also built upon popular secular songs -- which later got the composers in trouble with the Council of Trent (more on this later).
What is the purpose of the Ordinary Mass?
The greatest formal challenge was to create musical continuity among all of the different sections . One solution was to repeat the same plainchant (cantus firmus) in all five sections. The good Mass composers were subtle in doing this. The cantus firmus is not repeated exactly note-for-note in every section, but sung as fragments in long, sustained notes in the tenor voice. The five sections of the Ordinary Mass are Marked in red text; the other sections of the Proper Mass are included for comparison purposes. Go ahead and play a little bit of each section of the Mass below. NOTE: you might want to memorize this list of five sections (marked in blue text) of the Ordinary Mass as they will appear on the next unit exam.
What is the name of the Mass of L'Homme Armé?
The L'homme armé ("Armed Man ") Mass composed in 1460 by Guillaume Du Fay uses a catchy, popular melody called The "Armed Man" as its cantus firmus. This Mass is sung by four separate voice parts (SATB) with several singers singing each voice part. Although sometimes obscured by the other voice parts, the "Armed Man" melody provides the structural framework for each section of the Mass and is usually sung in long notes by the tenor voice. The "Armed Man" melody is divided into A-B-A (ternary) form.
How many parts does the Pope have in the Mass?
The Pope Marcellus Mass contains six voice parts, with one soprano, one alto, two tenors, and two basses, with each part singing a separate melody line. As you listen to the "Kyrie" section, see if you have an easier time of following the words and text.
What is cantus firmus? What are some examples?
In the style of a Cantus Firmus Mass, some paraphrase Masses used melodies and melodic fragments from popular songs or madrigals. Guillaume Du Fay's the L'homme armé ("Armed Man") Mass is a good example of this practice because it uses a catchy, popular melody called The "Armed Man" as its cantus firmus. (See web page 3 of this lesson.) In short, composers based the cantus firmus on "fashionable" music of the day. The benefit of using a popular tune in a Mass is the immediate accessibility and recognizability by the congregation; if the congregation knew the tune, more people could follow the music.
Overview
History
The mass was composed in honor of Pope Marcellus II, who reigned for three weeks in 1555. Recent scholarship suggests the most likely date of composition is 1562, when it was copied into a manuscript at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
The third and closing sessions of the Council of Trent were held in 1562–63, at which the use of polyphonic music in the Catholic Church was discussed. Concerns were raised over two proble…
Style
The Missa Papae Marcelli consists, like most Renaissance masses, of a Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus/Benedictus, and Agnus Dei, though the third part of the Agnus Dei is a separate movement (designated "Agnus II"). The mass is freely composed, not based upon a cantus firmus, paraphrase, or parody. Perhaps because of this, the mass is not as thematically consistent as Palestrina's masses based on models. It is primarily a six-voice mass, but voice combinations ar…
Analysis
Missa Papae Marcelli does not (as far as is known) make use of any pre-existing theme. The motif of a rising perfect fourth and stepwise return (illustrated) is used extensively throughout this mass. It is similar in profile to the opening of the French secular song "L'homme armé", which provided the theme for many Renaissance masses. But this is probably a coincidence, as themes with this profile were common in the 16th century, and Palestrina himself used them in several o…
Further reading
• Bobbitt, Richard (1955). "Harmonic Tendencies in the Missa Papae Marcelli". The Music Review. 16: 273–288.
External links
• Free scores of Missa Papae Marcelli in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)