The "Grand Motet" of the late Baroque in France as exemplified
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THE "GRAND MOTET" OP THE LATE BAROQUE IN FRANCE AS EXEMPLIFIED BY MICHEL-RICHARD DE LALANDE AND A SELECTED GROUP OF HIS CONTEMPORARIES
A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School The University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy
by James Edward Richards June 1950
UMI Number: DP29367
All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion.
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This dissertation, w ritten by
.....................JMES.E..RICHARDJ................ under the guidance of h..3*5. . F aculty Com mittee on Studies, and approved by a ll its members, has been presented to and accepted by the C ou n cil on G raduate Study and Research, in p a rtia l f u l fillm en t of requirements fo r the degree of DOCTOR
O F P H IL O S O P H Y
Dean
Committee on Studies
Chairman
3^> fYM) .'
2c
x i &
TABLE OP CONTENTS VOLUME I CHAPTER I.
PAGE
THE F R O B L E M ..................................... Statement of the p r o b l e m ..............
. .
Importance of the study • • • .....
2
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OP MICHEL-RICHARD DE LALANDE ......................................
III.
1
1
Organization of the study • • • • • • • • • « II.
1
6
HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS OP THE "GRAND MOTET" . . The French classic "Grand Motet" defined The motet and the monodie revolution
18
. •
18
• . . •
21
Development of the choral style in the 11Grand Motet”
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
26
Development of instrumental accompaniment to
IV.
the ”Grand Motet” • • • • • • • • • • • • •
38
THE ”GRAND MOTETS” OP L A L A N D E .................
57
Qualitative evaluation of Lalande . . . . . .
57
Notes on the transcriptions • • • • • • • • •
6l
General statement * ........................
6l
Chromatic alterations • • • • • • • • • • •
62
Key signatures
• • • • . .
♦
62
Ornament Interpretation • • • • • • • • • •
63
Continuo interpretation • • • . • • • • • •
63
Terms and words found on the scores • • • •
63
C l e f s ......................................
64
iii CHAPTER
PAGE M e t e r ....................................
66
Tempo * ..................................
67
Rhythmic problems
68
.................- .
The h e m i o l a ............................ Notes ,finegales” Dotted notes
68
.....................
70
..........................
P i t c h .................................... The ,fcus tos”
76
............................
Chapelle personnel andperformance
72
78
..........
79
Harmonic f a c t o r s ............................
81}.
T o n a l i t y ..................................
8I4.
The harmonic sequence offifths
..........
86
..............
86
Augmented t r i a d s ..........................
87
Seventh chords
88
Second inversions oftriads
.........................
Diminished seventh c h o r d s .................
90
Ninth c h o r d s ..............................
90
Sequences of alternating seventh and sixth c h o r d s ..................................
93
Parallel m o t i o n ............................
9^-
Pedal p o i n t ................................
95
Ostinato
95
• * ..............................
Modulations « • • • • • • • •
••
Cadential structure ......................
96 •
97
iv CHAPTER
PAGE Contrapuntal factors . ..................... General statement Consonance •
••
99
...................
99
.............................
99
Dissonance • • • • • • • • •
.............
100
I m i t a t i o n ................................
10lf
M e l o d y ....................................
106
Harmonic-contrapuntal s u m m a r y .............
109
Vocal M u s i c ................................
110
Voices and r a n g e s .......................
110
The "Grand C h o i r " ........................
113
The "Petit Choir"
lllj.
...................
Exceptional choral grouping
♦ • • • . . .
lllj.
Simultaneous double choirs • • • « • • • •
115
........
115
The t r i o ..................................
118
Choral s t y l e ..............................
118
Function of the choirs • • • •
Solos: Recit, Recitatif, and Recitatif me sure
................................
12 5
D u e t s ....................................
131
Comparative lengths of movements involving various personnel groupings
...........
131
The o r c h e s t r a ..............................
133
General s t a t e m e n t .......................
133
The orchestra in the "Grand Motets" of L a l a n d e ................................
135
V
CHAPTER
PAGE Lalande fs orchestration
..............
Lalande!s orchestral accompaniment
13&
• • • .
•
lli8
Accompaniment to solos
ll{-8
Accompaniment to d u e t s ...................
150
Accompaniment to trios
l5l
• • • • • • • • • *
Accompaniment to "Petit C h o i r s " ...........
15>i
Accompaniment to "Grand Choirs" * .........
1J?2
Orchestral music: overturesand ritournelles•
157
F o r m s .........................................
159
Abbreviations used in the analysis Classification of the forms
. .
.•
.............
Forms based upon one period (a b)
• • •
Forms based upon two different periods
159 159
.•
160
••
l 6l
Binary (AB) . ............................
l 6l
Binary of the same words (AB) • • • • • •
162
Simple rondeau or "air en rondeau" (ABA)*
163
Forms based upon three different periods
•
l6ip
Tripartite ( A B C ) ...........................
l61j.
Rondeau of words (ABC)
l65
Rondo (ABACA)
....................
.........................
Forms based upon four different periods Compound binary (I—II) Ternary (I-II-I)
l65 ••
.................
............................
Contrapuntal f o r m s ...........................
166 l66
167 l68
vi CHAPTER
PAGE Quasi-fugal
..............................
168
................................
169
Overture f o r m s ..............................
170
............................
171
..........................
173
Ostinato
Recitative Prelude of basses
Questionable f o r m s ............... .. The ffGrand Motet” as a form
• .
...............
The t e x t s .............................. V.
17^4-
•
175 179
REPRESENTATIVE "GRAND MOTETS" BY CONTEMPORAR IES OP L A L A N D E ................................
181
Qualitative evaluation of Lalande*s six c o n t e m p o r a r i e s ..............................
181
Notes on the transcriptions...................
l8lj.
The compositions contained in Appendix D*
l8l|_
Terms and words found on the scores • • •
185
Meter signatures
..........................
186
Measure n u m b e r s ..............................
188
Performance practice
..........................
188
Harmonic-contrapuntal factors .................
189
T o n a l i t y .....................................
189
The harmonic sequence of f i f t h s .............
191
Second inversions of triads ............
•
192
Doubling of chord m e m b e r s ...................
193
Augmented triads
193
......................
vii CHAPTER
PAGE Seventh chords • • • • ....................... Ninth chords •
195
The tritone in outer voices • Parallel motion Pedal point
194
...........
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
•
• . •
19& 19& 197
Ostinato • •
. . . . . . . . . .
197
Modulations
................... • •
198
Cadential s t r u c t u r e ......................... Non-harmonic tones
199
Continuo figuration Imitation
. . . . . . . . . . .
200
• • • • • • • •
201
. . . . . . .
201
••
Harmonic-contrapuntal summary
Vocal music and its orchestral accompaniment The "Grand Choir"
• • • • • •
The "Petit Choir"
. ...........
• • • • •
Duets
202 207 208
Function of the choirs •
...................
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vocal solos
202
...............
The t r i o ............
Quartet
198
209 209
........................
• • • • • • • • ............
. . .
209 211
Comparative lengths of movements involving various personnel groupings The orchestra
........
. . . • • • •
212
. . . . . . . . . .
214
The continuo • • • • • • • ................... Flutes and oboes in the "Grand Motets" • .
2llj216
viii CHAPTER
PAGE Muted s t r i n g s ........................
217
Overtures and r i t o u r n e l l e s .........
217
F o r m s ...................................
218
Forms based upon one phrase ( a ) .....
218
Forms based upon one period ( A ) .....
219
Forms based iipon two different periods
. •
Binary ( A B ) ........................ Simple rondeau or ,fair en rondeau” (ABA)
220 220
•
221
Forms based upon three different periods: Tripartite (ABC)
...................
Rondeau of words (AB "C-A" D ) .....
222 222
Forms based upon four or more periods: R o n d o s ............................. Five successively different periods • . . •
223
Quasi-fugal forms .......................
223
O s t i n a t o ..................... .. . . . •
22ip
Overture f o r m s ....................
22lf.
Prelude of b a s s e s ..................
225
The "Grand Motet" as a f o r m .......
225
The t e x t s ............................. VI.
222
COMPARISONS AND CONCLUSIONS Harmonic factors
230
.................
231
..........................
231
T o n a l i t y ...........................
231
S e q u e n c e s ...........................
232
ix CHAPTER
PAGE Second inversions ............................ Augmented t r i a d s ...............................
232 232
Augmented triads with sevenths and ninths • •
232
Seventh c h o r d s ........................... •
233
Ninth chords
.................................
P a r a l l e l i s m s ............................ • * Pedal point
234
...................................
Modulations and cadences
234
......................
234 234
Contrapuntal f a c t o r s ...................... Consonance and d i s s o n a n c e ......................
235
S e c o n d s ........................................ Tritones Doubled thirds
...................................
235
...............................
236
Non-chordal t o n e s .............................. Cross-relations .............................. Melody
235
236 236
.....................................
237
Quasi-fugal style ...............................
238
Vocal m u s i c ....................................... The "Grand C h o i r " ............................
239 239
The "Petit Choir” ...............................
239
Simultaneous double choirs
....................
240
T r i o s ...........................................
240
Note-against-note choral style
...........
.
R e c i t a t i v e .....................................
240 24l
X CHAPTER
PAGE Solos and duets
.........................
2^1
Comparative lengths and frequency of movements involving various personnel groupings • . • The orchestra The
string orchestra
continuo
2l\3
.............................. • . • ................
Woodwind i n s t r u m e n t s ............. The
2lf1
2l}-3
.• . .
244
• • • • • • • • ............
245
Orchestral a c c o m p a n i m e n t .............
2lf6
S o l o s ......................................
2lf.6 2I4.6
D u e t s ................................. Trios • • • ..........
2lf.7
The
“Petit Choir” ..........................
2lf7
The
"Grand C h o i r " ........................ ..
2I4.7
Orchestral m u s i c ......................
248
Form
.
....................................
250
Texts
• ......................................
253
BIBLIOGRAPHY
.............................................
A P P E N D I C E S ..................................... APPENDIX A.
254
268
Index of compositions by Michel-Richard
de L a l a n d e .................................
269
Instrumental works
• • .
.......................
269
Vocal works
................................
275
Ballets and Divertissements............... ..
.
285
Questionable compositions
•
286
...
...........
CHAPTER
PAGE
APPENDIX B.
Ornaments found in the "Grand Motets" •
Principal sources of interpretation General attributes of an ornament
•
287
« • • • • • •
287
• • • • • • •
288
Ornaments found in' the "Grand Motets" contained in Appendices C and D
..........
Signs for the ornaments The cross (+)
• • •
« • • • • • • • • • • • •. .........
The wavy line (*** or The appoggiatura
290
. . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .
.............
. . . . . . .
290 291 295 2^8
The p r e o c c u p a t i o n ...................... The vertical stroke ( / ) and the small trian gular solid with apex downward (T )
. . . .
301
The placement of ornaments in scores which con tain no ornament indication
..........
. . .
302
TABLE OF CONTENTS (Volume II) APPENDIX
PAGE
Table of contents for Volume I I ................. APPENDIX C.
ii
Ten complete "Grand Motets” by Michel
leichard de L a l a n d e ............................ Deus In Adjutorium (contains no remplissage)
1
...
1 2.1\.
Usque quo Domine (contains no remplissage) .... Dominus Regit Me (contains no remplissage)
• •
••
lj-7
Credidi Propter (contains no remplissage) ......... Regina Coeli Laetare (contains no remplissage)
72
••
107
Judica Me Deus (contains ornament Interpretations, continuo realization, and remplissage)
121
Deus Noster (contains ornament interpretations, continuo realization, and conjectured remplissage) Benedictus Dominus (contains no remplissage)
•
••
Exaltabo Te (contains no remplissage) ......... In Convertendo Dominus (contains no remplissage). APPENDIX D.
173 233
263 •
289
Six complete "Grand Motets" by contem
poraries of L a l a n d e ............................
31^-
Benedic Anima Mea by Henry Du Mont (contains remplissage)
....................................
3 lip
0 Deus, 0 Salvator Noster by Marc-Antoine Charpentier (contains remplissage) .....................
356
In Convertendo Domino by S^bastien de Brossard (contains remplissage)
369
•
•
•
Xlll CHAPTER
PAGE
Confitebor Tibi Domine by Nicolas Bernier (con tains no remplissage)
..........................
[(.01
Deus In Nomine by Andr^ Campra (contains remplissap;e)
.......................................
i(49
Beati Omnes by Charles-Hubert Gervais (contains remplissage) ............... .....................
ip93
MUSICAL EXAMPLES IN THE BODY OP THE TEXT EXAMPLES 1*
2.
PAGE
Excerpt from the first "chanson spirituelle,ff The Melanges of Eustache De Caurroy .........
27
Excerpt from the Mass by F o r m e .............. *
3^
PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATION IN THE BODY OP THE TEXT
Michel-Richard de Lalande: from an engraving by S. Thomas s i n ............... ............ ..
CHAPTER I
'
THE PROBLEM Statement of the problem*
The history and literature
of French sacred music during the late baroque are very obscure* The principal problem of this study is to ascertain through examination and analysis of numerous scores the precise prac tices and styles which were prevalent in one particular type of church music which flourished in that era, the "Grand Motet*11 Importance of the study*
The very paucity of both
historical data and scores drawn from this type of music re presents one of those blank spots on the map of musical and cultural history* is twofold:
Therefore, the importance of this study
(1) to supplement and codify the present vague
details of an historical link in the chain of western heritage and (2) to make available for study and performance music that has been undeservedly neglected since the close of the eigh teenth century* The music under study constitutes but one of the multiple facets of a complex society which seemingly both evolved and revolved around the !lroi soleil."
However, since
interactive and reciprocal influences existent in any culture cannot be evaluated in isolation, and, since there has rarely if ever been a comparable exemplification of the intimate and
mutual relations between both arts and society as that which was represented in the courts of Louis XIV and Louis XV, it is requisite that the musical phases of the
era be clarified
if ever we are to "see it whole and see it true*" Organization of the study#
The principal concentra
tion of this study is based upon the "Grand Motets” of MichelRichard de Lalande (1657-1726), the most renowned composer of this genre during the late seventeenth and eighteenth centur ies*
In accordance with this emphasis, the biographical
details of his life (Chapter II), an index of all his compo sitions (Appendix A), and
the scores to tenof his "Grand
Motets" (Appendix C) have been included* One "Grand Motet" by each of six contemporaries of Lalande has been incorporated into the study (Appendix D) both to attain representative coverage of the entire era and to make manifest the various bases for comparison*
This approach
is requisite in order to discern specifically wherein Lalande differed from, excelled, or was inferior to either the pro gressive or regressive tendencies of both his heritage and his coexisting musicians* The historical transition and transformation from the polyphonic motet to the "Grand Motet" as it matured at the time of Lalande is accorded detailed consideration in Chap ter III*
It should be understood that the division of this
chapter into two phases —
(1) the development of the choral
style and (2) the development of the orchestral style —
is
an arbitrary dichotomy externally imposed by this writer for the purpose of lending clarity and unity of perspective to a quite complex historical development* Lalandefs "Grand Motets" contained in Appendix C, are discussed in Chapter IV.
The various aspects of harmony,
counterpoint, vocal style, orchestra music, form, and esthetic are each treated in minute detail.
Although the major empha
sis of this entire study is placed upon the facts as they are found on the scores in Appendices C and D, verbal sources are frequently referred to for clarification or documentation of principles, concepts, and interpretations* Chapter V, devoted to the six "Grand Motets" contained in Appendix D, is comparable in all its analytical phases with Chapter IV.
However, since historical data and verifi
cation of the numerous tenets are presented during discussion of Lalande*s music, they have largely been deleted from Chap ter V to avoid mere redundancy. Comparisons and conclusions attained through collation of the two preceding chapters (IV and V) are presented in Chapter VI. To facilitate interpretation of all the ornaments found in this music, Appendix B has been added*
However,
since application of the "’ principles" is quite a complex problem
If in itself, the agrements as found on two of Lalandefs "Grand Motets’* have been illustrated in footnotes to further exem plify their use:
(1) Judica Me Deus, Volume II, pp. 121-172
and Deus Noster. Volume II, pp. 173-232. Similarly, the organ continuo realization in both these "Grand Motets" is this writer1s interpretation as are also the orchestral parts of remplissage, written in small notes, found in Deus Noster. Since frequent references to the score will be neces sary for purposes of illustration, it should be noted that all the transcriptions of this study are contained in Volume II, the pagination of which is in arabic numerals from one to 535*
The first measure of each brace is numbered in
accordance with the place it occupies within a "movement" of the motet.
In the sequence of musical "forms," each starts
anew with the number one. References to the
score will follow two abbreviated
patterns: II:2)^:3 or II:pp.6-9.
In the former, the Roman
numeral indicates the volume number; the first arabic numeral the page number; and the second arabic numeral the measure number.
Thus the preceding example should be interpreted as
volume two, page twenty-four, measure three.
In the latter
example, only the volume
number and the pages are indicated:
volume two, pages six to
nine.
f>'J y JHt’irnjf,
>/• it/iiw , ' A.'y ■ „
'(’",)/jz\'hu',/r'c
v)jc
CHAPTER II BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OP MICHEL-RICHARD de LALANDE* Michel-Richard de Lalande, the fifteenth child of a poor tailor, was born in Paris, December 15>, 165>7» and died at Versailles, June 18, 1726.2 In his extreme youth, he showed unusual talents for
* Unless definitely stated to the contrary, the infor mation for this biographical sketch has been taken from one of two sources: (a) Tannevot, Preface ou discours sur la vie et les ouvrages de M. de La Lande (ParTss Ballard, 1729T. pp.”T8, and (b) Hugo Riemann, "Lalande, Michel-Richard de,ft Dictionnaire de Musique (Paris: Payot, 1931)* In the latter source, it is necessary to question the last statement contained In the article: f,Une etude complete de la vie de Lalande est actuellement pre'paree par A. Tessier. Through direct correspondence with persons who knew Tessier personally (Alexander Cellier, Paul Brunold, and Paul-Marie Masson) I have learned that this task remained unfinished at his death (1931)* According to Masson, the information con tained in Riemann represents the totality of information Tes sier had accrued in his incomplete study of Lalande. Brunold, who possesses Tessier1s notebook, has informed me that it con tains no additional material on Michel. The ifloge sur M. de Lalande by the Countess de Salmdyck located at the Brussels Conservatory, is on Joseph-Jerome Lefrancois de Lalande and not Michel-Richard; although, it ap parently is catalogued under the latter name. Another slightly confusing biographical problem is pre sented by Oscar Thompson in The International Cyclopedia of Music and Musicians. Two articles (f
and Sermisy, which are
The language, except for the various Masses,
is always French, and no instrumental accompaniment of any kind is indicated*
There are no multiple choirs, a specialty
of the Venetian school and particularly of its leader, G a b r i e l i , 2lj- although examples were not entirely lacking in
France during the mid-sixteenth century as the works of Dominicus Phinot attest*25 Burney's lament, upon his failure to find Du Caurroy's music comparable to that of Claude le Jeune as the former's reputation had led him to expect, is most revealing about still another perhaps more important aspech
2k See C. von Winterfield, Johannes Gabrieli und sein Zeitalter (Berlin: Schlesinger*schen Buch-und Musikhandlung, , Vol. 3, Canticas Sacras Numbers 1-5, pp* 1-18; ffAlle luia,” p. 7 3 ; motet Salvator Noster, p. 127; and Ego Sum Tui, p. 139• Choirs of either four or five voices are used both in isolation and as antiphonal bodies. When the choirs unite for climaxes, however, each part remains 11real . 11 That is, the two choirs do not double each other and thus form only one real choir, the procedure which became traditional in the French school*
25
Hugo Leichtentritt,
ojd.
cit., pp* 380-81*
30 I have scored one of his canons which is given as a miraculous effort of genius and said to be in six parts, though three of them are mere remplissage, that have nothing to do with the subject, and ± find it miserable . 26 It cannot be assumed that Du Caurroy would have U3ed the word remplissage,27 but the fact that the music contained such a part at this early date is extremely important. fortunately,
Un
the canon whereof Burney speaks cannot be iden
tified, and, necessarily, the date is unknown, but, since the composer died in 1 6 0 9 * it represents one of the earliest, if not the earliest, such concepts in the history of comparable music. Upon the death of Du Caurroy in 1 6 0 9 , Nicolas Form^ ( 1 5 6 7 - 1 6 3 8 ) occupied the position of master of music.
It is
to him that the credit is usually given for first having pre sented in France (c. l6l0) the model of the motet with con trasting choirs,28 one of which consisted of soloists, the
26 Charles Burney, A General History of Music (New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., 1933)> P* 230• Burney also describes Du Caurroy*s No£l, in Renais sance motet form, as ,fdry and destitute of ideas •,f pp. 2 3 1 32.
27 Parts of little or no contrapuntal or thematic interest used to f,filln or complete the harmony and sonority. The orchestral remplissage became considerably important at a later date. 28 see the following: (1) Bernard Champigneulle, o p . c i t ., pp. 87 and 333; (2) Henry Prunieres, loc. cit.; T 3) Jules Combarieu, Histoire de la Musique des Origines au debut du XXe Si^cle (Paris: ColTnT 19^k / 3 Vols•), Vol. TT, p • 24BT and Am£d£e Gastoue, nLe Motet,” o£• cit., p. 30^2#
31 other, a real "chorus,” of numerous voices*29
The major
stylistic factors inherent therein are the contrast attained through dialogue between the two juxtaposed sonorities and the majestic ensemble of both choirs at climactic portions .3 0 Although the sources given in footnote twenty-nine clearly indicate the distinctions between "Grand” and "Petit” choirs, the practice was not confined nor can its origin be attributed either to the French school or to Form^ in parti cular. Am^d^e Gastoue cites Victoria1s religious music for two or three choirs which were opposed to a quartet of solo voices— a direct parallel to the double choir usage o f the French school.
He also indicates somewhat comparable examples,
giving Praetorius
as his source, of contrasts attained by
Lassus through the alternation of two choirs, one of which was a cappella and the other accompanied by instruments.
The
choirs were not in different locations as was customary in the Venetian practice.31 Another somewhat later but similar application of
29 Gastoue, loc. cit., and Prunieres, loc. cit., and Henri Quittard, "Henry Du M o n t ,” La Tribune de Saint-Gervais, 6:182-87, June, 1905. 30 Hugo Leichtentritt draws an analogy to the concerto grosso style, o£. cit., pp. 3 8 2 and 4-3 0 . 31
Gastoue, ojd. cit., pp. 3015-4-5*
double choirs is found in the Psalms of Schiitz*32
it is
notable that he recommended for performance both the regular choir for volume and splendor (called capelle) and another choir called cori favoriti (soloists)* Returning to the French scene and FormC, we find that only three of his compositions are extant,33 and, of those available, only one is a motet*
From these, however, it is
possible to make certain reasonably accurate deductions* The style is hybrid* tical block harmony*
Polyphony alternates with ver
When the choirs unite, they usually
become one real choir of from four to six parts, five and six being the most frequent,
rather than two choirs of four
voices each or eight real voices*
Meter changes are some
what frequent but usually coincide with major divisions or principal cadences of the composition.34
The score contains
•3^ fsalmen Davids sampt etlichem Moteten und Concerten, mit acht und mehr Stimmen • . • with basso continuo for organ, lute, and chitarone. Dresden, l6l9* See Andre Pirro, Schiitz (Paris: Librairie Felix Alcan, 1924 )* PP* 171-73* 33 a Magnificat for four voices, a M ass, and a motet, Ecce pulchra e s , arnica mea* Michel Brenet, f,Deux Comptes de la Chapelle Musique des Rois de France , 11 Sammelbande der Internationalen Musikf esellschaft, 1904-5/ PP* 23-^4* quotes Sauval, His Voire et echerches des Antiquites de Paris, Vol. I, p. 326, and main tains that the works of Forme eventually fell into the hands of Veillot, !!qui en fit son profit*ff Thus, so few works by Formd are extant*
34 Gastoue, o£. c i t *, p* 3042, cites an example from Formd which has seven meter changes within seventeen bars* This is the exception, not the rule.
no orchestra, basso-continuo, or ornament indications.
How
ever, that does not necessarily negate their possible use. Historians generally describe a stylistic difference between the "Petit choir™ of soloists and the "Grand choir, "35 but in the examples of Forme the technical demands of both choral groups are quite parallel. Example 2, an excerpt from Formers Mass, illustrates his general style. Finally, it should be noted that the "Grand choirs" of the Agnus Dei (from the Mass) and of Ecce tu pulchra es arnica mea (the motet)
are written for five real
v o i c e s ,
36 a prac
tice which remained conventional with later motet composers as the music Appendices to this study amply illustrate. Michel Brenet, in a general sense, aptly characterizes 35
L o c . cit.
36 It is not to be ass'umed that Forme invented the five voice choir. Consider the following statement by Eugene Borrel: "On attribue parfois & Formd' l 1invention de choeur h 5 voix, ce qui est inexact, puisque les deux seules h qui restent de lui sont a if. voix. £lj Mais je vous signale que Moulinie use du choeur & 5 voix (2 Sop., Alto, Tenor et Basse) avec basse continue et sans orchestre: et Jean de Bournonville en 1612, ecrive du Magnificat a 5 voix et des Messes a 5 et 6 voix, sans orchestre .11 Taken from a personal letter to the writer, June 19> 1949* More than ample evidence of the frequent occurrence of five voice choirs in sixteenth century motets can be seen by examination of Attaingnant1s third volmie. Thirteen of the twenty-one motets are written for five voice choir. See A. Smijers, editor, Treize Livres de Motets parus chez Pierre Attaingnant en 153"4 ©t 1535 CParTs! Editions He I 1Oisean Lyre, 1934)» Book IIlT If7 pages.
