#des prez

Performer: Ensemble Leones; conducted by Marc Lewon

Performer: The Hilliard Ensemble; conducted by Paul Hillier

Josquin Desprez: Missa Pange Lingua

des prez, salve regina a5, chanticleer des prez also set this text with a four voice setting, but ... here's this one 

seriously. the opening kyrie of this mass is such a wonderful of thematic, or motivic unity and cohesion- however you'd like to word that. goodness. i mean, mm. 9-14 are just one example. and then the christe reverses the direction of this same figure. and then the kyrie represents the same opening figure, with the original direction, and then introduces two new ideas that also contrast in direction with the christe. this is more than just imitation or canon; i haven't looked at these motives and lines that closely, but this is the kind of motivic and thematic germination that composers like beethoven and brahms are praised for.  and as per usual, the hilliard ensemble can do no wrong. oh, and here's the credo. here's the sanctus. you guys. in the sanctus that opening motive, from that opening kyrie, is brought back and highlighted and expanded upon !! the contrasting directions from the kyrie1 and the christe are brought back too. and this time, joins the two AT THE SAME TIME. by the time we get to the hosana of the sanctus, this opening, ascending motive is expanded upon again to span a 6th.  here's the agnus dei. and, you guyys. in the agnus dei2 the opening motive is revisited again. this time each voice states it one time and in agnus dei3, another section of sequenced motives appears, and is sequenced much like the motives that are presented in the kyrie complex. the motives are presented with the "qui tollis pecata mundi" text. the mass closes gorgeously, with a fairly unremarkable "dona nobis pacem" section. and you cannot tell me that [what i see as a dotted half note followed by a quarter note], [[the opening motive of the opening kyrie]], is not significant and easily identifiable. GOODNESS.

Josquin des Prez