E*omplo
Petit
R>r m i %Ettorpt front /HiSSO
Is
Choir m
ft i*~€arvna-tus c&t
5pi - - **•- t u
-4*4--h-r^-
in-cor* n a t u s
nti-ius
ft in-Car- no- tut
P«tit
«st
tie. spi - - - r» ~ t u
3ftftC
he
Choir
Exi ta
ta
ff
- moi
o
the music of Forme a s : ♦ . * des monuments interessants d*une periode transitoire et un peu effac€e de notre histoire art is tique, — p&riode intermediaire entre celle du contrepoint vocal, et celle de la basse continue*3^ Thus, the multiple choir concept by Forme needed but the addition of the orchestra to become the fully matured motet as it flourished and prospered for nearly two centuries in the history of French music*
So vast were the changes
wrought by him that the generation of composers who outlived him by five to fifteen years contributed relatively little to the advancement of the "Grand M o t e t ."38
jn general,
they
helped foster and popularize the form but added nothing beyond the scope of variance in personal taste--an element fortunate ly present in any generation of composers* This period of transition, as represented by Forme", continued through to the middle of the century before inno vations worthy of the name became evident* Perhaps Bouzignac was the most original of the group*39
37 Michel Brenet, "Deux Comptes de la Chapelle-Musique des Rois de France," o£. cit♦, p. 25* Italics have been added by this writer* ^ G. Bouzignac (late l 6th century— c* 1650); Anthoine Bo&sset (l587-l61|.3); Eustache Picot (1574--l65l) I Auxcousteaux (fl* 1650); Jean de Bournonville (late loth century— 1658); and even Louis XIII (1601-164-3) • 39 See Combarieu, op. cit*, p. 24-7* and Henry Quittard, "Un Musicien Oublie du XVTle Si&cle Fra ^ a i s : G. Bouzignac," 0£. c i t*, p. 3 6 2 . Both quote Mersenne #10 ranked Bouzignac with BoSsset and Fremart*
36 His motets,
varying from three to seven voices and void of
indications for continuo,40 alternate between the polyphonic and the vertical style,4l and they include music ranging from solos to double choirs* By preference, he emphasized melody^-2 (possibly the result of the vogue for the nair de cour”), but, quite anti thetically, at times he showed a marked leaning toward the dramatic style of the Histoires Sacrees of Carissimi with whom he had studied*43 Leichtentritt summarizes thusly: His motets are neither church pieces in the a cappella style of the sixteenth century, nor have they the least in common with the accompanied monodic style of the seven teenth century. His writing is between both styles. He knows neither general bassq-5 nor instrumental accompani ment, but his choral compositions have in addition to contrapuntal elegance a songlike quality, a perfection of form which reminds one greatly of arias with ritournelles, and finally a dramatic animation much as in opera. He is fond of juxtaposing voices in dialogue— like question and answer— and chooses his texts deliberately so as to apply such dialogue* A resemblance to the *concerto da chiesa* in such compositions cannot be d e n i e d * ^
k-0
Combarieu, loc. cit.
h-l Henri Quittard, September, 19^4 * P* 2?6*
Cf. post, footnote 6 3 *
’’Henry du Mont,” o£. cit., August-
^ Henri Quittard, ”U n Musician Oublie du XVIIe Siecle Franyais: G-. Bouzignac,” o£. cit., pp. 370, 377-76* 4-3 Ibid., p. 356; Bernard Champigneulle, L !Age Classique de i S Musique Prangaise (Paris: Editions Montaigne, 19^1-6) » P • "U8 ; Henri Quittard, "Henry du Mont,” o£. cit., October, 190q., p. 3 0 8 and November, 190if, p. 337• kk
Cf. post., footnote 6 3 *
k5 Leichtentritt, o£. cit., p. 381+* the present writer*
Translation by
The motets of Antoine BoSsset possess characteristics v/orthy of note*
He frequently used a fragment of Gregorian
for a cantus, and, seemingly antithetical to this traditional tendency, at times broke the fetters of modality in behalf of a more tonal structure somewhat comparable to the technique Du
Mont later developed in his "plain-chant musical*" In his motets are found the first written use of orna
ments which, quite naturally, were borrowed from the secular style*46
The degree of complexity these "agrements" acquir
ed in sacred music later in the century is amply illustrated by the footnoted realization of the ornaments contained in two of Lalandefs "Grand Motets" in Appendix A* Bo8sset*s use of the basso-continuo will be discussed in the next section of this chapter* As for Picot,47 Auxcousteaux,48 and Bournonville,49 all of whom flourished in this same period, practically
46 Michel Brenet, "La Musique Sacr^e sous Louis XIV," op * c i t*, February-March, l899> PP« 35-36, discusses the pre ceding factors* 47 Michel Brenet, "Deux Comptes de la Chapelle-Musique des Rois de France," o£* cit*, pp* 25-279 gives the biograph ical details* Leichtentritt, ojd. cit*, p. 3 82, although asserting that his music was per?ormed as late as the French revolution, states that it is not extant. 48 p* 70*
See Charles Burney, ££. cit*, p* 464*
49 Quittard,"Henry du Mont," o£. cit., February, 1903* Cf* ante, footnote 36.
38 nothing is known of their sacred music*
Prom literary evi
dence largely, it is assumed that they wrote in a style and idiom comparable to that of Nicolas Forme for whom Louis XIV expressed a preference even as a child *50 Development of instrumental accompaniment to the “Grand Motet * 11
The use of various instruments in conjunc
tion with voices in church music was no novelty but rather a tradition of the polyphonic style* school, Carissimi,
Gabrieli’s Venetian
and Lassus at the chapel in Munich frequent
ly employed diverse instruments,51 and Gabrieli,
as early as
his Sacrae Symphoniae of 1597 * actually scored some instru mental parts that were independent from the vocal l i n e s * ^ In countries other than Prance, the Italian school, and most particularly the group which met in the palace of Count Bardi at Florence shortly before 1600 (the poet Ottavio Rinuccini and the musicians Vincenzo Galilei, Giulio Caccini, and Jacopo Peri) is generally credited as being the first to employ and popularize both the basso continuo and the new
50
Brenet, l o c . cit*
^ See Quittard, “Henry Dumont," o£. cit*, January, 1903, p* 25; Gastouee, “Le Motet," o£. cit*, p* 30l|_l5 and Charles Malherbe, “Commentaire BiblTographique, “ Vol. I±, p* xvi, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Oeuvres Completes, edited by SaintSaSns (Paris: A. Durand et Fils, 1 8 9 b )• 52 Frederic Dorian, The History of Music in Performance (New York: W.W. Norton and Co., Inc•, 1 952 )9 PP» 55-65•
\
39 monodic style of singing as exemplified in Peri!s Euridice or Cavalieri*s Reppresentazione, both published in l600. However, some doubt exists as to the exact date the bas 3 o continuo was first employed.
It is quite possible that
either Banchieri (l567(?)-l6 3^) and/or Viadana (l562p-l627) might have preceded the camerata in its application.
Willi
Apel cites two additional instances which apparently were prior to all the aforementioned: a motet by A. Striggio (1587) and Giovanni Croce!s Motetti of 159 In Spain, it is probable that Victoria (c.l549-l6ll) introduced the basso continuo into church music,5b- but it was Juan Batista Comes de Valence (1 5 6 8 - 1 6 I43 ) who directed the evolution of ancient polyphony toward the new concertante style*55 In the Low Countries, the celebrated organist of Amster dam, Jan Pieters Sweelinck (1562-1621), published in 1619 vocal works with basso continuo,-?^ and in Germany, Schiitz 53 Willi Apel, "Thorough-Bass,tf Harvard Dictionary of Music (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 194-6), p p • 74-5-8T 54 P.T. Arnold, The Art _of Accompaniment from _a Thor ough-Bass (London: Oxford University Press, 1931 )* P* 236 has notably Indicated that the original concept of the basso con tinuo should possibly be assigned to Spain: f,The accompaniment of a meldoy with chords and Co u n t e r p o i n t s 1, played ex tempore over a plain bass, was mentioned by the Spaniard Diego Ortiz as early as 1553* 55 Norbert Dufourcq, editor, La Musique des Origines a Nos Jours (Paris: Librairie Larousse, 194-6), p. 2o5* 56 His Cantiones Sacrae appeared in l6l9 as did his Psalms of David~for eight voices and organ. Ibid., p. 206#
published in the same year a collection of Psalms for con tinuo and multiple choirs which were written in the Italian manner he had learned from Gabrieli.57 The evidence available indicates that the first pub lished continuo part for sacred choral compositions in Prance must be dated l6l6.58
The appearance in print of this work
strongly suggests that such a ^practice” was current at that time and that the origin and application of the principles certainly must have preceded by some years*
Unfortunately,
there is no basis other than conjecture for estimating the actual primacy of this technique. In 1619, Lambert de Cheval accompanied by means of the mysterious basse vide,59 and in 1620 Guillaume Landru per57
Andre Pirro, loc. cit*
58 Pierre Bonhomius, Missae VI, VIII, X, e_t XII , v o c . cum Basso Continuo ad Organum* Published by Pierre Phalese, l 6 l6 . Eleven years later (lb27) the same composer and publish er produced Harmonia Sacra ciuinis, senis, octonis, novenis et denis vocibusT Editio auctior et correctior ac Basso generaTi ad Organum illustrata * • • Antverpiae • • • Petri Phalesii • . . M.DC.XXVII. Champigneulle, o£. cit *, p. 91* cites the appearance in 1630 of Sacre concertus com basso ad organum b y Leonard de Hodimont. 59 The exact nature of the basse vide cannot be ascer tained. It is altogether possible that this "wide b a s s ” refers to a customary practice found in the air de cour. Pauline Alderman describes it as follows. "Striking, to the casual observer, is the frequent en trance of soprano and bass voices together, a device common in most of the airs of the time set in four and five parts. Quite naturally the question is asked, was this bass part really sung or was it a sort of continuo for the lute? Or was it in tended to be played by the gamba? There is no conclusive evi dence for either of these hypotheses . 11 See Alderman, op. cit., p. 1 6 6 .
formed a similar function with his lute.
Qlierefore, even if
the use of instrumental accompaniment was not the exclusive procedure with French composers, at least it was ”tres familier aux maltres des eglises
...
des les premieres ann 6 es
du XVIIe si§cle."60 Church records of the period often contain references to combinations of vocalists and instrumentalists, cite a specific example,
and, to
the cathedral at Rouen purchased
three violes for the use of choir boys in 1
6
2
7
However,
this is merely suggestive rather than conclusive evidence that the instruments actually participated in a realization of the continuo.
It is quite possible that they merely
doubled the vocal lines or were used only for special secu lar concerts. On the other hand, is it not likely that motets for ”G-rand Choir” might have been performed by one or two voices with instruments or organ supplying the missing voice parts?
^0 Henri Quittard, 1903, pp. 25-26. 6l
”Henry du Mont,” op. cit., January,
Ibid., March, 1903> P* 101. Such practices did not emanate through an esthetic desire for such. Rather was the use of instruments primarily developed because the organ was often awkwardly located in the tribune at a distance from the choir. If the church was for tunate enough to own a portative organ, it was often used. Even the clavecin was frequently employed, in Italy particular ly, in default of the organ or other instruments. In practice the violes were most often used.
Such was the practice with the ”air de cour.”
Therefore, it
is quite logical to assume the application of this popular technique to other music• According to Champigneulle, AntoineBoSsset might possibly be the originator, in Prance, of the solo motet with continuo.62
He, with his contemporaries and successors
(Bouzignac,&3 Pechon, Moulinie,64- Veillot, G-obert, and Du Mont), were responsible for the adoption and application of the new idiom to the ”Grand Motet*”65 Although the origins
of continuo accompaniment to
these motets may well remain shrouded in obscurity,
62
Champigneulle, o p . cit., p. 8 7 •
63
Cf. ante, pp. 11-12.
the de-
6^- Etienne Moulinie, the man intended here, was a singer. His brother, Antoine, however, was b y far the more famous of the two. 65 Quittard, ,fHenry du Mont,” op. cit., March, 1903, pp. 9 8 -IOO. The Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris possesses a series of manuscripts (Vm7 1171) written by Bouzignac (see footnote 6 3 ), Bo&sset, Pechon, Moulinie, Du Mont, and others. In the cases of all the afore-mentioned men, there are examples writ ten with continuo, but Quittard makes no mention of any addi tional instruments. Thus, the introduction of the continuo cannot be as cribed to Du Mont as have done the following: Michel Brenet, Concerts en France (Paris: Pischbacher, 1900), pp. 81-82; Eugene Borrel, L !Interpretation de la Musique Franqaise {Par is : Librairie Felix Alcan, l93ip) 9 P* lOij.; Michel Brenet, ”La Musique Sacree sous Louis XIV,” o£. cit., pp. 37-385 and Lionel de La Laurencie, ”Le Motet et la Cantata,” op. cit., p. 15H-7.
\
il-3
velopment and growth of an orchestral esthetic is somewhat better known. Certain composers fought the innovat i o n . 66
others,
less bound by the fetters of tradition, welcomed and experi mented with the new idiom and eventually effected its consum mation* Even as late as Veillot (c.l6o5-l662) no regular or chestra personnel was assigned to the Chapel,
and, since the
"vingt-quatre violons" and the "petite bande" were so heavily charged with court performances that they could be used for chapel duties only on special occasions, the development of orchestral participation in the motets was necessarily re tarded *&7 The introduction of the orchestra into the "Grand Motet" was effected neither by Lully (1632-1687) nor by Du Mont (l6l0-l68i|.) as some sources indicate*
Rather was it
an innovation, at a considerably earlier date, made by Jean Veillot (c*l6o5-l662), the king*s Chapel
Master from 161±3
6 6 Auxcousteaux in particular. See Norbert Dufourcq, loc. cit., and Quittard, "Henry du Mont," January-February, ! W 2 , l £ . cit., p. 18 .
67
Ibid., September, 1905>>*P* 277*
until his death.^8
The principal function of the orchestra
was simply to double the vocal parts and thus reinforce the sonority.
The dramatic orchestra did not materialize until
a considerably later date. The actual dates of Veillot1s motets cannot be ascer tained.
However, La Laurencie quotes the Muse Historique
of Loret which indicated the frequent appearance in Paris of "profane instruments” in the religious ceremonies in 1650.^9 Prom this it is reasonable to conclude that Veillot1s works, 70 in all probability, were performed with instrumental accom-
88 Only two of his compositions are extant: 0 filii et filiae, and Sacris solemnis. The score to the former contains parts for two violins and continuo; the latter contains a full five part orchestra in the prelude, ritournelles, and in the vocal ensembles. The "Petite choir” is always accompanied by continuo alone. Jules Combarieu, op. cit., Vol. I, p. 2^9 • See also Quittard, "Henry du Mont',” op. cit., June, 1905, P. 187. 69 Lionel de La Laurencie, "Notes sur la Jeunesse d fAndre Campra.” Sammelbande der Internationalen Musikgesellschaft, I 9 0 B-O 95 pp. 239-^0. Quittard, "Henry du Mont,” ojd . cit., January, 1903* cites the Masses by Jean Dromal. Quite astonishingly, they "admettent en outre in addition to the continuo les instruments concertant avec les voix.” 1 However, in a kcontinuation of €tie same article, March, 1903, p. 9 8 , he states that most of the music performed in churches about l 8 i|_0 was in the l6 th century polyphonic style.
70 Consider the evidence that Veillot’s motets were possibly "re-worked” versions of P o m e ’s lost manuscripts. C f . ante, footnote 33* Brenet, "La Musique Sacree sous Louis XlV,>r op. cit., p. 3 8 , elaborates on this.
paniment.71 During the preceding development, three men (JeanBaptiste Lully, 1632-1687; Pierre Robert, l6l8-l6995 and Henry Du Mont, l6lO-l681{-) began their rise to fame, and, be fore their lives were completed, they effected, in the "Grand Motet," the consolidation of those formal and stylistic ele ments which attained their consummation in the compositions of Lalande and his contemporaries# The history of Lully, from the moment he took his place in the court until his death, is, in general, the history of music in Prance.
The least known of his wsrks, however, are
his sacred compositions: eleven "Grand Motets" and ten motets for three voices and continuo.72 Felix Raugel, in the Introduction to Pruniere!s edition of the "Grand Motets” of Lully, states that Lully wrote his
71 La Laurencie, ojd. cit., p. 2 I4-O, admits such per formances at an early date, but quest ions whether they took place at Notre-Dame in particular. For Notre-Dame, he believes 1 680 a more likely date. Similarly, Fetis, "Henri Dumont," ££• cit., p. in dicates that prior to lo 70 the music at the king 1s chapel was for voices and continuo, not orchestra. 72 Motets a deux Choeurs pour la Chapelle du Roy mis en Musique par M. Tean-Baptiste de Lully 1 • •, X6 BZ£. This contained six "Grand Motets.” Brossard, in his catalog, list ed five additional and ten motets for three solo voices and continuo. Quittard, "Henry du Mont," ojd* cit., October-November, 1 9 0 5 * P* 3 3 6 , notes that some of tEe latter motets are possibly by Lallouette (1651-1728). The Prunieres edition of Lully!s works contains five "Grand Motets" in two volumes.
\
46 first sacred compositions about l660.
Only two of his
”Grand Motets” can be dated with certainty: Plaude l aetare, Gallia, composed for the baptism of the Dauphin in 1668, and the Te Deum which was composed in 1677* was written before l661{-; a
A third, Miserere,
fourth, De Profundis, was perform
ed in 1 6 8 3 , but this is not necessarily the tion*
date of composi
A fifth, Dies Irae,
cannot be dated.
Thus, these motets,
dating from 1 6 6 0 until
ab least
1677* provide the chronological link between those by Veillot (d.l662) and those written by Du Mont and Robert between the years 1 6 7 8 and 1 6 8 If*73 Lully, in continuation of the style
of Veillot, con
stantly doubled the choir parts in the orchestra.
Only
rarely did he timidly allow the violins to embroider a vocal line in heterophonic style.
There was no indication of the
free orchestral counterpoint which was later employed by Du Mont and -which became customary with Lalande.
Such counter
points were not only foreign to the vertical, note-againstnote concept of Lully but also directly antithetical to his 73 Lully’s ”Grand Motets” cannot be ‘indicated as the first which added orchestra. This has been proven by the pre ceding. However, a musicologist as recent as Michel Brenet has made this error in ”La Musique Sacree sous Louis XIV,” o p . cit., March-April, 1900. Tribute is due Lully for having introduced the operatic orchestra into the motets (flutes, oboes, trumpets, and kettledrums) • Willi Apel is in gross error when he states that ”Lullvfs motets are still a-cappella for double chorus,” o£. cit., p. I|_6 l •
favored "style d*air."
Occasionally in a "symphonie" he
employed a quasi-contrapuntal style, but strict entries, answers, and orders were not adhered to* Another of his approaches to counterpoint was the concertante style !!recits,ft and '’duos 11 wherein the instru ments dialogued with the voices in s imple imitation.
A
comparable technique was sometimes employed between the choir and a soloist or between two choirs*
In either case,
the writing was largely vertical, and the imitation consisted of juxtaposition and alternation, based upon the melody, or fragments from it that appeared in the highest voices•74In the recitative, metrical changes were omnipresent inasmuch as Lully placed full emphasis upon the declamation. In such Instances, no thought was tendered to the melody proper 9 and musical elements were completely subordinated to the prosody.
The basso-continuo constituted the customary
accompaniment. Perhaps Lully*s most important contribution to this form was the pompous grandeur with which he endowed it.
7^4- The most contrapuntal of Lully* s "Grand Motets" is the Miserere (l662f), the earliest such composition by him. The others, later chronologically, are extremely vertical and harmonic• Similarly, this Miserere is the most chromatic of these works. Some of the dissonances are quite surprising in view of his later diatonic and consonant style.
These motets, written for double choirs (eight or ten voices) and five part string orchestra (augmented by flutes, oboes, bassoons, trumpets, and kettledrums) required a vast perform ing personnel which was in seeming accord with the sumptuous splendor of the court of the "Roi soleil."
The lavish abun
dance and diversity of court life compared favorably with this newly-enlarged form, the "Grand Motet," which, in reality, had become a cantata with Latin words*75 In 1663 Du Mont and Robert assumed positions as Chapel Masters to the king*7&
At this time the music personnel
assigned to the chapel was still quite small, 77 and the occa sions demanding the use of the majestic ensembles of the "Grand Motet" were relatively infrequent *78 It was not until approximately 1 6 7 8 that the "royal 75 Lully!s Te Deum comprises 1 6 8 pages, and performing groups either change or alternate ninety-six times* The Miserere is 75 pages, and thirty changes or alternations are required• The extension of the form into a group of varied move ments is apparent* Lully took the text verse by verse and presented it in a series of varied compositions* 78 Actually, there were four men: Du Mont, Robert, Gobert, and Expilly* The early retirement of the latter two, in 1 6 6 8 , made their contributions in this era negligible* 77 ". . . en dehors des enfants, vingt-quatre chanteurs, hautes-contre, tallies et basses, dont la moiti§ seulement sont en service simultanement et a qui se joignent vraisemblablement quelques-uns des huit chapelains et des quatre clercs de Chapelle." Quittard, "Henry du Mont," op* cit., May-June, 1902, p* 1 7 0 . 78 Motets for one, two, or three voices were customar ily used during the Mass*
will" quite abruptly expressed interest in hearing many of these pompous and imposing w o rks.79
Although there are
many legends concerning the resistance the monarch met from both Robert and Du Mont, particularly the latter,$0 regard ing the constant use of orchestra in their motets, both men, according to the evidence their manuscripts bear, acceded to the royal request .8 1 Robert timidly approached the new task by the simple application of string instruments which doubled the vocal lines, and occasionally attempted a feeble ritournelle. In at least three of his ’’Grand 79 Henri Quittard, tember, 1905 > pp* 277-78*
Motets,
the performing
flHenry du Mont,” o£. cit., Sep
80 For the various aspects of this legend, see the following: A Dirven, ’’Henri Dumont,” Courrier de St.-Grdgoire, I 8 9 1 , p. 5> Brenet, nLa Musique Sacr^e sous Louis XIV," op. cit,, April, 1899, pp. 75-76. Quittard, tfHenry du Mont,” o j d . cit., August-September, 1 9 0 2 , pp. 2 6 3 - 6 7 , produces very detailed evidence to refute the legend which he attributed to the ever fertile imagina tion of Fetis.
Du Mont composed twenty ’’Grand Motets,” and Robert composed twenty-four. 82 h. Lavoix, His toire de 1* Instrumental; ion depuis le Seizieme Si^cle jusqu*a Nos Jours (Paris: Librairie de FirmTnDidot et Cie., 1U7&), p. 220. The instrumental idiom was apparently quite unfamiliar to Robert since he gave his scores to Lully for checking and revision. Brenet,”La Musique Sacree sous Louis XIV,” o p . cit., April, 1 8 9 9 , p. 75* 83 Bonum est confiteri, Quare fremuerunt gentes, and De Profundis• Unfortunately, this music is available only in part books instead of scores. Thus, analysis is extremely difficult and esthetic interpretation almost impossible.
personnel required was as follows: four voice choir (Soprano, Alto, Baritone, and Bass), various soloists from each of the voices named, duets,
trios, quartets, and quintets.
The or
chestra comprised two violins, haute-contre, taille, quinte, basse, and continuo# Although the music is void of ornament indications, the absence of such does not necessarily mean that the various agrements were not utilized in performance#
Reference to
Appendix B will amply illustrate the absence of such indica tions on scores of considerably later date.
The motets of
Lalande, printed with no concern for expense,
contain the
ornaments.
However, few composers were fortunate enough to
have their music published with complete disregard for lavish expenditure of time and money,
and, therefore, the ornament
indications are frequently partially or entirely absent from scores of this period. In this music, the multiple metrical changes, such as those constantly employed b y Lully in complete subservience to prosody, do not
exist.
New meter signatures occur only
8^4Because of the confusion resulting from the names of these various orchestral parts, the originals have been re tained. In general, the lfhaute-contreff and the ’’taille” could be played on either violin or viola.The ’’quinte” is usually written in Alto clef, and its range corresponds to that of the viola. The ’’basse” should not be mistaken for our double-bass. It corresponded to our violon-cello. These names refer simply to "parts" and have no definite significance regarding the instruments which play them.
51 at appropriate major divisions of the works.
This is the
style that Lalande adopted, to the complete negation of the Lullian concept,
even in Recits.85
The numerous major divisions and combinations of vocal and orchestral personnel make it evident that Motets" had become,
as in the case of
Robert’s "Grand
Lully, Latin cantatas.
Thus it is that Leichtentritt considers the form after Du Mont.86 With the appearance of the "Grand Motets" of Henry Du M o n t , 87 the form attained those distinctive characteristics
that constituted the fundament of the genre until the end of the eighteenth c e n t u r y .6 8 The principal instrumental parts, not the "remplissage," customarily received one of two treatments:
(1 ) they
doubled the voice parts, or (2 ) occasionally they executed
85 The word "Recit" should not be confused with the abbreviation commonly used for "Recitative." The former is more properly used in the meaning of "solo"; the latter has connotations regarding a specific, declamatory kind of solo. 86
Leichtentritt, op. cit., p. 387* Du Mont died injT 6 8 i|.; Robert lived until 1699*
87 Motets pour la Chapelle du R o y , for double choirs of five voices accompanied by four or five instrumental parts, were published in 1 6 0 I4.* 88 Dufourcq, ojd. cit., p. 206; Jules Combarieu, o p . cit., Vol. II, p. 2q95 Quittard, "Henry du Mont," oj d . cit., November-December, 1901, pp. 299-300 and October-NovemBer, 1905, P» 3k-7; and Andr£ Tessier, "La Carri^re Versaillaise de Lalande," Revue de Musicologie, February, 1928, p. 139«
independent counterpoints•^9
Quittard characterized the
former technique, the one that had been frequently employed heretofore in similar works by Veillot and Lully,
as ” . . .
le dernier souvenir de la doublure instrumentale des chanteurs, ordinaire au temps de la polyphonie classique . tf90 The latter treatment of the orchestra was novel in its application to the accompaniment of the choir.
The first
violins doubled the soprano line while the second violins per formed a counterpoint above the register of the former.91 In some instances, this counterpoint, as in the case of Lully, was little more than heterophony revolving about the Alto or Tenor voice, but, in the violins,
it was performed an octave
higher.92 89 None of Du M o n t 1s "Grand Motets” indicate any in struments other than strings. In his former motets for one, two, or three performers, Du Mont always carefully indicated the orchestra parts f,si I 1on veut.” No such option is sug gested in the scores for the "Grand Motets.” 90 Quittard, "Henry du Mont,” 0£. cit., OctoberNovember, 1 9 0 pp. 3^5-46• This should not be construed to indicate that Du Mont was the last to utilize this technique. Reference to the Ap pendices will amply illustrate the employment of such devices at much later dates. 9^ Quite in accordance with the concept that the first violins are usually more active than the seconds, the counter point eventually passed to the former, and the vocal doubling was assumed by the latter. 92 Quittard, "Henry du Mont,” o£. cit., OctoberNovember, 1905, p. 3^6* describes it as ” • . • la regie com mune des transpositions imposees par la nature et l fetendue de s ins trume nt s .” Violes were employed to play the inner parts of remplissage. To the violins f e l l the lot of passages of contrapuntal importance. Thus, since the violins could not perform in the Alto and Tenor ranges, they were transposed an octave higher.
In the orchestral Preludes, Du Mont often exposed the thematic material, or fragments from it, of the solo or cho rus which followed*
The style, not particularly typical of
string instruments, recalls the freely imitative polyphony of the clavecinists of the same e r a *93 It is to Du Mont that credit is due for the reconcil iation of polyphony and the new ”harmonic” school in Prance* In his youth he received his training from the masters of Liege who had inherited the polyphonic tradition from Lassus* Upon his arrival in Paris, Du Mont absorbed and incorporated the elements of the "harmonic” style into his polyphony and thus closely approximated the composite technique of tonal counterpoint*
This technique persisted throughout his life
and eventually became the heritage of Lalande for whom it formed the stylistic basis in his ”G-rand Motets*” Du M o n t fs thematic material contained, germ, the essence of what he had to say.
at least in
Neither did he en
gage in excessive vocalises, nor did he indulge in powerful dramatics*
However, it cannot be said that elements of
either technique were lacking* His "Grand Motets” combined numerous, seeminglyindependent episodes or movements which were moderate in
93 d u Mont, himself, was considered a fine organist. In his Meslanges of l6f?7 he had carefully noted that the orchestra preludes could be performed by organ if desired*
\
5k technical demands and temperate in concept— rarely the ex tremes.
Nevertheless, he attained the maximum of freedom
and variety, in both style and forms, within the confines of a single large work. Du Mont constantly employed the !,first movement form*1 that became typical of the "Grand Motet11: the orchestral prelude, frequently based upon the first vocal theme, was succeeded by a vocal solo, and, in turn, by a magnificent apotheosis of the same thematic material treated
9k
Norbert Dufourcq, ojd. cit., pp. 205-6. For evidence of occasional digressions into the realm of chromatic harmony, see the reprint of his motet, Vul nerasti, for Soprano, Tenor, and continuo. La Tribune de Saint-Gervais, June, 1903, pp. 219-23.
chorally.95
This technique, as well as the additional char
95 Quittard, in his exhaustive study of the life and music of Du Mont, has given the following summary of the "Grand Motet 11 as it was treated bythis distinguished predeces sor of Lalande. "First an instrumental prelude for five violins, some times for four, generally rather short, but always expressive and in grand style. footnote: These preludes comprise at least twenty measures. Still more important, many reproduce exactly the form of the allemande with two reprises. Some have no instrumental prelude: the sixth, Domine in Virtu te T u a ; the eleventh, Exultat Animus; the thirteenthT" Magnif Teat 7J There is a vis ible effort to appropriate this sym phonic introduction to the general sentiment of the piece, in order to make it more than an harmonious ensemble without precise significance. {Footnote: We have seen that the theme of the first recit is sometimes outlined or prepared in the symphony"^ Upon the last chord, the first episode begins, most frequently an almost dramatic recit for solo voice. The solo is more or less developed, sometimes serving only to expose a theme taken up by two, three or four-voice petit choir of soloists in the figured style of the Meslanges. The basso continuo suffices for accompaniment to this group. Without stopping at the conclusion, the "Grand Choir," always supported by instruments, enters. It continues for some time (ordinarily interrupted b y short answers from the diverse soloists), and sometimes leads to an important cadence on the dominant which is followed by other independent phrases taken by one or more singers of the petit choir and preceded by ritournelles for two violins with or without concertante-style answers. In this case, a general reprise of both choirs and orchestra on another theme leads to the final cadence which is followed by a more or less extended repose. There are generally two or three equivalent episodes arranged on a plan analogous to this. [Footnote: The order of the ordinary combinations is almost always such that two analogous pieces are never successive. If the first episode ends by a "Grand Choir," the second will always begin by some passages taken by soloists and inversely7J When there are three, the second will sometimes consist of only a single piece for pe tit choir: duet, trio, or even solo without the intervening chorus. (Jootnote: Du Mont sometimes employs a unique vocal arrangement. He gives a fairly long melody to two soloists in unison. For example in his eighth motet, Super Flumina, the soprano and the tenor are so united for
acteristics summarized heretofore, are fully apparent in Du M o n t !s Confitebimur, Benedictus, and Benedic Anima M e a .96 Thus, with the passing of Du Mont (d. l 6 8 ij.) and Lully (d. 1687 )f the chapel composers of Lalandefs era received a double stylistic heritage: the contrapuntal and the harmonic*97 Under an extended concept of form, these coexisted in the ”Grand Motet” as it flourished throughout the high baroque.
twenty-three measures# But for the absence of every indica tion, one would believe that this was only a variant, an op tion, the solo being performed accordingly by either one or the other singer# Let us not forget that these works have been published only in separate part books. In this case, the instruments assume a slightly more important role: a ritournelle by violins will be employed for the conclusion. Each episode contains at least a hundred measures,irrevocably united despite the diversity of the forms. The entire motet is represented by 2%0 or 300 measures with a duration of ap proximately twenty minutes, as nearly as one can judge without exact transcription of the movements.” (Translated by the present writer.) 96 These three works are located at the Conservatory library in Paris. 97 The latter works of both men were contemporary with the foremost by Lalande. The "Grand Motets” of Du Mont were composed between 1678 and l 68ip. The Te Deum of Lully was composed in 1677; the De Profundis was possTTbly not written until 1683 . At least one of Lalande 1s ,fGrand Motets” was written in l 6 8 l, and twenty-three fall between l6 8 l and 1 6 8 9 *
CHAPTER IV THE "GRAND MOTETS" OP LALANDE I. QUALITIVE EVALUATION OP LALANDE Although summaries always risk the dangers inherent in generalizations, it seems proper to present a qualitative over view of Lalande and his "Grand Motets" so that the reader may be oriented for the analytic minutiae which follow*
It is
the writer’s hope that the following survey will help clear the way for the details of analysis in succeeding chapters* LalandeTs prominence in French sacred music of the late baroque has long remained obscure* famous because he most
In general, he was
accurately represented in his music
the spirit of his time as exemplified in the resplendent court of Louis XIV:
he was for the church what Lully had been
for the stage* Having lived during that time in which polyphony and harmony joined forces, Lalande presents examples of both id ioms*
His frequent exploitation of one
at the expense of
the other, or his technique of simultaneously uniting propor tional elements of the two styles is typical of his era*
The
tools of his craft were common to all composers of his time* Therefore, his role was not that of an innovator, but rather was it largely restricted to stylistic and personalized re finements within the form of the "Grand Motet*"
His greatest genius lay in his capacity to express the religious sentiment of his era as exactly and with as much force and ardor as had the ancients in plainchant* Lalandefs gamut of sentiments, however, ranged from the grand iose, dignified, majestic, and pompous to the meditative, mystic, and sublime*
Whether simple or profound, he touched
the soul with the spirit of a prophet.
His sacredmusic was
so conceived that appropriate harmony, noble expression ren dering the true meaning of the biblical text unmistakable, voices, and instruments united to present the incomparable effect of religion as revealed in all its majesty through the idiom of music* Plowing melody,
true dramatic expression attained by
thorough acquaintance with and application of the natural timbres and capacities of instruments and voices, roundness and perfection of form, and simple but appropriate harmoniza tions make his music easy to comprehend aurally*
These fac
tors are nowhere more amply evidenced than in his beautiful aria, Adorate eum omnes Angeli E jus,1 undoubtedly the one single example which reveals most completely the level to which Lalande could rise in his moments of inspiration.
See l!Pominus Regnavit,,f A Motet by Michel-Richard de Lalande, edited by James E. Richards, pp* 50-55# (Unpublished research project, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1949)*
When he errs, it is usually evident in either too com plete exploitation of primary harmonies or "eternal fuguing," both of which may be attributed to the great bulk of composi tions which he was forced to produce.
However, at precisely
that moment wherein his music induces a degree of fatigue or boredom, he suddenly seems to abandon the rules of his art in a burst of enthusiasm and ascends into those sublime realms where the sagacity and finesse of his craft disclose the mysteries which remain hidden in works of purely mechanistic origin. His exploitation of various types of ninth chords and other extreme dissonances strongly evidence and support the theory of a continuous French gastronomic sense for spiced, sensual harmony that extends through to Ravel. The vivid orchestral counterpoints serve to throw into relief that necessarily abstract factor which, as a result of its very intangibility, neatly conveys the essence of the composer’s intent far in excess of normal descriptive powers. The creative imagination with which he endowed these counter points inexorably stamp the movements as grand apotheoses of an ideal that was to remain without parallel for a century. The gamut of his emotional expression may
be surveyed by
simple comparison of the choral Confundantur, majestic in its declamatory impact (II:pp. 3-8), and Et misericordia, sublime, mystic, and lyric (II:pp. 65-66).
In general, he presented great contrasts between move ments, but it is his perfection within each piece that catches the spirit of the auditor whether it te in a simple song, charming and pastoral, or in the most complex contrapunt al choral writing.
The exact and precise contrapuntal sub
jects differ greatly from the longer phrases of his recits which negate almost entirely the true recitative, but it is in the melodic scope of these recits that Lalande exhibits his fully versatile powers.
A seemingly infinite number of
styles and sentiments abound, and to choose single lyric (II: pp. 197-202), dancelike excerpts
(II:pp. 33-35) or intensely dramatic
(II:pp. 191-197) for illustrations serves only in
justice to the myriad shades of intensity he depicted between the extremes. In brief, Lalande was a man of his time, faithful to his heritage, and true to his era. originality within these limitations
Still, he possessed such that he rose to those
heights of artistic creation attainable only by the chosen few. For the hurried reader who would like to obtain quick reference to excerpts of Lalande!s music at its best, this writer has compiled the following list to serve as a guide to the Appendices which contain the "Grand Motets.” Simultaneous choirs: II:pp. 203-8 and 22ip— 9* Solo, trio, and choir: II: pp. 271-5*
6l Solo and choir: II: pp. 73-78. Choir: II: pp. 3-7, lil-19, 20-23, 65-71, 98-106, 115-120, 255-262, and 2 9 1 , 294. Solo and t r i o : II: pp. 56-57Trio:
II: pp. 2 8 9 -2 9 0 .
Duet:
II: pp. 11-13.
Solo:
II: pp. 8-10, 50-51, 6 3 -6 I4., 191-197, 197-202,
and
275-76. Considering each "Grand Motet" as a unit, the following two appear to be the most interesting and truly worthy of performance: Deus In Adjutorium (II:pp. 1-23) and Judica Me Deus
(II:pp. 121-172). II.
NOTES ON THE TRANSCRIPTIONS
General statement. matic alterations, clefs,
Except for the use of certain chro and English words, variables which
will be discussed at length throughout this chapter, eight of the "Grand Motets" have been transcribed with complete fidel ity to the original editions. One of the other two motets, Judica Me Deus, Volume II, page 1 2 1 , has been transcribed from a copy now in possession of the Concert Society of Versailles at Paris.
This score
contains the orchestral remplissage that is lacking on the original edition. The tenth motet, Deus Noster, Volume II, p. 173 9 also
62 contains parts of remplissage, but in this instance they have been added by this writer since the parts do not exist on the score proper. The sequence in which the first nine motets appear has been determined by the chronology of their dates of com position.
The date of the tenth motet, In Convertendo Do-
minus , cannot be ascertained.
The ones that can be dated
were composed between 1 6 9 1 and 17Oi^. Chromatic alterations.
Throughout the original scores,
"harmonic" sharps are employed instead of "naturals" ("B#" in the key of "F" major indicates "B ")•
In all instances,
modern notation has been adhered to, and, accordingly,
the
"sharps" appear as "naturals" in the transcriptions. Key signatures.
M M M M .
key signatures. temporary usage.
No alterations have been made in
In major,
they correspond exactly to con
In minor, however,
there is always one
less flat found in the signature than is customary in cur rent practice ("G-" minor has but one flat instead of two), and appropriate chromatic alterations are made in the body of the music. Since signature changes would have necessitated fre quent corresponding modifications in continuo figuration, the original notation has been retained in all instances.
Ornament interpretation.
In order to clarify the
principles given in Appendix B, Ornaments Found in the Motets . two transcriptions contain footnoted ornament interpretations which this writer considers "probable."
There is no single
"authentic" interpretation in most instances. Gontinuo interpretation.
The basso-continuo of the
two aforementioned motets has been "realized" to exemplify the correct stylistic interpretation.
This technique will
be discussed at length later in the chapter. Terms and words found on the scores. are those of the editor.
- All English words
This includes the names of both
instruments and vocalists that are enumerated on the left side of the score.
No such nomenclature exists on the originals.
It has been added to facilitate score reading.
All words
other than those in English appear on the scores from -which the transcriptions have been made. The most accurate criteria upon which the stylistic interpretation of this music can be based are the verbal di rections found on the original scores.
Of the twenty-three
different terms used to indicate mood or character,
only one
bears any connotations of "heaviness," pesament, and only one indicates "slow" movement, lentement.
Each of these words
appears but one time. All other terms used indicate and express a light,
sweet, and gay character quite contrary to the general style of most church music*^
"Legerement , 11 which occurs more fre
quently than any other single term, is found thirteen times, and, including combined terms
(two or more words)
involving
variants of "leger,” it appears twenty-eight times*
In
support of this general character, Lalande carefully indica ted "sans lenteur" on seven different occasions* Thus, the distinction between lfmusic for the church” and "liturgical music” becomes immediately apparent in the general mood of these "Grand Motets.”
The basis of this
distinction will be presented later during a discussion of esthetics and the secular influences of court life that pre vailed* Clefs.
Eight different clefs are employed in the
original notation:
”C ” clefs on the first, second, third,
and fourth lines; ”F ” clefs on the third and fourth lines; and ”G ” clefs on the first and second lines.
The last men
tioned are used for Soprano voices, violins, flutes, oboes,
^ The terms used, in order of frequency, are as follows Legerement, thirteen times; leger et gracieux, seven times; doucement, seven times; vivement, five times; l 6 g e r , five times gracieusement, five times; sans lenteur, three times; rondement sans lenteur, two times; gracieusement sans lenteur, two times; gracieuse et lourez, two times; and the following each one time: modd’r ^ ; v i f ; pes ament; viste; leger et anirn^; plus leger; tr&s gracieusement; legerement et gracieusement; douce ment et gracieusement; rondement et fi^rment; rondement; lentem e n t * A total of sixty-three indications.
65 ©t cetera.
In the transcriptions, these all appear in the
"G" clef on the second line. The "F" clef on the fourth line is employed for the bass parts of both the orchestra and the chorus.
However,
the distinction applicable to the "F" clef on the third line is not so clearly defined.
It is used only in the vocal
parts, and the range at times demands almost a tenor voice* At
other places the tessitura is quite low*
In general,
the part functions like a high bass or baritone, and the name "first bass" has been applied to it on the score* The tenor voice, appearing in tenor clef ("C" on the fourth line) on the original, has been renotated in the "G" clef on the second line: the customary practice in vocal music today.
Naturally, it sounds an octave lower than the
actual pitch indicated.
Similarly, the alto voice, original
ly in the alto clef ("C" on the third line), has been renotated In the "G" clef on the second line as is now habitual in choral music* Regarding the "C" clef on the first and second lines, consider the opinion of Eugene Borrel: • * * the "C" clef on the first line designates a second violin; but does the "C" clef on the second line designate a third violin or a viola? The "C" clef on the third line seems to designate a viola: but as it rarely descends below er it can be played by a violin.
Esc: But, in general, one considers that there are two violins and two violas because the ancients utilized the
quintes or tailles which correspond very closely to our violas *3 Since the contrapuntally important violin parts
are
always written in !,G fl clef or in ,fC ,f clef on the bottom line, and since the parts denoted by the ,,C ,t clefs on the second or third lines are frequently mere l!remplissage,fl it is this w r i t e r ’s opinion that the latter should be performed on violas.
However, since violists in such numbers are diffi
cult to obtain today, the first viola part has been notated as a third violin.
Thus, only one viola part remains on
the transcriptions, but the third violin part is functionally comparable to it.4 Me t e r .
The meter signatures found in this music de
note an overwhelming preference for ,f3 tf and n/ tf.
The former,
always the equivalent of 3 / 4 meter, occurs 35%> of the time, and the latter, comparable with f,alla breve" is found in l±0% of the signatures.
The remaining 25% include 3/2, 6/4* 2,
3 Taken from a personal letter to this writer, dated June 1, 1949* Translation by the present writer. Adam Carse reveals a parallel example regarding the music of Lully, and his conclusions are the same. The His tory of Orchestration (New York: E.P. Dutton and Company, 19£5)* p. 7T: 4 Alexander Cellier has followed a similar practice in his transcription of Lalandefs De Profundis (Paris: RouartLerolle aux Editions Salabert, T^4 4 ) ♦ In Einstein’s edition of a Suite for Orchestra, Lully, he has solved a similar problem of composing one ^composite” viola part based upon the notes of both first and second viola. (New York: Music Press, Inc., 194l)«
2/1}., and ,fG ,f•
The last two, quite surprisingly, occur but
one time each. Tempo,
Many volumes have been written concerning the
metronomic significance of meter signatures*
Ralph Kirk
patrick, in his study of metronomic indications, concludes that it is impossible to predict tempo by means of meter signatures*
Comparison of many charts on tempo reveals that
they differ quite markedly even for dance forms which were much more consistent than those employed in either opera or church m u s i c .5 His conclusion is expressed in the following quotation taken from Leopold Mozart* s Versuch elner grllndlichen Violinschule • • •:
’’Every melodic piece has at least one part,
from which one can be quite sure of reconizing the natural tempo of the piece. . • . ” 6
Thus, any interpretation of
tempo must be based upon the music proper with due considera tion for both text and general mood desired. Even tempo rubato is discussed in Pier Francesco Tosi’s Opinioni d e * cantori antichi
moderni which saw its first
edition in 1 7 2 3 Therefore, such had probably been the practice for some time prior, and it would be quite rash to 5 Ralph Kirkpatrick, ’’Eighteenth Century Metronomic Indications,” Papers Read by Members of the American Musicological Society at the Annual Meeting, December^ l^TBT Loc. cit, 7 Frederic Dorian, The History of Music in Performance (New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 194-2) > P« 1$C).
68 assign or even attempt to designate any specific metronomic indications as "authentic 11 for this music# Felix Raugel has systematized the terms found in Lul l y ’s scores and related them to current tempos# lie the most concrete suggestions possible. the
Therein
Reference to
preceding discussion of terms and words found on the
scores will illustrate the presence of most of the following: Grave or Lent was the equivalent of Largo♦ Modere was the equivalent of Adagio. Gracieusement was the equivalent of Adante♦ Gai was the equivalent of Allegro # Vif or Vite was the equivalent of Presto# Lejg&rement was between Gai and Vite♦ Gai sans vitesse was the equivalent of Allegro moderato♦ Moderement sans lenteur was the equivalent of Adagio non troppo#^ Rhythmic problems #
(1)
The hemiola#
Hemiola is
a term frequently found in fifteenth and sixteenth century treatises on mensural notation, and, in the Baroque era,
it
8 Felix Raugel, "Introduction" to Volume Three, Oeuvres Completes de J.-B. Lully (Paris: Editions de la Revue Musicale, 1^31), "p7 1.
69 was still a favorite rhythmic structure.9
In brief, the
hemiola is a method of syncopation in which one measure of 3 / 2 meter is substituted for a bar of 6 A[+/J-J-|J
J J}~].
The same device often occurs in 3/lj-, in which event three bars of 2/l± provide the alternate for two bars of the former
When this device is found in the music of Lalande, it Is employed in the measure just preceding the tonic cadence* Thus, occurring over the strong cadence-leading harmony,
it
serves to enhance the climactic portions of the phrases . 10 In two particular instances the notation is strange and somewhat enigmatic:
[x J J
the intention Is unmistakeable,
u
j j \JJJQ
H
However,
inasmuch as both occur preced
ing strong tonic cadences, and, in the second example, a series of hemiolas is employed in building up over the period of a
9 For a concise summary, see Willi Apel, f,Hemiola ,u Harvard Dictionary of Music (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1914.6 ), p. 3 2 9 T Manfred Bukofzer, in Music in the Baroque E r a , makes constant reference to this technique as used by various compo sers throughout the entire period, and Eugene Borrel, L *Interla Revolution f rotation de lsi Musique Franqaise de Lully Paris : FelTx Alcan, 1932|-Tj pT 33 9> further e lucid a tes t he issue. The hemiola cannot be restricted to music of this era. It was a favorite device of Brahms, and twentieth century composers employ It constantly. 10 See II: 182:22; II: 188:58; II: 189:6^; II: 190: 138; II: 228:2 ki and 11:229:29.
11
II:5^:56; 11:55: bars 7 I4., 76, and 7 8 .
70 considerable number of measures the final climax to an en tire movement.
The tempo,
therefore, should remain the same,
and each of the half notes should receive two beats. rhythmical result is as follows:
B xJJlJJjJJIJJJ]
The The m e a
sure in question becomes three bars of 2 /i|_ or two syncopated bars of 3 /^4-* Notes inegales.
As early as Caccini *s Nuove Musiche
there are examples extant in which notes of apparently equal value were performed
u n e v e n l y •
12
According to the evidence produced by Borrel,13 the issue afforded a subject of considerable controversy through out both the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and,
although the
problem has become even more confused with the
passing centuries, it is still impossible to accept Apel*s conclusion that the practice of notes ihegales was only a "passing mannerism" around 1 7 0 0 .1-kAlthough Borrel produces a maze of detailed evidence concerning this problem,13 even he found it impossible to 12 See Arnold Dolmetsch, The Interpretation of the Music of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries (London: Oxford University Press, 1924-6 edition), p. 71 • 13 Eugene Borrel, "Les Notes Inegales," Revue de Musicologie, February, 1931* Music
^ Willi Apel, "Dotted Notes," Harvard Dictionary of (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, l^ipb), pZ 21 (• 15
Borrel, l o c . cit.
summarize succinctly the results of his study. mentation, the individual taste,
As in orna
ability, and the type of
music were all factors to be considered,
and, therefore,
generalization is out of the question in most instances* Prom the data presented, this writer has noted that numerous sources agree on certain applications of the techni que, and, although the following conclusions make no pretense at either unquestionable authenticity or complete coverage, they at least provide a reasonable working basis which is both comprehensible and practical. (1)
Notes which do not move by step should be per
formed in equal values unless otherwise notated. (2)
Wherever notes of sufficiently small value to re
quire four to a beat are employed, alternate notes, beginning with the first one, should be sustained somewhat longer than the alternate notes starting with the second.
However, if
even smaller values occur consistently in the music, aforementioned notes
then the
(four to a beat) are performed equally,
and the notes of smaller value, occurring under the same cir cumstances as enumerated above, become unequal. (3)
In recitative, the rules of notes inegales do not
apply. Thus, in meters of 2/lf and 3/if, sixteenth notes that move by step might be performed as notes inegales. 2 , and
In 3/2,
eighth notes might be subjected to the unequal
division* Although the criteria for judgment are certainly far from lucid, it is altogether reasonable to assume that this music was, at least in part, subjected to the above manner isms in performance.
Whether they were always applied to
all this music, recitative excepted, is a question for con jecture which will probably remain an enigma to perplex all contemporary performers.
Personal taste applied with dis
cretion remains the only true basis for passing judgment. 1 & Dotted n o t e s .
Since the double-dotted note was
probably not employed until after the middle of the eigh teenth century,17 the single dotted note was often exagger ated into its equivalent.
As in the case of notes inegales,
the problems of when, where, and to what degree the exagger ation should be applied remain unsolved to this day.
Most
authorities agree that the dot after a note indicated merely a prolongation of undetermined value which was dependent upon the style, tempo, and type of music performed.
In
l 6 The best sources of information of the subject are as follows: Eugene Borrel, ,fLes Notes Inegales," ojd . c it .; Eugene Borrel, L fInterpretation de la Musique Franpaise (Paris Felix Alcan, 1934)* EugSne Borrel, Interpretation de L !Ancien R 6 citatif,n Revue de Musicologie, February, 1931; Arnold Dolmetsch, o£. c i t .; and Georg Muffat1s "Prefaces" to the first and second Florilegium which are published in Denkmfller der Tonkunst in Oesterreich. Auffuhrungspraxis Da? Musik by Robert Haas (Trom B&ckenfs Handbuch . . .J discusses the Muffat viewpoint on p. 2 0 7 * ^
Apel, loc. cit.
73 support or this conclusion, consider the specific examples in 1 1 :1 9 1 :1 1 - 1 2 where the dotted eighth is first followed by four
notes, then by five, six and seven notes* Henri Dupre states
that French, English,
and Italian
composers employed dotted eighth and sixteenth notes to ex press gaiety or violent e m o t i o n . H o w e v e r ,
after a study
of the French school in particular, Borrel concluded that the dotted rhythm was principally used to denote the majesty and power of a king, monarch, The problems posed
or Jupiter*3-9 by dotted notes in the ffG-rand Motetstf
of Lalande are found in the simultaneous appearance of ap parently incompatible rhythmic patterns.
Eighth, sixteenth,
or alternate dotted eight and sixteenth notes occur in one part at the same time that triplets are notated in another . 20 In the simultaneous occurrence of triplets and eighth notes,
it is most probable that the eighth notes should be
altered as follows: n
becomes
J J1
•
When alternate dotted
eighth and sixteenth notes appear with triplets, it is likely Henri Dupr£, Purcell, translated from French by Catherine Alison Phillips and Agnes Bedford (Hew York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc., 1928), p. 113* -*-9 Eugene Borrel, L 1Interpret at ion de 1 a Mus ique Frangaise, o p . cit., pp. 5 0 - 5 1 * 20 see the following: 11:251:22 and 3 9 1 II:ll|lj-:2, 3* and 6 ; II:l[[5:8: II:ll|.6 , 17,21, and 22; II:li+7:26,28, and 30; II:li|-9tk3 and i+6 ; 11:151:57,58, and 63; 11:151:66; 11:308:7 and 9; and II :310 :ljlj-*
7k that rhythmic modification of the former is necessary:
n
becomes J
* P
•
Where successive sixteenth notes
are placed against triplets, the solution is particularly confusing.
It is probable that the duration of either the
first or third note of each triplet must be extended and the other two notes shortened. either m
or m
Thus, the triplet becomes
.
Apel*s comment on this problem is interesting: "Con sistency in this matter concerned Bach much less than it does the student of today. "21
Although this statement concerns
only Bach directly, it is, in general,
applicable to the
problem at hand. Two movements in particular are unique for their ex treme diversity of rhythmic patterns employed: 152 and (2) II:pp. 307-313*
(1) II:pp. lljli--
In both instances, the vivid
rhythms are manifestly the result of a desire to approximate musically the general tone of the text: f^Confitebor tibi in cithara Deus m e u s ," and "Venientes autem venient cum exulta tions portantes manipulos suos."
The two underlined words
give the cues: "praise," and "rejoicing." It is particularly noteworthy that, although the choral parts are not out of character, the orchestral accompaniment is directly responsible for the general tone and mood of both
21
Apel, l o c . cit.
movements.
Thus, Lalande approached the terrain of Handel
who frequently utilized his orchestra in a descriptive capac ity or for purposes of contrast.22 However, it is in Deus Noster that Lalande extends his complete musical and imaginative powers to paint his most vivid musical portrait.
(II: pages 191-97)*
As in the
aforementioned instances, the words again are directly re sponsible for the effort:
"Sonuerunt et turbatae sunt aquae
eorum, conturbati sunt montes in fortitudine.
Ejus."23
Here Lalande presents both the most complex rhythmic structures^!*, and the most stringent demands upon violin tech nique that occur in any of his t!Grand Motets.'1
Rapid scale
passages and reiterated notes are used with the ornamental "balancement" 25> to conjure a scene the character of which never recurs in any other movement. Unfortunately, the remplissage as conceived by Lalande
22 Henry PruniSres, A New History of Music, translated by Edward Lockspeiser (New York: The Macmillan Co., 19!*-3)» P* 323# cites some interesting examples of Handel *s use of the orchestra under these circumstances. 23 "Through the waters therof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling therof. Selah." This Is the free translation as found in the King J a m e s 1 ver sion of the Bible. 214- Observe the dotted notes which obviously have no definite temporal significance. Each must be considered in reference to the notes which follow. 25
See Appendix A for details.
is not present on the score, and so it is impossible to pre dict the absolute degree of brilliance to which his orches tral palette might have aspired.26
However, the printed
parts are quite sufficient to indicate, in more than a general way, both the
descriptive force which he could summon upon
occasion and the diversity and complexity of rhythm which was fundamental to that technique* Pitch*
The question of pitch in the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries remains a hotly disputed issue*
Not
only were there differences between types of pitches (Choir, Organ, Chamber, et cetera) current at the time, but also there lacked unanimity even within the special categories* Most investigations on the subject seem to conclude that pitch in the baroque era was a semitone, tone, or tone and one-half lower than standard pitch today, dependent upon the type of music under consideration,27 and, on this general premise, some editors have transposed to lower pitches the
26 second violin and viola parts have been composed by this writer. They are not present on the original edition.
27 See the following: Willi Apel, "Pitch," o p . cit* ; Robert Haas, o£* cit., p. 20 8 ; J. Murray Barbour, "Bach and the Art of T e m p e r a m e n t The Musical Quarterly, January, 19^7, P* 86; and Eugene Borrel, Li n t e r p r e t a t i o n de la Musique Franqalse, o p . c i t . , pp. Xlp2—14.3 •
motets from the baroque
e r a .
28
However, the two most recent studies quite conclusive ly Indicate that such "carte blanche" transpositions run a strong risk of erring.
Consider the conclusions of Arthur
Mendel after an exhaustive study of the question: (1) It is impossible to establish precisely "the" pitch of any period before the second half of the nine teenth century. . . . (2) It Is impossible to establish precisely the pitch even of almost any individual church from available data on organs dating from before the eighteenth century. . • . All vibration frequencies cited for periods before 1700 are at best rough approximations and should be labelled ’plus or minus a semitone or m o r e 1. 29 (3) For any individual composer, it is possible to establish roughly the pitch he had in mind for a particular body of vocal compositions by analyzing the ranges. . . . But pieces written for different places • . • may have been intended at different pitches. (Ij.) A realization of what we do not know at least clears the way for an objective examination of each com-
28 Paul Boepple, editor of Couperinfs Troisieme Legon de Tenebres (New York: Music Press, Inc.); Alexander Cellier, editor of Lalande *s De Profundis. o p . cit.; Henri Letocart, editor of Lalande*s Beati Omnes (excerpts only, and only one movement Is transposed: the duet for Soprano and Tenor) (Paris Procure General, 1928); and L ’Abbe Delporte, editor of Pierre R o b e r t ’s Splendor Aeternae Gloriae of which Paul-Marie Masson gives the details in ,rLe Motet ’Splendor Aeternae Gloriae’ de la Pierre Robert," Revue Liturgique et Musicale, JanuaryFebruary, 1937* 29 The two preceding conclusions by Mendel have not remained unchallenged. However, the unanimity apparent be tween these quotations and the following one from Curt Sachs lends considerable though not conclusive evidence in their behalf*
78 poser*s works, and for an approximation of their intended pitch mainly on the basis of their own internal evidence . 30 This summary directly verifies the more general state ment made by Curt Sachs in 191+0: Organs of those times varied between 3 I4.7 vibrations and 5 6 7 vibrations, that is, their a 1 varied as much as a fifth, from f 1 sharp to c 11 sharp according to modern pitch; • • • There was no accepted standard of pitch until the nine teenth century. 33^ Therefore, in consideration of the most recent inves tigations of the question, no pitch transposition has been made in any of the transcriptions or examples contained in this entire study.
If in performance a conductor should find
it practical to transpose the music, there would be consider able justification for so doing.
However, doing so for the
sake of "complete authenticity" would be subject to error and chance. The custos.
The last problem of notation, although
not of any intrinsic importance in the interpretation of the music, is the custos. a symbol found in all of Lalande*3 motets.
Arnold gives the best summary:
30 Arthur Mendel, "Pitch in the l6 th and Early 17th Centuries," The Musical Quarterly, January, April, July, and October, 19 I48. The quotations are taken from the October issue, p. 5 9 1 . 31 Curt Sachs, The History of Musical Instruments (New York: W. W. Norton and Co., Inc♦, 1 9 I4-O), pp. 3#6-87*
79 In the 17th and 18th centuries it was necessary to place at the end of each line of music (with leger lines, and with sharp, flat, or natural prefixed, if required) the sign to indicate the position of the first note of the following line, but without giving any clue to its value . 32 Thus, the custos was merely an aid to sight reading and performance.
This has not been retained in the trans
criptions* III.
CHAPELLE PERSONNEL AND PERFORMANCE
Throughout the seventeenth century and until 1761, the musicians of the royal court were divided into three groups: chapel, chamber, and c o u r t *33
Although interchange
among the various divisions was not unknown, were limited to special occasions.
such practices
Therefore, consideration
will be given here only to the customary performances that involved no personnel other than that duly appointed to the chapel. It is necessary to trace the development of the chapel personnel and performance practices not only for the sake of understanding the "Grand Motets" of Lalande but also in order
32 F. T. Arnold, The Art of Accompaniment from a Thorough-Bass (Oxford University Press, ly31), pp. 889-^0.
33 see the following: Georges Edgar Bonnet, Philidor et 1 E v o l u t i o n de la Musique Francaise (Paris: Librairie Delagrave, 1921T7 pp. 16-17; Constant Pierre, "Notes inedites sur la Musique de la Chapelle Royale (1532-1790)," La Tribune de Saint-Gervais. February-March, 1899 , p» 51.
80 to attain a thorough comprehension of the development of the form in general and the external influences that fostered it* The chapel which served the king from 1662 until 1682 was scarcely larger than a drawing-room (un salon) which could easily be filled by a choir of twenty voices*3^4-
This was
the situation when Du Mont and Robert assumed positions as chapel masters in 1 6 6 3 .
However, even at this early date,
the singers were purely "artists" who participated only in the performance of the motets and not in the services proper.35 In 1679, the treaty of Nimegue permitted the king to take permanent residence instead of following his armies, and it is precisely at this moment that the new growth and develop ment begin to materialize.
Until this time almost all the
motets had been written for small performing combinations in order that the king might hear them while on the march.
Now,
however, the stability of one location provided both leisure time and opportunity for increased diversion and pleasure. In this year, 1679, the king began both to expand the number of chapel musicians (by adding eighty or more to the ranks)
and to build a new chapel (the third chapel of Vers a i l l e s ) .3^
^ Henri Quittard, "Henry du Mont,” La Tribune de SaintGervais, May-June, 1902, p. 170. ^ k ° c . cit. "II n ’est point necessaire mSme qu*ils connaissent & fond le plain-chant." 36 Michel Brenet, Concerts en France (Paris: Fischbacher, 1900), p. 65; and Quittard^ HHenry du Mont," ojd. cit. , AugustSeptember, 1902, p. 270.
81 Both undertakings were completed by 1682 at which time the king chose Versailles for his home and made it the seat of the government* Louis XIV, anxious to utilize the capacity of the new chapel ordered that the "Grand Motets" of Du Mont, Robert, and Lully be printed*
In addition to greater space for both
singers and instrumentalists, the new chapel contained a strong organ in contrast to the portative organ that had been used to accompany the music at St*-Germain, Pontainbleau, CompiSgne, and Paris*37 Thus the stage was set for the arrival, Lalande, Goupillet, Colasse,
in 1683, of
and Minoret who set to work with
ardor to provide an ample supply of the"Grand Motets" which were performed by a choir of sixty.38 By 1692 the choral ranks had swelled to seventy-five, and an orchestra of from eighteen to twenty instruments, dition to the organ, accompanied the group.
in ad
In 1712, the
choir had increased to eighty-eight39 but the number of accom panying instruments was subject to no change*Uo 37
Quittard, ojd. cit., p. 2 7 1 .
^ Raymond Martin, "Michel Richard de Lalande and the Sacred Music of the Court of Louis XIV," (unpublished Master*s Thesis, Union Theological Seminary, New York, 19ll-8), p* lip* post, pp.
IpO
Bernard Champigneulle, L fAge Classique de la Musi que Franqaise (Paris: Aubier, Editions Montaigne, TPlpUJ, p* 170; Eugene Borrel, L interpretation de la Musique Franqaise, o p * cit*, pp. Ip2-]p3; and Constant Pierre, op. cit.~ p. 50.
The additional space for singers was provided by the comple tion of the fourth chapel in 1710*
In this edifice, the
organ was of the four manual variety and had no less than thirty-six stops . ^-1 Although the number of performers participating in these ffGrand Motets 11 was considerably augmented throughout the eighteenth century in the Concerts Spirituels (begun by Philidor in 1 7 2 6 ) 9b-2 the preceding groups must be accepted as representative of the personnel for whom the music discussed in this study was expressly composed# Obviously the various chapels had a direct influence upon the type of music which was composed for them, but it must be remembered that they were built at the behest of Louis XIV who undoubtedly had this specific objective in mind*
Re
call that it was he who literally "ordered” the composition of early "Grand Motets" which not only became popular in Paris but also in the p r o v i n c e s * ^ U-l
Champigneulle, Ibid*, pp. 97 and 303-0^-*
k2 Although Champigneulle, ibid., pp. 113“ll4-» asserts that such performances sometimes utilized two hundred perform ers, the more customary personnel is given by Michel Brenet, Concerts en France, o p * cit*; see pages 118-22 for a list of the first of the PhiTidor Concerts Spirituels in 1 7 2 6 ; pp. 2l\.2 I4I4. for a list as of 1 7 5 0 ; and pp* 3 1 2 -lh for a list as of 1775
^-3 See. Chapter II. Also Michel Brenet, ibid., p. 63 Michel Brenet, "La Musique Sacree sous Louis XIV," La Tribune de Saint-Gervais, February-March, 1899, PP* 3k-~3?f and April, T8‘9P7 pp. 79-80; and Champigneulle, ojd . cit. , p. 97*
Similarly, the desires of the MRoi soleil" to hear in creasing numbers of these musical works performed during his two daily devotional servicesWj- prompted an emphasis upon the messe basse solennelle, a glorified Low Mass during y/hich two or three of the elaborate "Grand Motets" were performed for the purpose of adding "royal dignity" to the recited service* According to Henri Quittard, one motet was performed from the very beginning of the service and lasted until the Elevation, approximately fifteen minutes*
A second was per
formed during the Elevation and continued until the Postcom munion*
A third closed the service*
de tous les jours ."US
"Tel est le programme
Thus, the religious aspects of the
king's chapel music were simple pretext for his Concerts Spir ituels*
Music pretended to pray and be fervent, whereas, in
actuality, it was simply for the glorification and pleasure of the king* B r e n e t fs description of the performance of a "Grand Motet" by Lalande so accurately exemplifies the preceding fac tors, as well as the general atmosphere in which this music
Wl- Raymond Martin, op. cit * * pp* 13-llj., and Champig neulle, ojd. cit*, pp. 3014-, T 08 • For a very concise summary of the various types of Mas ses, see Edward Dickinson, Music in the History of the Western Church (New Yorks Charles Scribner's Sons, 1902), p. h-5 Henri Quittard, "Henry Du Mont," 0 £. cit*, MayJune, 1902, p. 173•
thrived, that it is quoted in its entirety.
The moment the
king was seated, . • • the officiating priest begins the service, and Lalande raises his baton; the music, indifferent to the order of the liturgical year, consists of a "Grand Motet," that is, a long cantata on the latin verses of a Psalm: there is first a symphony played by all the chamber musi cians; then the two daughters of Lalande, the Italian Favalli, or Borel de Miracle sing some recits and duets that Philibert Rebille supports with a solo for 1flute allemande*, or Marais by a bass viol solo; singers and virtuosos rival for supremacy; some are graceful, some tender, some light, and some heavy, with short tricky graces, short trills, mordants, pinces, all the ornaments that suggest the propriety of French song; and these serve to amplify the great effects of the choirs, noisy, heavy, and regular, which all the instruments follow, and which prepare in time a redoubled brilliance, pompousness, and majesty for the end of the ceremony and the exit of the king #{^5 Thus, it is directly to the taste of Louis XIV that the "Grand Motets" were composed.
The place, style, and man
ner of performance were no less influenced and ruled by the aesthetic of the mighty monarch.
Therefore, a consideration
of this music in isolation from its original locale and atmos phere requires a certain degree of imagination and understand ing which it is the purpose of the preceding to enhance and supplement. IV. Tonality.
HARMONIC FACTORS
Although tho theoretical treatises of
^ Michel Brenet, "La Musique SacrSe sous Louis XIV," op. cit., April, 1 899, p. 78*
Rameau did not materialize until some years after the turn of the eighteenth century, the application of tonal principles must be dated from approximately 1680*^4-7
This is readily ap
parent upon examination of the rule of the octave, a standard harmonic pattern which taught a chord for each note of the scale that appeared in the bass but gave no explanation of inversions, considering them as separate and independent chords# i+S Furthermore, study of the form in the "Grand Motets" thoroughly illustrates the acceptance of the tonal contrasts to be attained by constant modulations to relative, dominant, subdominant, and occasionally mediant keys, even where tonal ities usually considered outside the realm of practicality in Mean Tone tuning were involved# Although such pitches as E#, B#, and A# are not common in this music, their occurrence is sufficiently frequent both
^4-7 Bukofzer, o p . cit#. p# 219* Julien Tiersot provides the details of the transforma tion from modal to tonal music in "Des Transformations de la Tonalite et du R 6 le du Dieze et du Bemol depuis le Moyen Age jusqu*au XVIIe Siecle," Congres International d *Histoire de la Musique tenu a la Bibliotheque de l f0p§ra du"~23 au 29 Juillet. 1900 (Solesraes, Imprimerie Saint-Pierre, l90lT7 U& Mary Hargrave, The Earlier French Musicians (London Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner, and Co., Ltd., 1917 )9 P* 55# Eugene Borrel quotes the actual harmonic structures in volved in L i n t e r p r e t a t i o n de la Musique Francaise, op* cit#. P* H 5 «
86 to emphasize the complete acceptance of tonality^-9 and, at the same time, to raise the question as to the accuracy of intonation during performance*
Both voices and orchestral
instruments could readily adjust to the tonality involving so many accidentals, but, since the organ continuo, incapable of making such compensations,
is present in all but the first
example, the result must have been considerably out of tune* The harmonic sequence of fifths*
Although harmonic
structure involving the downward progression of chord roots by the interval of a perfect fifth are present in this music,50 the general vertical structure in these motets is so complete ly saturated with and based upon movement to and from the tonic, dominant, and subdominant harmonies that extended root progressions by fifths play a relatively subordinate role* Second inversions of triads*
Lalande employed second
inversions of triads in exactly the same manners that they were employed throughout the classic and early romantic per iods:
(1 ) as a pre-cadential chord followed by the dominant
and tonic,
(2 ) as a passing chord in which the bass line moves
b-9 see 1 1 :1 I4.;l+.8 ; 11:15:68, 6 9, 70, 73, 75, and 7 6 ; II: 19:67; II:pp. 53-51+: bars 3 8 -52; 11:33: 16-21; II: 3l+:l+9-5i+ and 77-79; and II: 252; 52, 53, 55, 57, 58, 61+, 6 6 , and 6 7 .
50 11:6:50-56 and 59-6!+. The former is an example involving chromatic alterations; the latter is diatonic in E minor*
87 by step in direct line,5l (3 ) as a chord left by step ,52 (I4.) between two root positions of the dominant53 (occasional ly for very sustained periods of time),^- and (5) the conson ant second inversion as it frequently occurs in the Alberti bass style of accompaniment.55 All these techniques are so familiar to the student of elementary harmony or counterpoint that further discussion is unnecessary#
The examples proper will clarify better than
words any doubts that might possibly arise* Augmented triads *
The rather frequent use of the
augmented triad by Lalande is quite contrary to the habitually consonant harmony of his predecessor, Lully*
In no way can
these examples be construed as chance occurrences resulting from contrapuntal movement since the continuo figuration specifically indicates the sustained augmented triad.
Fur
thermore, the number of times Lalande employed this structure would seem to indicate that he had a penchant for its disson-
51 II: 17^:31; 1 1 :1 8 0 :1 2 ; 1 1 :2 3 6 :7 0 ; II:pp. 2 6 6 -6 7 : bars 3 7 , I4.2 , I4.3 , 5 7 , 58, and 6 l. 52
11:14.0:65; II:1)-3:119.
53 II:pp. 181-82 :bars 18-21; II;23l4-:25-26; II:2ia:2223; 11:258:614.-69; II:259:79-8l|-; 11:260:914-99; 11:262:135-14-0. 51).
11:71:101-09.
55
11:8:3 and 6 ; 11:9:18, 25-27, 33, If-O-lj-l.
88 ant character . 5 6
His employment of such triads with addi
tional harmonic tones will be discussed under the categories of seventh and ninth chords. Seventh chords.
Throughout the major portion of this
music, seventh chords are accorded due respect, and, in al most all instances, the minor seventh receives its natural resolution down by step or half-step.
However, there are
some few cases in which the treatment is more free. The dissonant seventh occasionally has a delaying tone interpolated before the resolution occurs.57
in another
example, the seventh moves upward by step to the fifth of the next chord while its resolution tone, the third of the follow ing chord, is heard in the bass . 58 Not being content with this latter technique which eventually became common practice, Lalande carefully placed the resolution tone for the seventh in the next occurring note of the same melodic line and thus justified his motion on the basis of both the vertical and the horizontal aspects: the former by the appearance of the resolution tone in a prominent
^ 11:10:14.3 and %l\.; 11:27:14-3 and I4.8 ; II:!j.7 :l5 ; I I : 2 6 l : 117; II:26l|.:75 and 83; 11:272:3; 11:273:23; I I :27h:l4-5 and 6 I4.. 57
1 1 :7 8 :1). and 1 1 :1 2 2 :31)-.
58
11:27:35.
89 lower voice and the latter by giving the upward moving resolu tion of the seventh the appearance of a delaying tone* Another consistent practice is the use of the seventh as a seeming lower auxiliary, and, as such, there is usually no attempt to have the downward resolution heard*59
This oc
curs most often in the bass when there are rapid passages in eighth notes* Chords of the major seventh often have the dissonant member resolved either up^O or down, 6 l but on some occasions it does not resolve by step . 62
jn both the latter instances
noted, the seventh is in an instrumental part and moves either up a fourth or down a fifth, and, in the case of the former, the resolution tone is taken by the prominent solo voice.
In
the second instance the resolution tone, one-half step higher, is present in the other violin part which resolves from the ninth* Whether these examples constituted license or standard freedom is difficult to determine.
The infrequency with
which they occur could indicate them as mere contrapuntal oversights*
However,
it is quite possible that they demon-
59
11:2:58; II:3:i4-» 8 , and 13; II:lj-:20; and 11:6:59
60
11:1^7:7 and 1 1 .
61
11 :16 :31 .
62
11:10:14.5 and 1 1 :1 6 :3 1 .
and 6 l*
90 strate primarily harmonic thinking#
That is, contrapuntal
regularity is readily sacrificed in order to have the complete triad present on the resolution# Diminished seventh chords#
So frequent are the occur
rences of this structure on the leading Tone, particularly in minor keys, that no list of illustrations is necessary#
Ref
erence to movements involving minor tonality will reveal numerous examples# Ninth chords.
Although some of the aspects of LalandeTs
harmony are not always fully apparent, such cannot be said of his obvious use of ninth chords#
Examples are abundant,
and
some few of them are quite startling# In most instances the dissonance is correctly resolved down by step, 63 and occasionally an echapee is interpolated before the re solution# 6J4 delaying tone
More rarely is seen the use of a
that leaps down before returning to the correct
resolution tone# 65 The upward resolving ninth, illustrating acceptance of
63 11:1:17 and 30; 11:2:52; 11:16:21)., 3 0 , and 3 1 ; II: 17:39; 11:19:76 and 78; 1 1 :2 2 :6 3 ; II:2l+:27; 11:27:1+2; 11:29:26; 11:32:59; 1 1 :3 6 :2 8 and 29; 11:39:35 and 1+9; 11:1+0:73; 11:1+2: 1 0 5 ; 1 1 :1+3 :1 2 1 ; and many others. 61+ 11:2:1+1+; 11:122:1+3; 11:123:59; 1 1 :1 2 5 :3 0 ; 11:126:1+5; and 1 1 :1 5 7 :6 2 . 65
ii:i51+;8.
91 the harmonic basis of composition which permitted dissonances more license in resolution than did counterpoint, takes two forms:
(1 ) the ritardation which is always p r e p a r e d ^ and (2 )
the appoggiatura with its familiar ITgrace note" notation#^? Both of these could be more accurately described as "wide seconds" inasmuch as their application is exactly the In one particular instance,
.6 8
the score reveals a ninth
that is left by the downward leap of a fourth. delayed resolution is apparent.69
s a m e
Not even a
However, comparison of
this measure with two similar portions of the score that pre cede it reveal the likelihood of a c o p y i s t s error which is too obvious to be misconstrued . 70 The most shocking use of dissonance found in these motets is the employment of a ninth chord that contains both a major seventh and an augmented fifth 1
There is no chance
that a copyistfs error could be responsible as the continuo figuration quite clearly indicates the totality.
66
Furthermore,
11:63:32; II:61+:52; 11:81:14.9.
67 11:18:63; 1 1 :2 7 :214., 2 6 , 3 6 , 39, 1+7 and 1+9; 11:1+9: 73; 11:72:39; 11:73:1+7 and 1+9; 11:88:9 and 27; 11:121:1+ and 23; 11:123:50 and 52; II:12l+:3 and 15; 11:125:22; 11:126:1+0; and many others. 68 Ernest Kanitz , A Counterpoint Workbook (Ann Arbor, Michigan: Edwards Brothers, I n c ., lyl+7) V pp • 1^-20.
11 :151 :60 . 70
1 1 :11+5 :11+ and II:ll+8:32.
92 this writer has checked two copies of these motets, and, in both instances, they are the same. The first example?! occurs with the v/ords "Adjuva me, Deus” (Help me, God) ; the second?^ is on "deprecabor"
(I will
make supplication) ; and the third73 is on "Confitebor tibift (I will confess unto you)* The first examples are particularly interesting inas much as they are used at important climaxes, and, in the case of the former, a half rest follows the chord to further accentuate the vertical sound*
Similarly,
the second example
precedes a quarter rest over which appears a fermata in one score and the word silence in another*
The purpose is the
same in both cases: Lalande wanted this dissonant sonority to "sound” and reverberate throughout the chapel.
The descrip
tive intent is obvious from the words with which the chord occurs* The first example requires additional comment: two measures prior,
a chord of the major ninth, with minor seventh
and perfect fifth, was employed over the same words.
Thus,
it is apparent that Lalande was consciously building and cre ating a climax by utilizing increasingly complex sonorities* 71
11:19:78.
72
11:280:55.
73
11:287:123.
It should be noted that the same process occurs in the soprano solo which introduces this choir*
In reality, the
choral duplication merely serves to accentuate and emphasize that which the soloist has previously stated* 7^4The second example is unique by the bass line approach* Observe that the continuo leaps down an augmented fifth and that, in an effort to avoid the same interval in the vocal bass, the line leaps down a major seventh. In totality, these harmonic examples represent a com plete revelation in music of this period,75 but,
as music for
the church, they are no less than astounding! Sequences of alternating seventh and sixth chords*
An
excellent example of this idiom can be found in II:ll:69-75*
"ft- 11:16:31. 75 Jean Lerond d fAlembert speaks freely of this struc ture in Elements de Musique Theorique et Pratique suivant les Principes de M. Rameau (P a r i s : David 1 1aine, 1752), p* 220, but both his treatise and that of Rameau, upon whom the former study is based, were considerably posterior to Lalande1s application. It is quite possible that Rameau might have propounded his theory, in this one respect, upon the musical practice of La lande. However, clarification of that phase would necessitate research beyond the scope of this writing* D ^ l e m b e r t f s exact statement is as follows: "Finally, in minor mode, for example !tA n minor, in which the dominant chord is E-G#-B-D; if you add to this chord the third below,!,CM , you will have C-E-G#-B-D, called a chord of the augmented fifth, and composed of third, false fifth, seventh, and ninth which is figured by #5, or by *5* See ex ample LXXXI." The example, found on plate four is given as follows:
9k This sequence, although not frequent in occurrence, is usually treated in exactly the manner it appears here: two voices or instruments alternate in decorating the movement of the indi vidual lines and thus give the whole progression a contrapunt al character resulting from the resolution of the dissonances# Fundamentally, this is a scalewise progression of sixth chords, the alternate seventh chords occurring only as a result of suspensions employed over the former*
It is high
ly probable that this was the basis of its conception; however, from a purely harmonic viev/point, It must be called a sequence of alternating seventh and sixth chords# Parallel motion*
Although parallel fifths and octaves
were frequent in the music of
L u l l y , 76
particularly in the
remplissage, such Is not the case with Lalande*
Parallel
fifths and octaves are present in one measure of Dominus Regit Me,
77
but the presence of both simultaneously, when neither
is customary,
seems indicative of a c o pyist’s or engraver’s
error# Another instance of parallel octaves can be found,78 but, like the former example, the error was possibly not Lal a n d e ’s inasmuch as It occurs between an Instrument of 76
Prunieres, o£• cit# » II, p# 1#
77
11:1+9:75.
7®
II:pp.126-27: bars 3 2 -3 6 .
95 rempllssage, the viola, and the second violin*
Recall that
it was customary for apprentice or student musicians to com pose the parts of remplissage for the chapel masters* However, even if the actual writing could be attributed to Lalande, the pen*
it would constitute nothing more than a slip of The great bulk of his music bears more than ample
evidence of his skill in avoiding such objectionable factors* Pedal point*
The use of pedal point in motets can be
traced back to the era of Isaac and
B r u m e l ; 7 9
therefore,
Lalande could scarcely be considered an innovator in this re gard*
Hov/ever, he did possess a distinct mannerism in his
appropriation of the technique* His examples are n u m e r o u s , ^ and in every case it is the diminished triad or the diminished seventh chord on the leading tone that is superposed over the pedal and between two tonic chords*
This alternation of the tonic and leading
tone superstructure might occur from one to three times before breaking the pattern, but it is always the same, and there is never any attempt to diversify the scheme* Ostinato*
Surprisingly enough, there are but two
79 Hugo Leichtentritt, Geschichte der Motette (Leipzig: Breitkopf & H&rtel, 1908), p* i_|_2L^* 8° 1 1 :1 6 :2 1 - 2 3 ; 11:17:33-35; 11:18:57-59; and 6 0 - 6 1 ; I I :li(-2 :l-3; 11:159:1-3; 11:190:69-72; 11:210:1^3; 11:211:14-9; II: 212:59; 11:213:65; II :2 ll4.:7U-76; 11:277:3-6; and 11:278:26-29.
96 examples of ostinato in these ten w o r k s , a l t h o u g h these two movements contain some of the most beautiful music tran scribed.
Each is in 3/2 meter, written for solo voice, and
the style, mood, and atmosphere are quite comparable *
How
ever, the application of the technique differs considerably. In the case of the first example listed, the ostinato corresponds quite definitely with the melodic phrase struc ture employed above it.
The second example is directly
antithetical. Above the former, Lalande placed a song in binary form (ABAB), and over the latter appeared an "air en rondeau"
(ABA).
Although these factors will be discussed later under the subject of form, this aspect seemed significant enough to bear mention here inasmuch as Lalande could apparently not remain content with the unity to be attained solely from the ground bass.
Thus, the familiar "forms" were united with
the ostinato into a still more homogeneous whole. Modulations.
Modulation to closely related keys,
as has been stated previously under the discussion of tonal ity, is a common occurrence.
Invariably, the technique is
the same: some common chord serves a pivotal function which makes the transition smooth and gradual.
The transfer of
tonal center occurs either between or within phrases, periods, 8l
II:pp. £0-$l and II:pp. 275>-?6.
and the forms in general# With Lalande, modulation is used in a developmental sense#
Except for thoroughly contrapuntal examples bordering
on the fugal style, repetition, with appropriate modifications to suit the transposed tonalities, forms a major basis of composition#
An excellent example of this technique is
found in the recitatif or Regina Coeli« II:113:1).-13• Cadential structure#
The cadential formulae as exem
plified in this music are elementary in nature.
In the
majority of cases the tonic 6 /Lj. appears just prior to the dominant which, quite naturally, falls to the tonic in root position.
In most instances,
some type of subdominantal
structure, usually a seventh chord on supertonic, precedes the second inversion of tonic. Since repetition of this same harmonic cadence struc ture undoubtedly proved dull through constant usage, it should be recognized that ornamentation provided the medium through which boredom was avoided#
^here is scarcely a cadence that
does not carry above it the indication for at least one orna ment, and in many cases a complex combination appears.
Even
when there are no signs for the agrements at cadence points, it is altogether likely that performers would have used them through habit and training# Therefore,
it is particularly requisite that dutiful
98 attention be devoted to the embellishments inasmuch as the very harmonic bareness or the music was intended to be spiced by the multiple passing tones, suspensions, appoggiaturas, trills, anticipations, et cetera.
Originality in as well as
flexible and spontaneous improvisation of such broideries represent the very essence of this style, the "Sine quanon.” Cadences on the dominant are so numerous that their principal purpose is unmistakeable: division of periods into phrases.
Although phrases are rarely four measures, as
became normal at a later date, the cadential occurrences clearly indicate the dichotomy in almost all cases. Similarly, the deceptive cadence on submediant is employed in the traditional manner to delay cadence.
The
overture on page 233 of Volume II (measure five) provides illustration of this application. Constant modulations to the relative minor key are frequently effected through use of a major triad on the mediant at a cadence point.
The mediant is usually preceded by super
tonic, and, after the cadence, the melody and harmony move directly into the key of the submediant.
Thus, a chromatic
ally altered chord in the original key is pivotal and becomes the new dominant. It should be observed that the major third is commonly employed for important or final cadences on the tonic in minor keys*
This is, of course, the device which later
99 became known as the fltierce de Picardie," a term of obscure origin although the application of the technique can be traced from approximately 1 5 0 0 to the present* A n additional cadential freedom still more illustra tive of the freer harmonic aspect as compared with the contra puntal is the secondary resolution of scale seven, as third of the dominant, to scale five, fifth of the tonic *$ 2 V*
CONTRAPUNTAL FACTORS
General statement*
Although the preceding harmonic
factors presuppose the incorporation of many contrapuntal techniques, for purposes of clarification it is desirable to give consideration in appropriate terminology to certain as pects of the latter even though a reasonable degree of redun dancy might be evident* Consonance*
Due to the preponderance of harmonic
methods, it naturally follows that consonant intervals are those found in major and minor triads unless in the second inversion, in which case the fourth is dissonant.
Therefore,
octaves, perfect fifths, and major or minor sixths and thirds are consonant*
All other intervals are dissonances, with
the exception of the "consonant fourth" when so employed*
82 H : 1 9 7 : 5 ; 11:198:21; 11:200:14.6; 11:202:80; 11:233: 6 - 7 ; and 1 1 :2 8 0 :3 8 .
100 Dissonance#
In many instances the interval or the
second
is accorded
likely
to be resolved by a downward resolution of the lower
voice by step*
due respect*
The minor second is most
The major second is frequently resolved
similarly, or the upper voice might move up by step*
However,
Lalande often accorded the interval unusual treatments that would scarcely have been countenanced in counterpoint: (1) The second moves to a unison,^3 or (2) the second moves to another s e c o n d . ( I f sidered
con
a wide second, the actual interval move
ment is from a ninth to a seventh*)85 The first-mentioned occurs particularly between the first and second basses, and the second more customarily ap pears in instrumental parts although it is not restricted to that*
Both are used so frequently that they must be consid
ered mannerisms of Lalande.
It is interesting to note that
Vincent D'Indy, on the basis of these mannerisms which he refers to as "mistakes," identifies the portions of Les Elements composed by Lalande instead of Destouches * $ 6
83
11:25:1+2; 11:1+7:6; 11:1+8:1+5; 11:1+1:1+7; 11:52:9.
8i+ ii: 3 l+;8 7 ; 11:35:89; 11:1+1:86 and 8 8 ; 11:1+2:105; 11:1+7:13; 11:1+9:68 and 8 1 ; and 11:108:50. 85
Observe particularly 11:2:37 and 51-
8 6 Vincent D'Indy, editor, "Introduction," Les Elements. by Destouches and Lalande (Leipzig: Breitkopf & H&rtel, l8d3)*
101 The seventh, ninth, and wide second have been quite fully discussed under the section on ninth chords; however, occasional parallel seconds,
sevenths, and ninths require ad
ditional comment (II:76*89 and 11:2:58).
The frequency of
occurrence is not great, and such passages usually result from non-chordal or embellishing notes.
Therefore, in this
w r i t e r fs opinion, these instances demonstrate a contrapuntal deference to "line 11 and should not be construed as evidence of harmonic concepts. Augmented seconds are limited to the inverted seventh of the diminished seventh chord on the leading tone.
When
so employed, the interval is resolved outward in contrary motion, as Is also the augmented fourth, or, in the case of the former, the lower voice moves down by half step while the upper remains stationary. The diminished fifth is usually resolved in to a major or minor third; however, when the interval appears as root and fifth of a triad on the leading tone instead of third and seventh of the dominant, both voices frequently move up by step in order to assure the presence of the fifth in the tonic triad which follows.
This, again,
shows deference to the
harmonic rather than the contrapuntal tenets. The dissonance of the tritone, occurring particularly In the outer voices, is another factor which Lalande employed ) , p. lb; R a m e a u , Oeuvres Completes (Paris: A. Durand et Fils, 1 8 9 8 )* Vol. IV; and a personal let ter from Eugene Borrel dated June 1, 191+9*
113 part represented either the voice and quality of a tenor that resorted to falsetto for the higher passages, or it might have been performed by castrati* An exact parallel to this vocal type may be found in much of P u r c e l l fs music,109 but in Italy the legitimate alto part was frequently performed by women's voices Thus, in French choral music of the period, the divi sion of five vocal parts is awkwardly distributed to four male voices and one female.
This apportionment brought not
only criticism from influential critics of the t i m e ^ ^ but also necessitated numerous vocal overlaps, close spacing in the four lower voices, and unusually wide spacing between the soprano and alto voices.
In the latter case, the criticism
is particularly just, inasmuch as intervals of tenths and twelfths,
quite undesirable from a sonorous view point, fre
quently appear between those two voices. The "Grand Choir."
The "Grand Choir," or simply
109 Henri Dupre, Purcell» translated by C. A. Phillips and Agnes Bedford (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1928), p. 131. 110 Robert Haas, Auffuhrungspraxis der Musik (Wildpark-Potsdam), p. 190, and J. J. Rousseau, "Haute-contre, Altus ou Contra," ojd. cit.. p . 395, Vol. I. 111 Particularly F r a n c i s Raguenet, Parallele des Italians et des Franqais en ce que regarde la musique et les operas, 1702 Ctranslated and reprinted in The Musical Quarterly. July, 19 i4-o) . Later J. J. Rousseau voiced vehement protests, c f . ante, footnote 1 0 8 .
Ilk “Choir , 11 consists of five parts: soprano, bass, and second bass*
alto, tenor, first
This choir, as opposed to the “Petit
Choir,” forms the fundament from which the term motet a grand choeur originated,
and it always consists of numerous voices
singing each part. The “Petit Choir.”
The “Petit Choir,” differing
from the “Grand Choir” by the presence of only one solo voice to each part, customarily contains three voices: first soprano, second soprano, and one lower voice which might be alto, tenor, or baritone. ployed.
Occasionally, two voices or four might be em
The music under study reveals numerous examples of
the former but only one of the latter,
and that lone example
occurs when both choirs, each consisting of four parts, are employed simultaneously. Exceptional choral grouping.
Two examples of excep
tional choral grouping are evident:
(1 ) a choir of first so
pranos, second sopranos, and baritones,^ 3
and (2 ) a choir
of sopranos and baritone s. 1^4* Since one follows the other and both are followed by a
112 II: pp. 203-08 and II: pp. 22lj.-29. X13 II: pp. 302-05. lxI4- II: pp. 305-07.
n 5
Petit choir, there is no possibility of confusing either of the former with the latter. named as choirs.
Furthermore, they are clearly
Were they intended as duets or trios, they
v/ould have been so named as is customary in other instances. Simultaneous double choirs.
Inasmuch as all these
motets assume the name motets ^ deux choeurs due to the employment of the contrasting Grand and Petit choirs regard less of whether or not they are employed alternately or simultaneously,
it is necessary to consider the latter usage
under special heading. In the one example of this application apparent from the music, both choirs consist of four parts: soprano, alto, tenor,
and bass.
In the Petit choir, as has been explained,
only solo voices are employed.
. Antithetically, the Grand
Choir is a legitimate choir consisting of numerous voices. Function of the choirs.
The function of the various
choirs as enumerated above is obvious: contrast in both sonority and style.
Indeed,
this is the fundamental premise
upon which the entire "Grand Motet" as a form is based: orchestra,
solos, duets, trios, and the various choirs all
unite to produce a whole consisting of the most vivid con trasts attainable. The composition as a unit at first seems motley and completely disorganized, but the sudden shifts in dynamics,
116 style, and personnel employed are typically baroque traits* The greatest contrasts occur between the various parts which, however, are also capable of revealing several shades of gray between the gamut of black and white, dependent upon the com binations of personnel employed* Intra-movement contrast is likewise evident.
Thema
tic material is frequently presented in the orchestral introduction, taken by a solo voice or several of them, and ultimately moves to its apotheosis in the Grand choir which is always accompanied by full orchestra and sometimes subjected to alternation with a soloist or the Petit choir.
Thus, the
Grand choir and a vocal solo represent the two extremes attainable— black and white.
Duets, trios, Petit choirs,
and lesser choruses reveal the variable intensities which fall between. The Grand choir appears twenty-seven times in these ten motets; two of these appearances occur simultaneously with a four-voice Petit c h o i r . H ? Although there are thirteen examples with no special orchestral i n t r o d u c t i o n , i n
some of those instances the
choir takes up thematic material that has been presented by
11?
II: pp. 203-08 and 22lj_-229*
116 II: pp. 265-71, 2 7 7 -8 0 , 2 8 3 - 8 8 , 291 -9k, 299, 3 0 8 13, 255-62, Jhh-53, 159-72, 7^-78, 8ip-87, 93-98, and 98-106.
117 a soloist or the Petit choir*
The remaining examples have
an introduction worthy of the name, and brief orchestral interludes between choral phrases are idiomatic* In five instances the Grand choir alternates with the Petit choir,117 and, on one occasion, the Grand choir and orchestra alternate with a solo accompanied by the continuo and flute.118
The concerto grosso concept is unmistakeable*
The Petit choir theoretically supplies contrast in both sonority and style*
Quit© naturally,
the former is
obvious, but in numerous instances the stylistic difference simply does not exist.
In certain places the same words and
melodies appear in alternation with the Grand choir;119 whereas,
at other times, the melodies devoted to the Petit
choir are thoroughly distinctive -*-20 as are also the words * 1 2 1 In three of the motets, no Petit choir is indicated: Deus in Adjutorium, Regina Coeli Laetare, and Credidi Prop ter*
However, in the latter two there are portions that
bear the stylistic earmarks of such, and, in all likelihood, the omission of the name Petit choir was an engraver’s
H7
II :pp. 28-32, lj.7-55, 159-172, 2 I+2 -I4.9 , and 265-71.
US
Iltpp. 93-9 8 .
11^
II:pp. 203-08 and 221+-29.
120
II:pp. 2 I4.2 -I4.9 .
121
Il:pp. 3 0 -3 1 .
118 oversights 3-22 In the first-mentioned motet, there is neither indica tion nor appropriate music for such a group. and solos are used to vary the work.
Only two duets
Although this is but
one example out of ten, it is sufficient to illustrate that the contrasting choirs were not always employed# The trio. the trio.
The greatest enigma found in this music is
The vocal idiom is neither functionally nor
stylistically different from the Petit Choir, and yet it appears frequently under the name trio.^-^3
Quite antitheti
cally, in two instances the alternation of the trio with the choir make it parallel exactly the Petit c h o i r . A l t h o u g h it is possible that some significant distinction was made between the two vocal groups, this writer has thus far been unable to determine any definite dichotomy.^ 5 Choral style.
Lalande»s choral application of the
quasi-fugal and declamatory styles has been described on pages
I 0 I4- and page 106 under the headings of imitation and
See particularly the following which seem to re quire or include the concept of the "Petit choir." II:pp. 1101 1 , 1114.-15, 117-19, 7I4--7 S, 1 0 1 -0 6 . 123 IIspp. 37-38. 57-58, 272-75, 289, 2 9 1 , 7 8 -8 3 , 1555 8 , 2 2 2 - 2 3 , 2 3 9 -4 .0 , 2 4 1 -4 9 . 12^-
IIspp. 241-49 and 289-91.
125
c f . p o s t , p. 1 3 2 -3 3 .
119 melody respectively# for the
f o r m e r #
126
No additional explanation is necessary However, the latter will bear further
examination# The frequent note-against-note style of choral writing, with its
resultant emphasis upon declamation, saw its ori
gins in the sixteenth century under the name vers mesure# In this style, two principal note values were employed in order to keep the accentuation uniform.
In modern transcrip
tion, they are represented by half and quarter notes.
Only
occasionally did eighth notes appear, and when they did occur they were so employed that they did not act to the detriment of the prosody#127
Pour voices were most frequent; however,
there are passages that utilized from two to five parts# The development of this technique had for its principal purpose the adaptation of the quantitative meters of French prosody to more effective declamation,
and it was most common
ly employed in setting to music both Chansons and translations of the Psalms#
The style was, however, also applied to the
Latin language as early as Du Caurroy (151+9-1609) ,128 and similar applications can be traced throughout the seventeenth 1 2 6 p or examples of this technique, see the following pages in Volume II: 17, 18, 29, 31, 32, 52. 53, 55, 65, 75, 77, 78, 81, 85, 98, 99, 108, 109, 115, 1 1 6 , 128-29, 130-31, 155, 165, 23k, 235, 2q.2, 2I4.3 , 255, 257, and 291-92*
127 Henri Expert has included in Les Maittres Musiciens de la Renaissance Franpaise examples in this style by Goudimel, Le Jeune, Maduit, and Du Caurroy# 128 Paul-Marie Masson, "Les 'Vers M e s u r e s * i n Lavignac and Laurencie, o j d # c i t #» Part I, Vol. 3, p. 130li#
120 century in the compositions or Bouzignac,129 Lully, Du Mont, et cetera. Fundamentally, the concept of vers mesure simply in volves the choral application of the techniques employed by the French composers in the recitatif m e s u r e , a term composed of two words that are mutually exclusive but which constituted the French interpretation of recitative.130
Amedee Gastoue,
in speaking of the motets of Lully, actually refers to these passages as 11. . . du stilo recitatlvo transporte au c h o e u r . " ^ ^ Henry Du Mont music for the Mass* rhythmic accord with
applied the technique directly to the His five Masses were composed in the vers m e s u r & . and, at the same time,
he “enhanced” the modal Gregorian melodies
by the addition of
accidentals, thus forcing them into tonal patterns .1 3 2 Unfortunately for Du Mont, these compositions, known as Plainchant Musical» became extremely popular and were still being
129 See Henri Quittard, “Henry Du Mont,” 0 £. cit., August-September, 1901|_, p. 276. ££♦ p o s t , p.
125.
131 Amedee Gastoue, "Le Motet," in Lavignac and Laurencie, o p . c i t .. Part II, Vol. 5, p. 30i|Ji. 132 gee Manfred F. Bukofzer, Music in the Baroque Era (New York: W. W. Norton and Co., Inc., 191+7T7 P* 163; Willi Apel, “Plain-chant Musical,” Harvard Dictionary of Music, o p . c i t .; Jules Combarieu, Histoire de la Musique des Origines au Debut XXe Siecle (Paris: Armand Colin, 1913-19) , Vol. II, p. 25>1; and H. Potiron, "Les Messes de Dumont,” Revue Liturgique et Music ale, July-August, 1929, pp. 1 6 3 - 614.*
121 performed in some parishes as late as 1929;^33
whereas, his
compositions more deserving of performance remain obscure and unknown* Although Lalande wrote only one Mass in Plain-chant, or Plain-chant Musical,13k the stylistic manner of such works is clearly evident in his motets.
Frequent applications of
the note-against-note style are obvious in as many instances as is the imitative style, ^-35 and, in the example afforded by the simultaneous use of both Grand and Petit choirs, the vertical style, in the separate choirs, is combined with quasi-canonic imitation between both groups*^-3^ Although any of the examples listed in footnote 135 are quite illustrative of emphasis upon declamation,
the
chorus based upon MConfundantur,,r quite contrapuntal in tex ture, is probably the most powerful example to be found*^-37 The forceful character of this particular movement undoubted ly had its origin in an effort to duplicate musically the general tone of the text.
This conclusion is supported by
133
Potiron, l o c . cit*
1 3^-
C f . p o s t » Index OfL alande*s Compositions.
p* 13*
1^5 II:pp. 21-22, 21+-26, 29-31, 32, k7~k9, 52,, 53, 5k, 6 0 -6 2 , 7k-7Q, 8 4 - 85;. 93-98, 1 0 1 -0 3 , lli6-53, 159-60, 161+, 1697 0 , 1 7 9 - 8 0 , 2 1 8 - 2 1 , 270, 291, 299, 3 0 0 , and 3 0 1 .
136
iijpp. 203-08.
127
ii:pp. 3 - 8 .
122 Lalande*s similar treatment of the same word in Dominus Regn a v i t » another of his "Grand
M
o
t
e
t
s .
Except for one example,139 Lalande does not engage in multiple metric changes as did Lully in order to make the musical and literary accents coincide.
Rather does he adapt
the accents of the text to the regularly recurring musical pulse.
This, in itself, marks a notable advance over the
eminent Florentine who, on occasion to an extreme degree and consistently to an extent that marked it as one of his man nerisms, constantly subjugated the musical aspects to the textual by seemingly endless changes of meter. As later discussion will amply illustrate, Lalande does not engage in this practice even in his recitatif, and so it could hardly be expected to occur in his choral treat ment of the same concept. Further illustrative of Lalande*s fidelity to the text is his descriptive melody which most frequently confines itself to coloraturas applied to appropriate words such as quaerunt, exaltabitur, pascuae,
laetare, alleluya,
salutare,
transferentur, turbabitur, comburet, illuminare, dirigendos, 1 3Q see James E. Richards, "A Study of *Dominus Regn a v i t , * A Motet by Michel-Richard de Lalande," (unpublished research project, The University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 19il9) , pp* L|-0—l4_p of the score.
-*-39 H j p p . 2 8 -3 2 and particularly pp. 3 0 “ 3 1 where four meter signatures appear in four successive measures.
123 torrens, et cetera.^ 1-0 These, in most instances,
scarcely merit the designa
tion coloratura as it is most commonly understood.
They are
quite short, frequently
only six or seven notes,
andtwo
full
measures is the extreme
limit to which they are ever extended.
However, frequent coincidence of both musical and textual characteristics indicates that this was Lalande*s preference. Two more interesting examples of descriptive melody should be observed.
The first is a descending or ascending
diatonic succession of six or sometimes seven notes which illustrate musically the words ,fin longitudinem.,f1^4-1 movement in which this occurs is the pattern is repeated
The
quite contrapuntal, and
so
numerous times.
The same motet, Dominus Regit Me, contains a still more exceptional example in which both melody and harmony combine their capacities to more conclusively illustrate "dierum” which in translation means "forever . 11 house of the Lord f o r e v e r . ) ^
(I shall dwell in the
In this instance, melodic
notes of long value are coordinated with an eleven measure harmonic alternation between the dominant chord in root posi tion and the tonic chord in second inversion.
Thus, scale
iko II;pp. 1+-7 , 2 8 , 14-3 -14-9 , 1 0 8 - 1 5 , 1 1 7 - 2 0 , 1 6 2 - 7 2 , I8 0 -8 I4., 1 8 5 -8 8 , 2 2 9 , 25U-55, 2 5 7 - 6 2 , 3 0 0 - 0 1 . ^
II:pp. 67-71.
Hj-2
II: p. 71.
12k.
five in the bass and the chords which appear over it vividly exemplify the feeling of duration by the harmonic extension* The example is unusual* Lalande also finds in his melodic types and their appropriate harmonizations a means of creating forceful con trasts.
Compare pages 255 and 256 of Volume II*
The
former contains the fast, brilliant, coloratura character based upon "illuminare"; the latter, in striking contrast, is in slower movement and harmonized with an abundance of diminished seventh chords which have the obvious intent of amplifying the mood inherent in the words: ,fet in umbra mor tis sedent*" The sole illustration of voices in unison found in the motets appears with the words "dedit vocem suam. "1^3 Here a forceful melodic line is attained by basing it on the triad,
and the rhythmic values are considerably sustained
(dotted half notes)*
Both characteristics, power and dig
nity, represent tonally those traits most naturally associa ted whth God, and as such they are completely proper to the context in which they appear* Earlier in the chapter, under the heading "Voices and Ranges," reference was made to both close spacing and over lapping voices that occur as a direct result of employing a
^
ii:Pp. 209-12.
12$ choir of four male voices and one feminine voice*
To these
evils must also be added vocal heterophony *1^4It was this mannerism which prompted the contrapuntally unusual movement from a second to a unison or from a second to another second*
These ordinarily objectionable
techniques Lalande used freely in his choral parts— most frequently between the first and second bass voices— and, as will be illustrated under discussion of Lalande*s orchestral technique of accompaniment to the choir, they became almost fetishes in his orchestral style* S o l o s : Hecit, Recitatif* and Recitatlf mesure*
The
preceding discussion of choral music has given little atten tion to the style of individual singers*
The very nature of
the choir presupposes the subordination of solo virtuosity and technique*
The ensemble is all-important*
However,
before discussing the ways in which Lalande utilized the solo voice, it is necessary to digress momentarily and survey the background of vocal techniques that were influential at that time • In the Italian school of singing, treatises linking the early 1 7 th century to the 1 8 th are notably lacking* Pietro Francisco T o s i fs first publication did not appear 1 1 :2 1 :5 9 ; 1 1 :4 2 :1 0 2 ; 1 1 :7 7 :1 0 8 ; 1 1 :1 0 5 :8 6 ; 1 1 :1 1 0 :
74; 11:214^ 7.
126 until 1723, and that of Giovanni Battista Mancini, appearing some fifty years later, did not exert its influence until long sifter the period under consideration* 1^4-5 In Prance, however, the teaching and theoretical treatises of Benigne de Bacilly (1625-1692)
set the style of
singing for most of the last half of the seventeenth century and subsisted well into the eighteenth century*1^-6
Putnam
Aldrich has succinctly stated the case when he said that these treatises "remained the breviary of French singers • • . . " ^ 7 The era in which Lully dominated the musical empire of France found considerable suppression of the initiative which was more cordially granted to singers in other countries— Italy,
in particular.
The improvised agrements, which formed
an integral part of almost every type of music, remained the principal opportunity for display or originality and technique. "Diminutions” and "passages" were extremely limited, and, In the case of Lully, they were frequently forbidden.
Laszlo Hetenyi, "Survey of Italian Singing Tech niques In the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries." (unpublished Master* s Thesis, The University of Michigan, 19lj-6), pp. 10, 12, and 3 2 . lij.6 Henry Prunieres, "Un Ma'ttre de Chant au XVIIe SiScle, Benigne de Bacilly," Revue de Musicologie, 1922-23, pp. 156-60. 114-7
Aldrich, o£. cit. , p. xlix.
lU-8 Ibid., p. xxxi; and Eugene Borrel, "L* Interpret at ion de l fAncien Recitatif Francais,” Revue de Musicologie, February, 1931, PP* 15, 19, and 20.
127 "Debiter," a term borrowed from the operatic world which indicates declamatory style, fast-moving tempo, and either a minimum or total absence of ornamentation in per formance,
is applicable to the recitative of Lully.1^-9
(The evidence would seem to support this conclusion even though it does not remain unchallenged#150)
His constantly
changing meter signatures clearly indicate the emphasis upon the "speaking" accents, and many of his contemporaries were in complete accord on the subject.l5l After the passing of Lully, slower tempos
were adopt
ed, and the singers began to elaborate the recitatives by the addition of numerous ornaments. came less ornate,
Simultaneously, the aria be
and the line of demarcation between the
recitative and aria became increasingly more difficult to dis cern.
Throughout the late seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries there are constant complaints that in France "the Aria sings too little, and the Recitative sings too
Borrel,
ojd .
cit., pp. 15-21.
Aldrich, l o c . cit. 151 Bernard Champigneulle, o£. c i t ., pp. 9-10; Donald Grout, "The Music of the Italian Theatre at Paris, 1682-97,tf American Musicologieal Society Papers, 19lj-0-Lj-l, pp. I6 3 - 6 I4.; Henry Prunieres, Oeuvres Completes de J.-B. Lully (Paris: E d i tions de la Revue Musicale^ 1931), the Introduction to Vol. II of the operas; Dupre, o£. cit. , p. 112; and Borrel, ojd. cit., pp. 1 3 , 19-20.
128 much*111^2 Virtuoso "diminutions” and "passages," though an in herent part of the Italian art of singing, never attained ready acceptance and application by French singers* The era in which Lalande flourished is precisely the period of transition from the influence of Lully to the spirit of the eighteenth century. spective in certain traits,
Lalande, although retro
in this instance turned his eyes
to the future. The term Recit should not be confused with the abbre viation for recitative as they have distinctly different meanings.
A. de Martini clearly differentiates thusly:
Recit est le nom donne a tout morceau qui se chante en solo, ou, plus exactement, a tout ce qui s fexecute en solo, car ce mot s*applique aussi bien aux instruments qu*a la voix. En un mot, le recit est precisement le contraire du duo, du trio, du quatuor, ainsi que de la symphonie pour les instruments. 3^3 Therefore, recitative is a type of Recit and sometimes appears under that term,
but the latter includes a much
-*•^2 J.J. Quantz, Versuch einer Anweisung die Flbte Traversiere zu Spielen (Leipzig: C. F. Kahnt, 1926; original edition in l75>2T, p p . 21+6-1+95 Francois Raguenet, "A Comparison Be tween the French and Italian Music," edited by Oliver Strunk, The Musical Quarterly, July, 191+6, p. I|_25; Borrel, o]d. c i t ., pp. 19-20; and Eug&ne Borrel, L interpretation de la Musique Francaise (Paris: Felix Alcan, 1 9 3 h ) $ PP* 190-91* de Martini, "Traits de Chant," Lavignac and Laurencie, o£. cit., Part II, Vol. 2, p. 927* 1514- See II: p. 2lj.l.
broader stylistic scope and may also properly be applied to instrumental music# Tbe discussion on pages 71 to 73 bas shown that in recitative the rules of notes inegales do not operate. Borrel,
after extensive investigation,
meter signature f,/ !l alternates with 3 / 2 'uaLue of the half note remains constant.
Eugene
concludes that when the in recitative the Similarly,
in the
alternation of ,fC M and fl2,ff the value of the quarter note is always the s a m e .3^5 These factors apply to recitative in both sacred and secular music.
Borrel, however, in quoting Paul-Marie Masson
from a source not indicated, provides a distinctive difference between the two styles: ,fDans le r^citatif d*un motet on bat la mesure, mais dans celuy d ’un opera on la neglige, parce que celuy qui bat la mesure est oblig^ de suivre la voix • • •• This rhythmic regularity, in conjunction with the ab sence of changing metric signatures, reveals the fundamental melodic character of Lalande1s recitative and,
at the same
time, makes the contradictory term r^citatif mesur^ somewhat comprehendable• Since a great number of ornaments are not found in L a l a n d e 1s rdcitatif, or recitatif mesur^, it is altogether Eugene Borrel, nL !Interpretation de l !Ancien Ftecitatif Francais,” o p . c i t ,, p. 2 0 * ^
I b id.. p. 13.
reasonable to assume that they should be performed at fairly rapid tempos*
(Recall that it was the addition of numerous
embellishments to the recitatives which eventually slowed the tempos and elaborated the simple character into an ornate melody.)
1’hus, L a l a n d e 1s recitative still maintained the
"debit” of Lully, but had departed from the F l o r e n t i n e s in fluence in three ways:
(1 ) some ornaments were applied,
strict tempo was maintained,
(2 )
and (3 ) constantly changing
metric signatures had ceased to exist* Therefore, although he did maintain a formal distinc tion between recitative and aria, the differentiation between the two parts was not so sharply defined due to the increasing melodic character of the former*3-57
However, melodic
emphasis is more pronounced in almost any of the "aria” por tions proper,
and it is there that the most extensive color
aturas appear* So commonly does a r^cit serve to introduce thematic material later taken up by a trio or choir for restatement or expansion,
that it must be considered one of L a l a n d e fs
157 Observe the melodic character of the recitative and even the brief coloratura in II:p. 25l* This recitative-aria succession also provides a perfect example of the inclusion of both styles under the single term recit* Neither recitatif nor r^citatif mesure is indicated although the nature of the first portion is unmistakeably of that character. Two similar examples may be found: II:pp* 281-83 and II: p. 302.
131 fundamental techniques of composition, and as such, one of the primary purposes of employing the solo voice*l £8
However,
the employment of the solo voice, void of introductory pur poses for another group, occurs fifteen times; so, it should not be concluded that Lalande enjoyed only this limited con cept of the medium. Duets* voices*
In writing duets, Lalande preferred the male
Of the six duets, five include the Alto voice, and
the sixth is for two Baritones* tion appears three times,
The Alto-Baritone combina
and Alto-Tenor is employed twice*
The style of such combinations is usually imitative and contrapuntal, but note-against—note writing is also to be found*l59
There is also an example in which the duet serves
an "introductory” purpose exactly paralleling the function frequently devoted to the solo voice*l60 Comparative lengths of movements involving various per sonnel groupings*
The following chart has been devised in
order to ascertain the relative length of the movements Lalande devoted to various personnel groupings.
It should be noted
l £8 See I I 2 pp* 3 6 -3 8 ; II :pp.38-1^.0; II:pp*57-58; Ilrpp* 1 2 I4.-2 6 ; 11 :P P * 73-lk; lisp. 173; IIspp. 215-17; Ilspp. 2 3 8 -1^0 ; IIspp. 271-72; IIspp. 275-75; IIspp. 281-83; IIspp. 296-99; and IIspp. 302-05.
^-59 s©e iijpp. 1-2. 160
IIspp. 107-13.
that this chart forms a valid basis only insofar as the number of measures devoted to each group is concerned*
In
no way should this data be construed to indicate the normal frequency of occurrence of each vocal type inasmuch as the motets contained in Appendix C were purposely selected on the basis of attaining the maximum number of different personnel combinations available from ten 11Grand Motets #11
Personnel
Times Employ ed
Largest Smallest No* of No# of bars bars
Average No# of bars
Solo and Petit Choir
1
130
130
1 30
Trio and Grand Choir
3
181
61
12i|
10
1 30
66
116
Petit and Grand Choirs
3
132
85
115
Duet
6
120
51
88
Trio
5
98
I}_0
73
Grand Choir
15
ll+l
50
72
Solo
15
120
29
72
Solo with Trio
2
83
38
61
Two Grand Choirs
2
77
30
$k
Hecitatif
7
57
Solo and Choir
30
Perhaps the most important factor to b e deduced from
133 the preceding data is the notable absence of the petit Choir as an individual entity.
It never occurs in isolation, but
rather does it form an integral contrasting unit of a larg er whole.
lhat is the very essence of Its being, and, in
all likelihood one of the distinctive features of the "Grand Motet" as a form.
This compounding of units also probably
forms the basis of differentiation between the Trio and the Petit Cholr.l^l Prom the averages given in the above chart, it is obvious that compounded personnel groupings, with but two ex ceptions, always receive the longest treatment.
Recitatif
is given the smallest. In all instances except the first, for which there is only
one example presented, the range between the largest
and smallest number of measures is considerable
enough to
conclude that Lalande suffered few preconceived notions of length.
The elongation of the forms results from orchestral
interludes and alternation or repetition of thematic portions by the contrasting units.
This is in no way antithetical
to normal expectations. VIII. General statement.
l6l
THE ORCHESTRA The orchestra as it matured in
ante, p. 118 .
C f . p o s t , p. l£l*
the period of Lully differs considerably from that of the early seventeenth century*
Adam Carse presents the follow
ing concise summary which, because of its very brevity,
is
naturally lacking in details; however, the essential develop ments are clearly crystalized. The growth of the string orchestra of violin type hastens the devitalization of music for plucked string instruments— the lute, theorbo, and many kindred varie t i e s - - ^ seals the doom of tablature notation, frets on the fingerboards of bowed string instruments, the five or six-stringed tuning of viols in fourths and a third, and only allows the occasional use of sympathetically stringed instruments such as the viola d famore. This period sees the triumph of the transverse flute over the flute \ bee, recorder, and flageolet; the transformation from shawm and bombard to oboe and bassoon; the disap pearance of the old wooden cornetti and elevation of the hunting-horn into the orchestral h o r n . ^62 These general transformations were further stylized in the hands of Lully, and the five part string orchestra which doubled the vocal lines became typical.
^he discipline
of performance which he developed became famous throughout the world and also set the standard of orchestral style that was maintained for many years. 163 As the period of Lalande approached,
the wood-winds
Adam Carse, The History of Orchestration (New York E. P. Dutton and Co., 192$), p. See also pages 60 and 111. 3-^3 See the details in Georg M u f f a t fs "Preface" to the Second Florilegium (Denkm&ler der Tonkunst in Oesterreich, II, i i }• Bukofzer, op. cit., presents a brief summary, p. 377* Also in Robert Haas, o p . c i t ., p. 207*
also gained a measure of independence and were frequently employed.
Similarly, the trumpets and horns, almost always
coupled with tympani, were used for special purposes.
In
neither woodwind nor brass, however, were the special capa bilities of the instruments exploited.
The latter, because
of their tonal limitations, more nearly approximated such a concept, but the essential Idea of orchestrating brass and woodwind parts in a style different from that of the strings had not yet matured* The orchestra in the tTGrand Motets” of Lalande.
In
the "Grand Motets” of Lalande, the five-part string orchestra reigns supreme, but since only two of the scores under study contain the parts of Remplissage, this is not clearly evident Frederic Dorian, Adam Carse, and Lionel de la Laurencie assure us that the words symphonie and violons , both found frequently on these scores,
always indicate full string orche
tra, and, in the occurrence of the former term, La Laurencie states that doubling of the string parts by wind instruments was probably customary practice.Teij in addition to this "Grand Orchestra,” it is probable
I 6 I4- Frederic Dorian, The History of Music in Perform ance (New York: W. W. Norton and the period is extended through
contrapuntal treatment for eighty-two bars. It is most significant that this form, with repeti tions, is present in two examples of recitative and lisp, llj.2).
(lisp. 113
This serves to further delineate L aland e fs
melodic concept of this idiom which has previously been elaborated upon. Modulations that occur are always to closely related keys, but the evidence does not indicate any inviolate pat terns.
In some instances, the entirety remains within one
l6l key • The detailed analysis of II :p* 11^-, a typical example, f o l l o w s .219 A
a (2-7) g:
b (8-13) Bb:
a (li+-19) b (20-25) g: a (26-37) b (37-1+2) b (^3-1+5) Bb: c: g: a (i+6-52) b (53-61) Bb: g: Forms based upon two different periods:
Binary (A B ) .
Forms based upon two different periods are the most numer ous*
They occur in approximately
of this music,
and
thirty of the thirty-five such forms follow the scheme A-B, usually with repetitions, which Is commonly known as Modulations are not always consistent*
b
i
n
a
r
and the
second period returns to the tonic
However,
whereas
*^0
Generally,
the first period closes in a closely related key,
in other Instances,
y
(lisp* 107)*
ftA ft will begin and end in the same key,
’’B ” will modulate to the
relative or dominant
219 Additional examples: II:pp.3 9 6, 15, 113, ll|2 , 154, 173, 224, 295, and 305.
58> 8 8 ,
220 See II:pp. 1, 13, 20, 26, 28, 35, 50, 56, 60, 6 3 , 73, 8 ip, 9 2 , 1 2 1 , 125., 159, 191, 197, 203, 215, 2 2 Jp, 241, 2lf9, 253, 277, 2 8 0 , 2 8 9 , 291, 299, and 307. Of most frequent occurrence is the ABAB type (19 times)* AB is used 6 times; ABABAB, 3 times; and both ABABABABAB and ABABABABABAB are used one time*
162 (II:pp* 52, 6 0 , and 2 9 D *
In these instances, repetitions
of !IB TI with appropriate alterations changing it to the 1
tonic key, conclude the movement* Occasionally in the first statements of the periods, the key relations are somewhat remote
(II:p* 1 5 9 )> "but in
the repetitions of either or both phrases, modulations b e come still more distant and exemplify a seeming sense of development which at best remains repetition with altera tions • The following example is typical of the binary (II: p. 289)* A
(1-8) c: g:
B(9-20) f: c:
A
(2 1 - 2 8 ) B (2 9 - 3 6 ) B (36-48) B (49-61) c: g: c: g: f: c: f: c: Binary of the same words
(A B ).221
the association between words, music,
in Lalande1s music
and form is obvious*
When new words appear, different melody and harmony usually occur simultaneously,
and these,
in turn,
relations apparent in study of the forms*
create the definite However,
in one
221 [phis term, as well as rondo of words, air en ron deau (sometimes referred to as the simple rondeau), and tri partite (in the sense in which it will be used), have been taken from Paul-Marie M a s s o n 1s summary of R a m e a u ’s forms which, in many instances, parallel exactly those of Lully* L 1Opera de R ameau (Paris: Henri Laurens , 1930) 9 particularly pp . 238-Zj3"• It Is Lalande who bridges the gap between Rameau and Lully both musically and chronologically*
163 example, Lalande has employed the binary of the
same words
(II:p. 1Ijij.) • In this form, the music is essentially binary,
but
with the "B1* period the words of !,A H are repeated on a different melody.
Thus,
the distinction between the
regular binary and this form is entirely textual.
An analo
gous differentiation also exists between the tripartite form and the rondo of words.
This will be discussed eventually*
Simple rondeau, or air en rondeau (A B A )•
This form,
ABA, is today frequently referred to as ternary, da capo, or Pounded binary*
However, Masson asserts that this form,
particularly in the seventeenth century, was called simply rondeau or air en ron d e a u .
The term tripartite was re
served for music containing three dissimilar periodic struc tures as opposed to the two present
h e r e
.222
This termin
ology will be adhered to in the following analysis. The fundamental difference between this form and the binary is the repetition of MA ff after MB n, and, therefore, the first statement of the former is quite likely to close in the tonic key.
If it should end in another key,
appropriate alterations must be made during the reprise in
222 Paul-Marie Masson, ojo. c i t ., pp. 2lp.-l|-3 *
order to close on the tonic.223 Forms based upon three different periods: (1) Tri partite
(ADC)•
This form, found in only six of the seventy-
two movements, is quite unique#
Since this structure would
inevitably tend to become disjointed due to the amount of thematic material, the melodies are not greatly dissimilar, although they are clearly defined, and Lalande always repeats the entirety two or three times
Cor purposes of emphasis#
According to Masson,22if. Rameau invariably ended the first and second periods in some closely related key in order to reserve the tonic for the f,C f! period# in II :p. 302, but it is not
typical#
Lalande does this
He, In most instances,
changes or retains keys in a relatively uninhibited manner# Although Rameau ordinarily added a Coda to close the f o r m , 225 the present examples yield only one illustration of this appendage (II:p# 8 9 )* The following is the most clearly defined of the six examples
(II:p. 255)*
II;pp. 107 and 272. 22-K
Masson,
o p > cit#, p. 2l|5#
225
Ibid., pp. 2 k 6-7.
165 A (1-17) B (1 8 - 2 9 ) c (29-43) A: A: A (4 4 -4 7 ) A:
B
A (71-73) At
B (74-78) E:
(2)
(4 8 -5 5 ) c (5 6 -7 0 )
E:
D:
A:
C (79-98) A: Rondeau of words
(A B C ).
Although the rondeau of
words is being considered under separate heading from the tripartite structure,
it should be understood that it involves
merely a textual and not a musical modification of the latter* In this form, the words of MA ft are repeated to the music of "C", and, although mere conjecture,
it is probable that this
application represents an effort to unify the somewhat loose fabric of the original structure .2 2 6 (3.) Rondo (A B A C A ) •
Only one example of this form
exists in Lalande1s "Grand Motets” (II:p. 197)•
The form
is unusually lucid, and the short orchestral bridges between each of the essential period structures illustrates clearly the ideas of transition and retransition that were to mature in the later classic school.
Crude and abrupt though they
may be, the intention is obvious. The purposeful use of contrasting tonalities is readily apparent in the ftB ” and ”C !t sections*
See II :p. 179 Tor an example. siderably extended by repetition.
It is
The form is con
166 noteworthy that the first restatement of "A" is somewhat curtailed; whereas, the final reprise is unmodified except for the final cadence* The example is found in II: p. 197* A (1 - 2 3 ) B (23-34-37) A (37-48) C (48-54-67) A (6 7 - 8 3 ) g: Bb: g: g: g : Bb: D : g: Forms based upon four different per i o d s : Compound b i n a r y , (I -II) * pound forms,
Six examples can be no tad ^ 7
In the com
each Roman numeral indicates either the small
binary or the air en rondeau, each of which has received prior explanation.
In all but two Instances (those found
in II:pp* lj.7 and 11$),
the binary (AB) is the unit from
which the compound forms arise* In four of the six, each of the major divisions b e gins and ends in the tonic key; only two have the contrast of their respective relative tonalities
(II:pp* 233 and 263)*
Two of the movements are unique in that one of their parts is considerably expanded by contrapuntal treatment (IIspp. 9^ and 115); in a third (II: p. 6 5 )» both divisions are so treated* Although the strict pattern (I-II) is most often employed without repetition,
in one instance the entire form
is repeated with appropriate modifications adapting it to 227
in
pp. 4 7 , 65, 98, 115, 173, and 271.
167 transposed tonalities
(II: p. 233) s
I (1-33) II (3 3 - 6 8 ) I (6 8 -7 6 ) II (7 6 - 9 0 ) a: C: C: d: d: a: a: a: A more typical example follows I
(II: p. 271)•
(1-21) II (22-43) c: Eb: Eb: c: Ternary (I-II-I)•
The small binary (AB) is used
almost exclusively as the major unit in compounding the ternary form* employed
In only one Instance is the air en rondeau
(II: p. 263)*
Each of the three parts quite con
sistently maintains Its own tonality,
and, therefore, tonal
contrasts are between the major divisions which,
in them
selves, are relatively independent* The ternary form is employed in only five of the seventy-two
m o v e m e n t s
,2 2 8
a n c ^
as usual with this form,
identification is extremely easy although cla capo is indicat ed only once (II:p* 263)* movements
A coda is added to two of the
(II:pp. 33 and 28l),
and, in one instance, the
form is expanded by repetition so that it becomes I-II-III-I (II: p. 281). The following example
(lisp* 2^1) is typical of the
structure* I (1-49) II (49-68) I (6 9 - 9 6 ) A: f#: A:
2 2 8 See II: pp. 33j 2 5 1 , 2 6 3 , 2 6 5 , and 2 8 1 .
Contrapuntal f o r m s : (1) Quasi f u g a l ♦
Adequate treat
ment of Lalande1s quasi-fugal style has preceded under head ing of Imitation, pp*
10l]--06
It suffices here to state
that in three particular instances this idiom,
smacking
strongly of the polyphonic influence, was employed* In one example
(II:p* l5lf) the thematic material is
strongly stated in a contrapuntal ritournelle that divides itself neatly into two halves
and thus produces a small
binary with the appropriate modulations
(measures 1 - 3 1 )*
This is followed by extended contrapuntal treatment in the vocal trio which extends the movement to a length of eightyone bars • A second illustration,
based upon a single period (II
p. 3 )9 is entirely imitative or quasi-fugal in nature*
The
whole is divided by a very strong cadence on the dominant in measure fifty-one,
and, therefore, it too has the aspects of
a binary even though the approach is strictly contrapuntal* A similar formal aspect is inherent in the third ex ample
(II: p* 65)•
In this instance, there is a prominent
imitative section in the first twenty-eight bars which con cludes in the key of the dominant*
This is succeeded by
the contrapuntal treatment of an entirely different theme which, after lllj. bars, ends in the tonic key*
^he continu
ed analogy with the binary is apparent despite the contra puntal texture*
169 It is precisely in these examples that Lalande demon strates most conclusively the juncture of both the ancient polyphonic
tradition and the rise of the new tonal idiom
which permitted the use of considerably more lengthy and stereotyped forms.
His free utilization and adaptation of
both to form a more homogeneous whole, neither congruent nor incompatible with either, is fundamental in his technique. Further application of these converging styles will be illustrated in the following section, ostinato. (2)
Ostinato.
two of the movements the meter is 3 / 2
Lalande employs the ostinato in only
(II:pp. 50 and 275)*
In each instance
and the bass p a t t e r n s , each of four
measures duration, are rhythmically syncopated and based upon an ascending line. In the example in II: p. 50, the vocal phrases cor respond quite precisely with those of the ostinato,
and so
there is both harmonic and melodic support at cadence points. The entire movement maintains but one dominant mood. same scale material is used in both accompaniment violins, second violins, and continuo) throughout the entirety,
(first
and solo voice, and,
the strings constantly are based
upon the following rhythmic pattern: melodic material,
The
UJ.
J U o
|.
The
quite homogeneous in style throughout the
whole, quite clearly describes the form ”A B A B M in the vocal
part* This penchant for uniting contrapuntal techniques with a melody in set form is also evident in II: p. 274 where the smaller form "abbb abbbff appears simultaneously with the ostinato.
Therein, however, the formal element is
somewhat obscured by the overlapping of vocal phrases and cadential points inherent in the contrapuntal-harmonic structure• In the latter example, the bass pattern is repeated twelve times, and a very slight counterpoint, against-note, is used*
almost note-
The former example illustrates a
very definite contrapuntal style of accompaniment, and the ostinato occurs seventeen times* Overture f o rms.
Lalande does not employ the French
overture form as popularized by Lully. motets
(see II:pp* 72, 173, 233,
In four of the
and 2 8 9 ), overtures are
based upon one period (ab), and, in the additional six (see II:pp. 1, 24, 47, 107, 121, and 2 6 3 ) the form is expanded to the binary status
(Aab Bab).
The style and nature of
these movements are delineated on pages
157-58*
According to the evidence, the overture proper was not important per se.
Functionally, it was introductory,
and accordingly the orchestra had the responsibility of setting the essential mood of the entire first movement*
171 The interdependence of both the overtures and the vocal p o r tions which they introduced are thoroughly evident in the l!first movement form” which was frequently employed* This !,first movement form" includes the overture, solo or vocal ensemble which follows, and the conclusion by the Grand choir*
This is typical of many of the "Grand
Motets" of the p e r i o d , 229 and it is certainly true in the case of
L a l a n d e
*230
jn numerous examples the same thematic
material is used throughout *2 3 1 In only one instance does the overture appear to be independent of the following vocal movement, the sustained character of which Is not particularly instrumental in char acter (II: p* 107)•
However,
in this example, the orches
tra performs a logical function by introducing the mood and the style of accompaniment which pervails in accompanying the voices when they enter* Recitative *
Frequent reference has been made through-
229 Alexander Cellier. "Michel-Richard de La Lande," op > cit *, February-March, 19^6 > P« 22* 230 see ii:pp. 7 2 , 107, 121, 173, 2 33, 2 6 3, and 2 8 9 . Three examples employ the general aspects but do not carry through the entirety in detail: II:pp* 1, 24, and l\JJ • 231 See II:pp. 107, 121, 173, and 2 8 9 , This same technique is also frequently exploited both during a movement within the motet (II:pp* 215-221), and as the final movement form (II:pp* 282-88, and 307-13)•
172 out this chapter to the melodic nature of the recitatif, recitatif mes u r e , and additional instances in which the music approximates, the style of the aforementioned although not actually so-named*
Since the presence of !,formff would
further verify this melodic tendency,
it is appropriate to
summarize here L alande!s concept of the recitative insofar as it is related to forms* Seven examples of this style are present*
Five are
indicated as recitatif or recitatif mesur^ (II: pp* 2 6 , 7 2 , ltf.2 , 2 8 l, and 2 9 9 ) » an an
and
Brossard* s tfadagio e presto,” indicating an ,faccelerando,” is similarly conspicuous b y its single occurrence (II: p. 3 6 9 ).
Five times words are employed to indicate slow move ment
(“adagio” and “lentement" are used once each, and
“grave” occurs three times).
The additional eight usages,
considerably in the majority, denote lighter and faster character,3 and, therefore, evince the dominant temperament *
of the mus i c . Meter signatures.
Meter signatures, listed accord
ing to frequency of occurrence,
are as follows:
(1) ”C,” nineteen times, (2) ”2,” thirteen times, (3) !f3 * tf eleven times, til-) "3/2," seven times, (5)
tf four times,
3 “Gracieusement” occurs twice, and the following once each: “Vivement,” “Vif sans presser,” “Rondement sans trop presser,” “Leg&rement,” “Alegro," and “Adagio e presto.”
187 (6) l!l|-/8,n two t ime s , and (7) ,f6/4n and IT/2l\.911 once each* The negation of the possibility of predicting tempo by meter signatures has been presented in Chapter III, Part I*
However,
it is noteworthy to observe the overwhelming
preference for meter signatures bearing two accents to the bar*
Only ,f3" and ,f3 / 2 , H in great minority, retain three
beats to the bar.
Even the n2/l±n example closely approx
imates two accents rather than two pulses to the measure (II: p. i-j-l8), and, therefore, is more comparable with nlf/8.n By plotting the number of different meters employed by each composer,
an increase followed by a decrease is
obvious throughout the era*
Composer
No. of different meter signatures employed
Du Mont
Total No. of meter signatures 5 on the score, but actually twelve as they do not reappear for successive m o v e ments •
Charpentier
k
10
Brossard
5
11
Bernier
6
11
Campra
3
6
Gervais
2
6
Whether this curve is indicative of the entire period
188 could be ascertained only through exhaustive research beyond the scope of this writing.
However,
the trend is apparent
in the "Grand Motets" under study. Measure num b e r s ♦
Du Mont *s Benedic Anima Mea does
not contain one double bar from the beginning until the end of the work.
The entire motet is continuous.
the musical "forms" are not clearly defined,
Therefore,
and, at times,
this writer has had occasion to rely entirely upon personal judgment in assaying the intent of the formal structure. For this reason, the measures of this motet have been num bered consecutively from the first to the last instead of in accordance with the formal structure. For similar reasons,
Charpentier1s jO D e u s , 0 Salvator
Noster has been accorded a somewhat comparable treatment. The entire work has been numbered in two parts in accordance with the indication of the composer (II: p. 3 & 1 ) . III.
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE
Four of the composers
(Du Mont,
Campra, Bernier,
and
Gervais) wrote expressly for the k i n g fs chapel at Versailles; therefore, the data on performance practice in Chapter III applies in detail to their music. Charpentier, unfortunately the object of L u l l y !s wrath, occupied numerous musical positions outside the court
proper.
However, Riemann asserts that his motets were fre
quently performed at the Mass of the Dauphin,k- and both Crussard5> and Gastoue^ indicate the tolerance Charpentier was forced to exhibit regarding the performance of his music in general.
Therefore, it is altogether reasonable
assume that 0_ D e u s , jO Salvator Nos ter was executed,
to at least
occasionally, under circumstances comparable with the motets of the preceding four chapel composers. Brossard occupied a post at Notre-Dame in 1 6 8 3 , was prebendary in 1 6 8 7 at Strassburg,
and in 1 6 8 9 became grand
chaplain and music director of the cathedral he died.
at Meaux, where
Since the composition date of In Convertendo
Domino cannot be ascertained, it will be assumed, for pur poses of comparison, that the work was performed by personnel similar to that found in the chapel of the king. IV. Tonality.
HARMONIC-CONTRAPUNTAL FACTORS The ’’Grand Mote t s ” of Brossard, Bernier,
Campra, and Gervais are thoroughly tonal in every respect.
b- Hugo Riemann, ’’Charpentier, Marc-Antoine, ” Dictionnaire de Mus ique, pp. 23lp-35* 5 Claude Crus sard, Un Musicien Franqais Oublie', MarcAntoine Charpentier (Paris: Librairie Floury, 19^-5) 9 P* 7 b . / 0 Amedee Gastoue, ’’Notes sur les Manuscrits et sur quelques Oeuvres de M.-A. Charpentier,” Melanges de Musicologie, ed. La Laurencie (Paris: Librairie E. Droz, 195377 pp.
155^6.
190 Those by Du Mont and Charpentier, composers,
the earliest of the six
evidence the use of some unexpected chromaticism
which is at times reminiscent of pre-tonality but which always reverts immediately to more harmonic patterns. ticularly in Du
Par
Mont do the chromatics lend a charm of
peculiar simplicity as opposed to the more vigorous chromatic spices obtained by the other composers. Du Mont bears another singular distinction:
every
formal movement of his motet is in "D“ minor; whereas,
each
of the others contain movements in contrasting keys: relative, tonic major, subdominant, submediant, et cetera.
However,
even Du Mont modulates within his “forms11 and thus obtains contrasts in tonalities. Charpentier employed more movements in different tonalities than any of the additional five composers.
Perhaps
this can partially be attributed to the characteristics he ascribed to various k e y s , 7 but his modulations are frequently so abrupt that any sentiments associated with such keys would scarcely have time to assert themselves.
Secondly,
it is
difficult to accept the Prelude in II: p. 3&1 as being “serieux et magnifique,“ and the final chorus,
beginning in
"C“ major, is hardly “gay et guerier“ (II: p. 368).
Thirdly,
^ Eugene Borrel, L !Interpretation de la Musique Franyaise (Paris: Librairie Felix Alcan, 193 ^-)» PP* 213-1^ itemlzes the attributes of each key according to Charpentier.
191 all but two of the movements
actually end in tonalities that
differ from those in which they began*8 The most unusual tonality employed by any of these m e n is Campra* s use of r,B fl major for the third movement of his motet in "B11 minor (II: p* lj.68)* found modulations to f,E lf major,
In this movement are also lff # ff minor, and ffc#ff minor*
The difficulties of intonation in such keys have been treated in Chapter IV, but it Is particularly noteworthy that even these tonalities were employed in order to obtain the all-important contrasts of closely related keys* The harmonic sequence of fifths *
The harmonic con
tent of these motets is so completely saturated with progres sions to and from the three primary harmonies that sequences of root progressions moving down by fifths are negligible* Occasionally a succession of sixth chords may be noted (II :ij-93:3-5) > and sequences of alternating sixth and seventh chords sometimes occur (II :3&9 :7-1^1-) • stance,
In the latter in
the progression is fundamentally a series of first
inversions descending by step, one tone of which Is suspended to create the alternating harmonic effect. Brossard exhibits a more fundamental in 11:369:1-6*
type of sequence
Here a two bar meIodic-harmonic pattern is
8 These movements begin on the following pages: II:pp. 3 6 3 f 36 1+, 36$, 366, 3 6 8 .
192 repeated three times, and each statement is diatonically one step higher.
Although this exact procedure is rarely so
compactly adhered to, it is in essence the principal "develop mental" means employed by all these composers. periods,
Phrases,
and sections are frequently repeated with unessen
tial alterations on different scale degrees and in appro priately corresponding keys.
Development in the true sense
is almost unknown— the closest approach appearing in B r o s s a r d 1s overture, the entirety of which can be traced back to the first ten bars and more particularly to measures seven to ten (II:pp. 369-70). Second invers ions of triads.
All the intervals
contained in major or minor triads, unless in the second inversion, the
are consonances.
chord is evident,
When the dissonant fourth of
it is always subjected to one of the
following four treatments: followed by the dominant,
(1) as a pre-cadential chord (2) as a passing chord in which
the bass line moves by step in direct line,9 (3) as a chord left by step in the bass, 10 and (if) between two root posi tions of the dominant!! (occasionally for very sustained
9 10
11:360:93. 11:334:6 and 9; and 11:339:204-5.
13. 11:314:11; 11:315:37; 11:347:234; 131:367:3.4°; 11:368:167; and 11:374:1°*
11:366:119;
193 periods of time-^)* Doubling of chord m embers*
Frequent doubling of
chord thirds in outer voices is reminiscent of the contra puntal influence*
Even the leading tone is occasionally
accorded this treatment, but all these doublings are invar iably approached by contrary motion in both outer voices*13 Augmented triads.
Since minor tonality is consider
ably more utilized in this music than major (thirty-two of the fifty-one movements),
augmented triads on the mediant
occur with a fair degree of frequency*
Except in the case
of Charpentier, these dissonances result from the motion of individual lines, and thus the augmented triads may be con strued as non-chordal tones that are properly resolved*
Du
Mont uses this device so freely that it seems to lend a "leitmotiftf character to his music by its recurrence.1^1With Charpentier, however, the dissonant triad is conceived in a vertical sense that is undeniably harmonic* Both the sustained nature of the chord and the continuo
26-31;
12 11:499:25-32; 11:508:88-91; 11:527 :21).-2 6 ; 11:388: 11:382:174-85; 11:376:33-5; and 11:373:12-14.
13 11:314:20; 11:363:47 1 1 :4 2 2 :2 1 ; and 11:513:3.
(Leading Tone); 11:371:12;
14 11:327:123; 11:332:150 and l68; 11:347:232; and 11:348:253.
figuration forcibly evidence t h i s * ^ It is notable that the two earliest composers under study are the ones who have most frequently availed themselves of this dissonant structure and that their usages represent antithetical approaches: linear and harmonic* Seventh chords * solved down*
The minor seventh is invariably re
Charpentier gives an example in which the
dissonant member moves up to the fifth of the following triad, and the resolution tone, the third of the next chord, is heard in the bass*
However,
the movement is so rapid and
the third appears so quickly thereafter in the highest voice that the effect is simply one of delayed resolution*-^ Major sevenths either ascend^-? or d e s c e n d ^ by step (the latter predominates),
and both major and minor sevenths
occasionally have delaying tones interpolated between the dissonance and the resolution proper*19 15 11:359:61 (Note the addition of the major seventh); 11:362:22; and 11:368: 1 6 2 .
16
11 :356 :10.
17 II:3ll|_:8; 11:338:187; 11:366:120; 11:368:166; 401:38; and 11:493:10.
II:
18 11:314:6; 11:315:26, 27, 3 6 ; 1 1 :3 3 8 :1 9 9 ; 11:339:205 11:352:289; 11:357:27; 1 1 :3 6 0 :8 4 ; 1 1 :3 6 1 :6 2 , 64; 1 1 :3 6 6 :1 1 8 ; 11:367:139, 151; 1 1 :3 6 8 :1 6 3 , 164, 1 6 6 ; 1 1 :3 7 2 :2 6 ; 1 1 :3 8 1 :1 5 2 ; 11:383:10, 1 2 ; 11:386:4; 11:401:8, 25; 11:402:67; 11:403:10; I I :lp3lj-:12; and II:I|-93:6.
19 Major sevenths: 11:356:9; 11:363:60: 11:370:53-5; and 11:14-51:93* Minor sevenths: 11:356:8; 11:363:56, 6 l, 65; and 11:370:53-5*
195 In a single example of an augmented triad to which a major seventh has been added, that member moves down by s tep.20 Diminished seventh chords, and more particularly diminished triads, occur frequently on the leading tone in minor keys* Ninth chords* minor)
Chords of the ninth (either major or
always resolve the dissonant member down by step. 21
However, the interval of the ninth sometimes ascends by step* In these instances the dissonant member is either a prepared ritardation22 or the interval appears over a pedal p o i n t *23
Both usages constitute "wide seconds" rather than chordal ninths* The footnote examples given in conjunction with the preceding paragraph will indicate that exactly half of the ninths occur in Charpentier1s motet, the shortest by far of all the works under consideration.
This mannerism, his use
of chromaticism (previously discussed), and his unusual
20
11:359:61.
21 1 1 :3 2 ^: 1 0 0 ; 11:337:183; 11:31+1:2, 3; 11:358:57; 11:359:65, 69; 11:361:102; 11:362:36, LJ.2; 11:363:60, 6 l, 62, 65; 1 1 :3 7 1 :1 0 ; 11:1+51:88; 11:1+69:12; 11:1+93:9, 1 8 , 25; and 1 1 :5 2 7 :2 8 . 22
11:502:56 and 1+93:15.
23
1 1 :3 6 6 : 1 2 0
and 11:367:11+1.
196 employment of tritones (to be treated below)
are described in
a brief poem that Lavoix attributes to Brossard who apparent ly considered them distinctive characteristics of Marc-Antoine1s style. Charpentier, revetu d*une richesse, Des chromatiques sons fit sentir la finesse; Dans la belle harmonie il s*ouvrit un chemin, Neuviemes et tritons brill&rent dans sa main»2L|_ The tritone in outer voices♦
The tritone dissonance
in outer voices occurs in all the motets except Du M o n t !s, but it is Charpentier who most frequently employs it.
In
four instances, he moves from it in parallel motion to another tritone,25 and in two other examples the bass leaps from the tritone (scale four to Thus,
o n e )
.2 6
as with augmented triads, it is the two earliest
composers under study who provide the most contrasting appli cations of a musical idiom. Parallel mot i o n .
Parallel fifths and octaves are
notably rare in these six motets.
Charpentier supplies
2k
H. Lavoix, Histoire de 1 instrumentation depuis le Seizi&me Si&cle .1usqufk Nos Jours (Paris: Librairie de FirminDidot et Cie, I 8 7 B ), p. 219* This poem appears at the head of the list of Charpentier1s music at the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. 25
11:357:36; 11:361:99-100; ll:36l:9; and 11:367:135.
26
11:361:10 and 367:136-7.
197 several examples of parallel fifths (11:356:6 and 11, and II: 3 6 7 :1 3 8 ), all of which occur at relatively inconspicuous
melodic points.
One example of ”corresponding octaves” may
be found in 11:369:7-10*
However, this instance more
accurately approximates doubling at the octave,
a technique
used more frequently between instrumental and choral parts, and cannot possibly be construed in terms of erroneous par allelism. Pedal p o i n t .
Only two examples of pedal point are
evident, and both must be attributed to Charpentier.
In the
first (11:358:14-2-5), the only chord other than Tonic employed over the pedal is the diminished triad on the leading tone. In the second (11:367:11+1-2), a major triad on the fifth above is superposed over the bass.
In both illustrations
the pedal note enters and closes as root of a triad. Ostinato.
Bernier offers the only example of the
ostinato bass (ll:pp. lj.3 1 - 3 )*
*^e pattern is three and one-
half bars long and quite complex rhythmically; however, the entirety is mere elaboration upon the descending tetrachord that was so commonly favored during the baroque era. The ground is repeated ten times, four of which are transposed a fourth below to provide contrast in the middle section.
Over the entirety is placed a rather unique melo
dic "form" in which theme ”A ,f is followed by the contra-
198 puntally combined "A” and "B” subjects,
and "B" is used to
complete the song# Modulations#
Modulatory techniques so accurately
approximate those employed by Lalande that no additional dis cussion concerning them is requisite#
See Chapter IV, "Mod
ulations# " Cadential structure #
Cadential structure as employed
by these six composers parallels almost exactly that by Lalande,
and description of it would be merely redundant#
See Chapter IV, "Cadential Structure#" However, a strangely archaic ending employed by Charpentier is worthy of comment (II:368:155-69)•
Here
Gabrieli-like harmonizations and false relations, mixed with more advanced suspensions, make a very unexpected appearance and produce a most startling effect# Just an additional word is necessary to state that Bernier is the only one of these men who employed the hemiola to accentuate his cadences#27
In each of these instances,
the hemiola rhythm precedes immediately the strong cadence on tonic which follows the root position of dominant#
27 11:144.0:62, 70; 11:144-3:108; I I :144+: 1315 11:14+6:151+, l6 l ; and 11:1+1+8:189.
199 Non-harmonic tones*
Due to the harmonic nature of
this music, all the intervals found in major and minor triads, except for the dissonant second inversion which has been dis cussed earlier in this chapter, may be considered consonances* All others are dissonances, of which tritones,
sevenths,
and
ninths have also been accorded previous consideration. In general, passing tones, upper and lower auxiliary tones,
suspensions,
and anticipations abound to such a
degree that to cite examples would be superfluous.
These
are obvious in the notation proper, but the practice of ornamentation undoubtedly rendered extremely numerous addi tional non-chordal tones, the degree of which can only be surmised. Several exceptional practices, however, need clari fication. Non-chordal "escape tones" which leap down a third are in evidence;28 however,
it is highly improbable that they
were performed as such inasmuch as the French school of this period almost always Inserted a passing tone or appoggiatura to "fill" this descending interval. The major second customarily resolves either by step wise ascent in the upper voice or by stepwise descent in the
28
11:320:65; 11:332:158;
and 11:361^:96, 98-9.
200 lower*
When minor seconds occur, the lower voice usually
moves down by step*
However, one exceptional practice may
be noted in which seconds resolve to the unison*29
Although
this is not frequent in occurrence, there are sufficient ex amples to conclude that they are not mere oversights* Cross relations are rare but not totally absent from the scores,
and there is no single example
eous cross relation*
of the simultan
They are all horizontal
(ll:3llj.:3#
and 1 1 :3 6 2 :3 0 )* One exceptional and apparently unresolved melodic dissonance appears in Charpentier (II:36l:li|_ and 11:362:28). This diminished fifth, which does not change direction for its resolution,
is the only example of its type*
‘ ^ he solu
tion of its interpretation lies in the ornament symbol which appears with it upon its first occurrence: it is necessary to add an appoggiatura, thus altering the downward leap to a perfect fourth, and then descend by half step where a short trill would in all likelihood ensue before the final resolution* Continuo figuration*
It should be noted that only
C a m p r a fs and Charpentierfs motets have figured continuos. Furthermore,
the score for the latter is extremely difficult
to read, and it is possible that some few erroneous 29 386:11,
11:315:32;
Il:3l6:i).6; XI-.3Uh-.223; 11:361:13;
II:
26 , 28 ; 11:392:26; 11:14.13:28; 11:14-31:5; 11:14-32:10.
201 interpretations might exist in this transcription*
However,
every possible effort has been made to maintain complete fidelity to the original. Where figuration is present,
the same freedoms and
licenses observed in L a l a n d e 1s scores are in evidence* Imitation.
^he imitative or quasi-fugal style
described in Chapter IV, "Imitation,” may be applied with exactitude to the music contained in Appendix D* V. In general,
HARMONIC-CONTRAPUNTAL SUMMARY all six of the "Grand Motets" in Appendix
D are conservatively consonant and, with the exception of Charpentier's , quite strict contrapuntally and harmonically* Marc-Antoine is outstanding for his adventuresome and imagin ative spirit when compared with the other five.
The reader
has undoubtedly previously recognized this inasmuch as the bulk of exceptional practices discussed above have been taken from his music. All the motets are based upon tonal counterpoint, but those by Du Mont and Charpentier frequently employ consider ably more unexpected chromaticism than the others, therefore, harmonic.
and,
are occasionally somewhat less conspicuously However, the last chorus of Du Mont's work and
any of the choral portions by Charpentier are thoroughly Illustrative of a secure vertical concept*
202 VI.
VOCAL MUSIC AND ITS ORCHESTRAL ACCOMPANIMENT
The 11Grand Choir.t!
Five of the six motets employ a
five voice "Grand Choir" comparable with that employed by Lalande and described in detail in Chapter III.
Du Mont
has notated the baritone as a second tenor part,
and it is
notable that he avoids frequent overlaps with the b a s s voice by the slightly higher tessitura. written for a four voice choir:
Charpentier1s motet is
soprano, alto, tenor,
and
bass. All the composers employed vertical, note-against-note choirs, 30 but the complete absence of imitative or quasi-
fugal choral movements in Charpentier is singular.31 Only Brossard, Bernier,
and Campra utilize choral
coloraturas on appropriate words of description such as "laetantes," "torrens," "exultare," "lauditio," et c e t e r a .32 The other three composers do not yield even a single example
30 ii:PP. 34-9, 352, 356, 357, 359, 360, 361. 364-, 3 6 7 , 368, 378, 382, 391, 394-, 395, 4-21, 462, 466, 478, 5o4, 508, and 513• 33- For examples by the other five composers see IIspp. 325 (note the converging entries between the chorus and the orchestra), 327, 350, 354, 3 7 3 , 503, 1+13, 4l4, 44-3, 464, 480- 1, 1+81+-5, 1+97, 500, and 522. 3 2 II:p. 380, laetantes; lisp. 384, torrens; lisp. 3 8 6 , exultations; II:p. 388, flebant; lisp. 399, portantes; II:p. 1+19, annuntiabit; II :p. 1+2+3, laudatio; II :p. 1+51+, quaesierunt; II :p. 471, dispere; and lisp. 1+71+, confitebor.
203 of the choral vocalise.
However, Gervais descriptively
applies an extended alternation of the dominant triad in root position with the second inversion of the tonic in conjunc tion with "beatus” (ll:p. J+99), the harmonic structure ob viously being intended to depict the idea of enduring beauty. In another instance, the .long note values apportioned to the word "pacem" are appropriate to the tranquillity implied in the word (II:pp. 52lp-35)* A still more interesting example is presented by Bernier with the words "Sanctum et terrible nomen Ejus" p. I4.3I+) •
(II:
Herein, the first and last words are in long
values; the words between them being rapid and declamatory. The "Grand Choir’1 appears a total of twenty-two times in these six motets: (1) Du Mont, five times, (2) Charpentier, five times, (3) Brossard, four times, (Ip) Bernier,
three times,
(5) Gervais, three times,
and
(6) Campra, two times. Gradual decrease in the number of appearances Is not to be construed as progressively minimizing the importance of this choral group.
As will be noted in consideration of
"form" it indicates rather a decrease in the number of sections or formal movements in the motet as a unit due to the
2Oil enlargement of the individual forms. Small sectionalism, distinctly reminiscent of the preceding polyphonic school, is most evident in Du Mont and Charpentier the two earliest composers.
It is progressively
abandoned and replaced by larger divisions, in these motets,
as is illustrated
and eventually is consummated in the com
pletely unified movement of the classic symphonists. The orchestral accompaniments to the "Grand Choirs" receive considerably diverse treatments. Du Mont has one basic accompaniment pattern that is employed in all choral movements: first violins double the alto voice an octave higher;
second violins double the soprano;
third violins double the second tenor at the octave; violas double the first tenor; and the continuo doubles the vocal bass.
In one example the function of first and second violins
is reversed (II:pp. 353“5 ) • Thus, Du M o n t fs orchestral accompaniment eliminates the remplissage and corresponds exactly to his choral style.
How
ever, both his Confitebimur and his Benedictus reveal elemen tary orchestral counterpoints: the first violins in the former, and the second violins in the latter. These counterpoints are largely note-against-note with the additional orchestral and choral parts, but they are melodically independent.
Their function is more comparable
to that of an added vocal part which is considerably above
205 the tessitura available from the soprano voice for sustained periods of time.
However,
in this mere contrapuntal germ
lay the seed that developed into the completely independent and rhythmically vigorous counterpoints of Lalande. The orchestral style of accompaniment exemplified by Charpentier cannot be categorized so neatly.
In general, the
vocal lines are doubled by instrumental parts, but the pro cedure is subjected to myriad variations. quently interchange vocal doublings.
Instruments fre
At times their parts
seem contrapuntally free or heterophonic with the voices, but no one idiom is so consistently employed that it could be termed typical*
The hybrid style is his distinguishing
characteristic.
There is no remplissage.
Brossard always couples the sopranos with the first violins,
and the continuo doubles the vocal bass.
The
second violins and violas interchange and alternate to sup port the alto, tenor, or first bass. In only one brief example
(11:375:30-1) do the first
and second violins appear to approach the concept of free counterpoints,
and the viola then assumes the status of
remplissage. Bernier's score contains only one violin part which always duplicates the soprano part.
The continuo doubles
the second bass. The score by Campra indicates the use of flutes and
206 oboes to double some orchestral parts, but precisely how many should be so duplicated is not evident*
In all probability
they would be limited to the two uppermost lines*
However,
for the sake of clarity, the various instrumental lines will be referred to in terms of the customary string instruments* The first violins usually double the soprano voice, but occasionally either heterophonic treatment or slight counterpoints are evident (ll:pp. lj.53-67 an 1949*
________
Personal letter, June 1, 1949*
., Personal letter, June, 1949 (no day notated on the letter, but between June 12 and June 31). , Personal letter, June 12, 1949* , Personal letter, June 19* 1949* , Personal letter, July 2, 1949* Brunold, Paul, Personal letter, May 9> 194^* Cellier, Alexander,
Personal letter,
January 20, 194$*
________, Personal letter, December 30, 194$• Girardon, Ren^e, Personal letter, February 15, 1949* Masson,
Paul-Marie,
Personal letter, August l6, 194®.
Rieunier, M. (for Bibliotheque Nationale), June 14, 1949*
Personal letter,
P.
MUSIC
Bernier, N., Confitebor tibi Domine, Psalm 137, Unpublished (n.d.), Conservatoire, Paris• Brossard, S^bastien de, In Convortendo Domino, Psalm 125* Unpublished (n.d.), Conservatoire, Paris. Campra, Andre, Deus in Nomine, Psalm 53 * Boivin, 1738, Biblioth^que NatTonale. Cellier, Alexander, editor, De Profundis, Psalm 130, by M.R. de Lalande, Paris, Rouart Lerolle aux Editions Salabert, 1 9 ljl|-. Charpentier, M.-A., 0 Deus, 0 Salvator Noster, Unpublished (n.d.), BibliothFque Nationale. Lalande, M.-R. de, Les Elements, Leipzig, Breitkopf & H&rtel, .1883. -
— , (See Appendix A).
Du Mont,
Benedic Anima M ea, Psalm 102, Paris,Ballard, 1 6 8 6 .
Forme', Nicolas, Ecce Tu Pulchra Es Arnica Me a, Paris, Bal lard, 1 6 3 8 . ------- 9
Missa Doubis Choris, Paris, Ballard,
1638.
Gervais, C.-H., Beati Omnes, Psalm 127* Unpublished (n.d.), Bibliothbque Nationale. Letocart, Henri, editor, Beati Omnes, Psalm 127, by M.-R. de Lalande, Paris, Procure General, 1 9 2 8 . — -- , editor, Misereri Mei, Deus, Psalm 50, by M.-R. de Lalande, Paris, Procure General, 1927* Lully, Jean-Baptiste, Suite for Orchestra (from various operas of Lully), edited by Alfred Einstein, New York, Music Press, Inc., 194l* G.
COLLECTIONS
Bach-Gesellschaft, Johann Sebast ian Bach *s W e r k e . Photo lithograph by J.W. Edwards, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1947#
267
Cauchie, Maurice, editor, Oeuvres Completes de Francois Couperin, Vol. I, II, X I , and XII , Par is",“Editioris de“ L ’oiseau Lyre, 1932* Dankmfller der Tonkunst in Osterreich, I, 3* PP« 19-20; I, pT tjlf, ed. G-uido Adler.
% 9
Expert, Henry, editor, Les Maitres Musiciens de la Renaissance Francaise, Vols. 2, 10, 17, Paris, Maurice Senart,
l89i4.-190b. Pruni&res, Henry, editor, Oeuvres Completes de J.-B. Lully, 9 volumes, Paris, Editions de la Revue Musicale, 1931* Saint-Sa&ns, C., Jean-Philippe Rameau, Oeuvres Completes, Vols. IV & V , Paris, A • Durand et Fils, IU98 • ~ Smijers, A., editor, Treize Livres de Motets parus chez Pierre Attaingnant en 1534 1535* Vols. 1, 2, 8c 3 9 Paris, Editions de l»0iseau Lyre, 1934* H. MISCELLANEOUS Blamont, Colin de, Avertissement (to the grand edition of L a l andeTs m o t e t s ), September 28, 1728. Tannevot, Preface ou discours sur la vie et les ouvrages de M. de La Lande, ppT 1-8, c. l7^H* Thomassin, S., Engraving of Michel-Richard de Lalande, Biblio th&que Nationale, Paris, France.
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A INDEX OF COMPOSITIONS by MICHEL-RICHARD DE LALANDE INSTRUMENTAL WORKS SIMPHONIES DE M. DE LALANDE, Q U !IL FAISOIT EXECUTER TOUS LES 15 JOURS PENDANT LE SOUPER DE LOUIS XIV ET LOUIS XV, MISES DANS U N NOUVEL O R D R E , ET SES AUGMENTATIONS. RECUILLIES EN 173 6 . Lalande,
in these symphonies, has collected extracts
from many of his secular works and particularly from his bal lets.
The music consists of suites of dances, marches,
even vocal airs. flutes,
and
The instrumentation comprises strings,
oboes, bassoons, trumpets and kettledrums.
Unless
otherwise indicated, string instruments are taken for granted. The flnouvel ordre," as the title page makes evident, is undoubtedly not the original, but, in all probability, quite representative of the period.
it was
The music, however,
is
entirely from the pen of Lalande. Volume 1 Premier Sui t t e : G : Ouventure; trio of oboes; second air; third air; air de Diane; g i g u e ; grand air; lour£; rondeau (trio of oboes); air vif et detache; air; rondeau; bourse; air; air menuet; passepied (vio lins and oboes); air; air; rondo sarabande; seconde sarabande rondeau; air (trio of oboes); chaconne. pp. 1 - 1 1 Suitte (no n u m b e r ) : d: Rondeau; trio of oboes; air; air; rondeau; bou r e e ; air grave; (Ballet de 1 !Inconnu. first entree) menuet; passepied (du ballet de 1 1Inconnu, entree gen^rale) air; air; sarabande; rondeau; second sarabande; menuet; trio of oboes; chaconne. pp. 1 2 - 3 6
270 Deuxierne Suitte: d: Ouverture; rondeau; oboe; air gay; bourse; air de zephire; first menuet; (du ballet de 1 fInconnu, first entree) second menuet; first air; second air; rondeau; saltarelle; entree de matelots; menuet; (du ballet de 1 1Inconnu. entree generale) forlane; tambourin (flageolets); chaconne. pp. 3 7 - 6 0 . Troisi^me S u i t t e : g : First air; rondeau; second air; third air; trio of oboes; grand air; air vif; rondeau; 1 TInconnu, second entree; menuet; rigaudon; second rigaudon; trio of oboes; first menuet (oboes); second menuet (oboes and violins); muzette (violins, bassoons, oboes, and continuo); passepied; first bouree; rondeau (two oboes and continuo); second bouree (oboes and violins); rondeau; chaconne; passacaille. pp. 6 l- 9 2 . Quatri&me S u i t t e : D: Prelude from Te Deum Laudamus; air; air; air; first menuet (trumpet); second menuet (trio of oboes); air en echo (trump ets, kettledrums, and continuo); air grave; sarabande; air; sarabande (voice); air; (1 1Inconnu, second entree) muzette; air (violins, trumpets, kettledrums, oboes, and continuo); trio en rondeau; (du ballet des Elements) trumpets, violins, oboes, bassoons; rondeau; air pour des chinois; la pagode; air; chaconne en echot avec les trompettes (trumpets and kettledrums) • pp. 9 ^-” 1 2 6 . Cinquieme S u i t t e : g : Ouverture (du ballet des Elements); prelude air; third air; choir; prelude (du ballet des Elements); three airs from Les Elements; passepied; air (de ballet de 1 TInconnu, second en tree ) ; rondeau; air (violins and flutes’]"! bouree (de 1 fInconnu, first entree); sarabande (de 1 1Inconnu, first entr e e ) ; bourse (du ballet de 1 jInconnu, fifth entrde); loure; third air (Les Elements) ; ariette [~Les Elements) ; first menuet (Les Elements) ; fifth Entree (La ftVillageoise^, 1 1Inconnu) ; five part music (oboes and violins), pp. 127-159* Sixi^me Sui t t e ; D : Premier caprice; trio.
pp. 160-177*
Septi^me Su i t t e : g : Second Fantaisle or Caprice; oboes, bassoons, and continuo. pp. 178-192. Huiti^me Suit t e : D : Third Caprice (Violins, flutes and oboes); second air (oboe and bassoon); gigue (violin solo); quatour (violins, bassoons and continuo); prelude; air. pp. 193-2 1 1 .
271 Volume two Neuvi&me S u i t t e : B b : Ouverture; trio of oboes; second air; third air; prelude; air; gavotte; bourse; first menuet; second menuet; air; air; trio (vocal--ffAir des cambattanstT) ; menuet; air de payoan (1 *Inconnu, second entree); chaconne. pp. 2-21. Dixi^me Suitte: e : Prelude; air; trio of oboes; petit air; trio (flute allemande, oboe, and voice); rondeau; air; mouvement de sarabande; air (flutes and violins); grand air; second air; third air; passacaille or grand pi&ce (bassoons), pp. 22-ij-6 . Onzi^me Suitte: P : Ouverture; second air (flutes); rondeau; grand air; air (flutes and violins); petit choir (no words, however); air; air; air; air; gigue; sarabande; rondeau (1 TInconnu, second entree); chaconne. pp. 1|_7—77 • Douzi^me S u i t t e : d : Ouverturel air; gavotte; air (oboes); trio (violins, flute allemande, and voice); bourse; concert (oboe and flutes); air; trio of oboes; gavotte; sarabande; passepied; grand air; air pour la gloires; air; trio; passepied; loure; first m e n uet; second menuet; chaconne (du ballet des Fontaines de Versailles). pp. 78-109* Treizi^me S u i t t e ; A: Ouverture; marche; sarabande; air bouree; chaconne; march (du ballet de 1*Inconnu, entrde generale); air de paysana et de paysanne (du ballet de 1 1Inconnu, fifth entrde); air pour une Nyais et une Nyaise (du ballet de 1 TInconnu, fifth entree); air pour u n vieux et une vielle (du ballet de 1 1Inconnu, fifth entree; courante (du ballet de 1 1Inconnu, fifth entree); sara bande; first menuet (du ballet de 1 1Inconnu, fifth entree); allemande; petit air; menuet; first bour s e ; second bourse (two oboes); chaconne. pp. 110-13^4-* Quatorzi^me Suitte: C : Air; air; trio (two oboes and bassoons); air; petit air (vo cal); chaconne; air; gigue; air lour^; air en echo; prelude; bouree (du ballet de 1 *Inconnu, third entree); sarabanderondeau (du ballet de 1 1Inconnu, third entree; rigaudon; passepied (du ballet de l ^ n c o n n u , third entree); passacaille, PP. 13^-161^. ----------
272 Quinzi^me S u i t t e ; d: Ouverture (du ballet des Fontaines de Versailles); second air (du ballet de 1 *Inconnu, first entree)] air; gavotte (with oboe solo, voice, and choir); petit air; rondo (du ballet des Fontaines de Versailles); gigue; air; gavotte; sarabande (vocal); air (vocal); gigue (oboes); menuet suivant (oboe solo and voice); air; canarie; sarabande; march© (du ballet de 1 1Inconnu, fifth entrdc); passacaille. pp. l61|.-192. Seizi&me Suitte: G: Ouverture; lourd; air (vocal; air (two oboes and bassoons); air (oboe with voice); trio with oboe; entre d'yvragne; ron deau (oboes); loure-rondeau (du ballet de l fInconnu, third entre'e); air; first riguadon; second rigaudon; gigue; menuet; bourde; passacaille. pp. 1 9 2 - 2 1 !]-• Dix-septi&me Suitte: g: (Premi&re Petite Suitte) Ouverture; marque; gavottel air ("du ballet des Fontaines de Versailles) ; air (du ballet de 1 1Inconnu, entrde gdn^raleTT sarabande; air (du ballet 1 1Inconnu, second entree); entree; pesament; canarie; petite chaconne (du ballet de 1 !Inconnu, entrde gdndrale); bourde; lourd* pp. 2 1 ^- 2 2 6 . Dix-huiti^me Suitte: d: (Seconde Petite Suitte) Air; sarabande; first air; menuet; third air; branle; menuet (two oboes); menuet; menuet (with voice and oboe); passepied; lourd; tempeste. pp. 2 2 6 - 2 3 7 * Dix-neuvi^me Suitte: D : Ouverture; air; menuet; contredance; sarabande; rondeau; marche; muzette; first rigaudon; second rigaudon; first tambourin; second tambourin; second air (entrde de la F o lie); second air; air mouvent de gigue; air entrde de la sagesse; lourd; cha conne. pp. 2 3 7 - 2 6 2 . An additional symphony, Simphonie de M. de La Lande faitte a Saint-Gervais (originally composed for organ and later tran scribed for violins), is listed by Andre Tessier, "La Carrifere Versaillaise de Lalande,” Revue de Musicologie, Feb., 1928, p. 135* SIM PHONIES DES N O & S l These symphonies were written to be performed in the king*s chapel at Versailles on Christmas Eve. the themes of popular Noels,
They are based on
and they are scored for strings,
1 Alexander Cellier has edited some excerpts from these No8ls and they have been published by Schneider, ol Avenue Malakoff, Paris, XVIIIe.
273 flutes, oboes, and. basso-continuo.
Unless otherwise indicat
ed, string instruments are assumed. Firs t N o & l, "o£l s 1en vont tous ces b ergers*" Oboes and violines; symphonie (oboe, violins, flutes, and continuo)* p* 2 1 2 * Second No£l, f,Une jeune pucelle." lins) ; double* p. 2 2 3 *
Ritournelle
Third No&l> "Laissez paitre vos b£tes." and flutes* p. 2 2 6 *
(flutes and vio
Oboe solo, violins,
Fourth Nodi, "Elle allait au temple • 11 violins); double* p. 2 3 1 *
Symphonie
Fifth No8 1 , "0 m a voisine*" d o uble• p* 2 3 3 •
(oboes and violins);
Symphonie
Sixth No 81, "A la venue de No 8 l." double * p. 2 3 6 .
Ritournelle
(oboes and
(oboe and violins);
Seventh Nodi, "Voice le jour solennel*" Violins and flutes* p* 239* Eighth NojBl, "Je me suis leve^”
Oboe*
Ninth No 8 l , "Joseph est bien marie*" Tenth No 8 l , "St* Proph^te*"
p* 21^.0.
p* 2l±0 •
Eleventh N o d i , "Nodi cette journ^e." double • p • 2 lfl • Twelfth Nodi,
p* 239*
"Vous qui ddlsiriez."
Trio of oboes and continuo; p* 2l+ip*
Thirteenth Nodi., "Notre bon pere Nodi." Fourteenth Nodi, p. 2l{3 T ~ Fifteenth Nodi, Sixteenth Nodi,
p* 2lf-5*
"Nodi pour 1*amour de Marie." "Or dites nous Marie."
Violins and oboes*
Flutes and violins* p. 2l]_6*
"Les bourgeois de Ch^ttre •"
P* 2^7.
Seventeenth Nodi, "Si c'est pour m foter la vie*" Eighteenth N odi, "0 Dieu, que nȣ. c i t ., p. V.
For excellent examples of diminutions by Bo&sset, Bailly, and Moulini£ on an air by BoBsset, see Robert Haas, Auffuhrungspraxis Der Musik (Wildpark-Potsdam, 1931)* PP* 11^7-tf.
289 performance practice. Paradoxically, ornaments in this era were functional rather than optional or purely decorative.
So requisite
was their presence that the expression gout du chant “became synonymous with the art of ornamenting a melody correctly by introducing the proper agrements. In general, ornaments fall into one of two principal categories: appoggiaturas or oscillations.
However, the
classification of the various types and their application in performance is quite problematical. Tempo, phrasing, harmony, character of the music, performance capacity of the individuals, participating, be considered.
size of the groups
and the instruments or voices employed must There is rarely any single, absolutely cor
rect interpretation.
However,
each ornament usually is
distinctive through its basic pattern which is subjected to multiple ramifications in application. Although generalizations may be formulated and examples notated to suggest either the number and rapidity of oscillations in a tremblement or the proportional amount of time that should be devoted to an appoggiatura, arbitrary or completely preconceived conclusions are impossible*
Each
instance must be given consideration as an individual entity,
£
Aldrich, o p . cit., p. xxxii.
290 but this can be accomplished only after complete understand ing of its relation to the entire "gestalt*" Neither the name for an ornament nor the sign may be considered as basic evidence of stylistic interpretation unless appropriate consideration is given both to the person who placed it there and to the exact time at which it was written.
Both A l d r i c h ^ and Dolmetsch7 give long tables of
the various names employed at different times for each orna ment, and evidence conclusively proves that some composers indicated the same agrement by different signs during the various periods of their lives* Thus, ornament interpretation must be based both upon "norms" determined by frequency of occurrence among theorists of that era and upon personal discrimination in applying those principles* III.
ORNAMENTS POUND IN THE "GRAND MOTETS" CONTAINED IN APPENDICES C AND D Signs for the ornaments*
The signs used to indicate
ornaments in the music under study are as follows:
^ Ibid., pp. 713-15 lists those to be found in these "Grand Motets." 7 Arnold Dolmetsch, The Interpret ation of the Music of the 17th and 18th Centuries (London: Oxford University Press, 1916), pp. I4.8 8 -9 3 "of the 19^6 edition.
291 (1) cross (♦), (2) wavy line (** or (3) appoggiatura (Ad (If.) preoccupation (
), or
), ),
(5) vertical stroke (I), and (6) small triangular solid with apex downward ( f )• Each of these will be discussed separately* The cross (♦)•
The shape of the cross varies con
siderably in scores of this period and at times more closely resembles an "x" or a "t."
It is located above, below, or
before the ornamented note*
However, neither the various
forms nor the different locations influence the interpreta tion of the agrement.® Aldrich states three significant conclusions that are applicable to the music under study and to the problem of the "cross" In particular*
l*he first of these is as
follows: nif the only sign that occurs in the score is the cross, it may denote any of the possible interpretations of the cadence."^ The possible interpretations will be presented below* At this time it suffices to indicate that this particular condition exists in four of the "Grand Motets" in Appendix D: 8
Aldrich, 0 £. c i t ., p. 229*
9
Ibid** p. 237.
292 those by Brossard, Bernier, Campra,
and Gervais*10
There
fore, in these instances the cross is subject to the application of considerably varied melodic formulae which must be determined purely upon the basis of personal dis crimination* The second and third conclusions by Aldrich are as follows: (1)
In scores which contain the cross and the wavy line, the wavy line indicates the cadence feinte, and the cross stands for any one of the other interpretations*
(2)
If, however, the note bearing the cross is sometimes joined by a slur to the preceding note, the ornament, in these instances, is a cadence appuy^e, 1 i£e, or feinte, whereas in those places where the cross appears with no slur, it is a cadence subite, detach^e or
mo]Lle*ii The following are illustrations of these various types*
r ri m u F f r ' t f U j = Actually, the wavy line occurs once in the score by Gervais and three times in that of Bernier, but this ex treme infrequency negates the probability of assigning it a special interpretation. ^
Aldrich, 0 £. c l t .t p. 237*
KCr»/f 4*4 S!»r
»-4-ee.
a^L
293 vuee
*/*/uJ et'
* i h
Itee ZL ~ ~ P " # » # > f r
~
li&
______________
„
“iif-t- r uilL^P
JfcCrpfr ooJL op s/or-
dekbclide*
i
\^p
g
|= |
r» *IIe
A-p
Prom these examples, one observation concerning the tremblement is paramount: the oscillations always being on the tone or semitone above the note which bears the orna ment indication.
Aldrich states the case negatively:
The ornament which begins with the main note and consists of a series of oscillations between that main note and the semitone or whole tone above it does not appear among the agrements used in Prance during the 17th and l8th centuries *]_2 Apparently antithetical to this, Aldrich quotes and supports Jean Rousseau's statement which indicates that a tremblement on a very long note (a bar or more)
should
begin on the main note which is held half the value of the entirety before beginning the superior oscillation.
The
29k purpose of this interpretation is to avoid confusing the harmony.13 The explanation of this conflict between theory and application of ornaments is a mere matter of simplicity of * notation. The original (o) should more properly be con strued as (J J ), in which event the ornament proper begins upon the note above*
Ample evidence to support this con
clusion is found in the music of Appendix C* Aldrich states the following three cases in which ornamentation is mandatory whether or not it is indicated* In behalf of complete accuracy, the literal quotations and examples have been transcribed for presentation here.^IIn the case of the rising cadence in which the pen ultimate note is short and Is preceded by a dotted note, the tremblement must be performed upon the dotted note, and the phrase terminated by a port de v o i x , thus:
1 If the,short penultimate is not preceded by a dotted note, no tremblement must be performed, but only a port de voix. e.g.:
13
Ibid.. p. 14.29.
Ik
Ibid. . pp. 228 and 2I4J.-5*
295 • . , whenever such ornamental preparation and term ination are indicated, the tremblement which forms the main body of the ornament must be inserted, whether it be specifically designated or not*
J!,i >j. fijci(npit hi. fflx.m T'
eyen
m ---- •—
W
!j /
t+i
—
------ 55 ----
it
The only additional principle necessary for inter pretation of the cross is the tendency throughout the entire era, particularly in vocal music, of beginning the tremble ment more slowly than it ends.
The speed of the oscillation
should become gradually and almost imperceptibly faster throughout its duration. The wavy line ( /»✓ or/»**»^ ) •
The length or shape of
the wavy line representing the tremblement does not ordinar ily have any bearing upon the duration of the ornament or the number of notes it contains in actual performance*15 However, in the music under study, the wavy line is usually very short as in the first example above; the only exception is the bebung or balancement which will be accorded special discussion below*
15
Ibid., p. 23 )4-.
296 The short wavy line may require various interpreta tions.
As has been previously shown, it indicates a
cadence feinte if the score contains both the cross and the wavy line, the condition which exists in Lalande rs "Grand Motets'1 and to a negligible degree in those of Bernier and Gervais• Charpentier's motet in Appendix D contains only the short wavy line to indicate ornaments; therefore,
it may be
assumed to be the equivalent of scores that contain only the cross, in which instance it is accorded any of the poss ible interpretations of the cadence . 1 6 In L a l a n d e rs scores, however, frequently at cadence points, ly within phrases.
the cross appears most
and the wavy line occurs large
Neither procedure is exclusive, but
the practice is sufficiently consistent to indicate that some additional distinction prevailed between the two usages. The most probable solution is given by Muffat:
the wavy line
might be interpreted as a Pince^or Mordant.17 In one example given, the Pince*is simple; a second illustration shows the cross in a somewhat comparable usage
1 6 . ci t., pp. 73 and 217# 27
Aldrich,
ojd.
cit. . p. 7l6»
302 as follows*28 I m
IV.
THE PLACEMENT OF ORNAMENTS IN SCORES WHICH CONTAIN NO ORNAMENT INDICATIONS Since tremblements of the types previously enumerated
may almost invariably be applied at the various harmonic cadences (Putnam Aldrich actually employs the words tremble ment and cadence, in their melodic aspects,
as synonymous),
it is not requisite to further supplement the prior discus sion* However, A l d r i c h ’s conclusions concerning placement of the pince^ and the port de voix are of great value in correctly interpreting any scores from this period which do not have ornament indications*29
Study and application of
these principles would be particularly requisite in per formance of Du M o n t 1s ’’Grand Motet” which does not contain symbols indicating the place of agrements*
28 Putnam Aldrich, ’’Nachschlag,” Harvard Dictionary of Music edited by Willi Apel (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 191+6), pp. 1+76-7. 29 Putnam Aldrich, ’’The Principal Agrements ♦ . (unpublished d oct or’s dissertation, Harvard, 191+2), pp. 1+93 and $ 0 0 .
303 The pince is generally to be placed as follows. (1) (2) (3) (Ij)
Upon the upper note of a semitone in the scale. On a melody note that is approached from below. On a long note that is preceded by a short note. On a strong beat, when the movement is compara tively slow, or on the strong subdivision of a beat when the movement is in rapid note values. (5) On the first note of a piece or of a phrase, if the movement is not too rapid. The pinc€ in this position must stop on the main note for the dura tion of the second half of its time value. (6) The pinc& should never be introduced upon two notes in succession. Any note that complies with more than two of the above conditions should receive the p i n c e ; if two or less, it is optional or omitted.
If both the tremblement and the pince
are possible, the former receives preference. A l d r i c h fs rules to assist in the choice of (1) pince. (2) port de voix and pi nce , and (3) port de voix alone are as follows: (a) If the note to be ornamented is approached by leap from below, the pince alone should -be used$ (b) if the note is rapid and is approached conjunctly from below, the pince alone should be used. (c) if the note is approached conjunctly from below and is longer than the preceding note, either the port de voix and pinc6 or the port de voix alone may be used, the choice, between these two being determined by the absolute duration of the main note (that is, its duration as established by its time value and the tempo of the piece). A still more broad generalization is presented.
In
major keys, the pinc£ usually occurs on scale I or IV; the tremblement appears on II, III, VI, and VII; either may be employed on scale V.3° 30
Aldrich,
otd.
cit. , p. Ij-96.
30k Despite some apparent conflicts between A l d r i c h fs conclusions and the following condensation by this writer of M u f f a t fs principles (the one single source that appears to be most applicable to the music under study), the latter are well worth consideration notwithstanding the fact that they represent a relatively restricted viewpoint of the problem.
They are presented only in the hope that one
might profitably supplement the other should either prove in adequate. M u f f a t fs principles are as follows* (1) The pince may be used anyplace and even two in succession are permissible. The pinc£ is pre ferably made on the semitone below even if it is necessary to add a sharp. (2) The tremblement should not be used to begin a piece, a period, an ascent, or a descent except on MI or on sharps, in which case it is a simple tremblement• (3) A tremblement may be approached by the downward movement of a third* (I|_) A tremblement may be approached by diatonic de scent • (5) A tremblement may be approached by either as cent or descent providing it is p? eoccupied* (6) A tremblement may occur on MX or on sharps. (7) Successive tremblements may be employed only if (a) an accentuation (anticipation, free anticipa tion, or free tone) intervenes, or (b) if the second tremblement is on MI or a sharp, the first tremblement having occurred according to proper rules. (8) In diatonic ascent, the pince , port de v o i x , or port de voix with pince may be used. (9) On ascending harmonic notes, no tremblement may be made without a preoccupation (MI and sharps excepted)• (10) The double appoggiatura may be employed on the interval of an ascending third.
305 (11) If ascending non-harmonic notes are approached by step and are not too fast, the pince or simple tremblement (usually with preoccupation) may be used as may also the turn, (12) Leaping ascent to a tremblement should not be made unless on MI or sharps. (13) In descending diatonically, any harmonic note may receive a tremblement. (lip) In descending diatonically, any non-harmonic note may receive a tremblement If it Is pre occupied. (15) When descending by skip, tremblements may be made on thirds, sharps, and MI, but it is usually a simple tremblement. (16) Notes descending by skip may be preoccupied. (17) Notes descending by skip may diatonically "fill" the descending interval as in the coulement, petillement, and tirade. (18) Notes descending by skip may employ the coulement with a tremblement on the penultimate . 31
31 Georg Muffat, l o c . c i t . His interpretations are based specifically on Lully»s style. L/niversitv ot Southern California