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WHITE NOTATION ������
White Notation uses a five-line staff,���and three clefs—G, C, and F. ���
���Usually the only accidental notated as a ‘key’
signature is B-flat, though later composers experimented with more ���
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WHITE NOTATION ������
MEASURES AND BARLINES������
There are no barlines or measures ������
But the length of the breve���usually acted as a time unit���
analogous to the modern concept of a measure ������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
NOTE VALUES and RESTS ���������������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
MENSURATION ������
Mensuration deals with the���division of the Breve (called Tempus or “time”) ���
and the Semibreve (Prolationis Species or “prolation”)���
��� ������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
MENSURATION ������
Breve divisions (Tempus) are either “perfect” (division into 3s) or “imperfect (division
into 2s). ������
Semibreve divisions (Prolation) are either “major” (3) or “minor” (2)���
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WHITE NOTATION ������
MENSURATION ���������������������
A line through the mensuation symbol indicates that all note values are cut in half (alla breve). ���
������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
COLORATION ���The value of a note in a mensuration can be
changed by coloring in the white space of breve, semibreve, or minim and by dotting. ���
���In determining a note’s value, coloring is
calculated before dotting.���������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
In Perfect Time ���—where a breve has the value of 3 semibreves—coloring a breve will subtract a 1/3 or its value
and imperfects its value and makes a breve equal to 2 semibreves (a duplet) ���
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WHITE NOTATION ������
In Imperfect Time ���—where a breve has the value of 2 semibreves—
coloring 3 consecutive semibreves creates a triplet and perfects their value, momentarily making 3
semibreves equal the value of 1 breve ������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
Josquin uses coloration for all the notes in his lament on the death of Ockeghem, ���
Nymphes des Bois ���to create “eye music”���
where the blackened notes indicate mourning. ������
In doing so, Josquin limits himself to longs, breves, semibreves, and minims, since semiminim
and fusa values are already “black ������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
LIGATURES ������
White Notation is complicated by several factors, one of them being the continued use of the
LIGATURES (multiple-note units)���and the conventions associated with their use
carried over from neumes. ���������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
“BREVE” ligatures ���At the tempus level, each two-note ligatures has
the value of a breve followed by a long (indicated by the downward tail).���
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WHITE NOTATION ������
“BREVE” ligatures ���������������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
“BREVE” ligatures ���������������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
“SEMIBREVE” ligatures ������
The two-note ligatures that begin with an ���upward tail are semibreves, ���
and each two-note pes or clivis has the value of two semibreves,���
both the square or oblique forms.���������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
“SEMIBREVE” ligatures ���������������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
CANONS ������������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
In his ���Missa ‘L’homme armè’ ���
Dufay writes ���“Cancer eat plenus et redeat medius” ���
(Let the crab proceed full, and let it return by half) in the tenor part of the third section of the���
“Agnus Dei.” ���������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������������������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
This indicates that the singers ���perform this part retrograde���
(crabs where thought of as walking “backwards”) with full rhythmic value,���
and then forward (or “returning” for the crab) with the notes at half value. ���
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WHITE NOTATION ������
Dufay composes his motet ���“Nuper rosarum flores”���
as an isorhythmic motet, built on two tenors ������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
Dufay composes his motet ���“Nuper rosarum flores”���
as an isorhythmic motet, built on two tenors ������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
Dufay notates each tenor part with ���four mensuration signs and a repeat, ���
indicating that each performer plays their tenor line four times, each time with a different
mensuration ��� ������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
Dufay notates each tenor part with ���four mensuration signs and a repeat, ���
indicating that each performer plays their tenor line four times, each time with a different
mensuration ��� ������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
The numerical value of the breve changes from ������
6 : 4 : 2 : 3���������������������������
���������������
WHITE NOTATION ������
The numerical value of the breve changes from ������
6 : 4 : 2 : 3���������
WHY?������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
Dufay wrote this motet for the consecration of the Duomo in Florence.���
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WHITE NOTATION ���������������������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
Filippo Brunelleschi���(1377-1446)���
���S. Maria del Fiore, begun 1296���
Dome (1420-1436)������
consecrated by Pope Eugenius IV on���March 25, 1436���
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WHITE NOTATION ���������������������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ���������������������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ���������������������������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
The numbers refer to the dimensions of Solomon’s temple described in the Third Book of
Kings, 6:1-20���(reduced to their lowest common denominators).���
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WHITE NOTATION ������
2 And the house, which king Solomon built to the Lord, was threescore (60) cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and thirty cubits in
height…������
16 And he built up twenty cubits with boards of cedar at the hinder part of the temple, from the
floor to the top: and made the inner house of the oracle to be the holy of holies.���
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WHITE NOTATION ������
2 And the house, which king Solomon built to the Lord, was threescore (60) cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and thirty cubits in
height…������
16 And he built up twenty cubits with boards of cedar at the hinder part of the temple, from the
floor to the top: and made the inner house of the oracle to be the holy of holies.���
������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
2 And the house, which king Solomon built to the Lord, was threescore (60) cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and thirty cubits in
height…������
16 And he built up twenty cubits with boards of cedar at the hinder part of the temple, from the
floor to the top: and made the inner house of the oracle to be the holy of holies.���
������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
6 : 4 : 2 : 3���������
6 (the Temple’s total length) ���4 (the length of the nave)���
2 (the length of the sanctuary and width of the building)���
3 (the height of the building)������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
6 : 4 : 2 : 3���������
6 (the Temple’s total length) ���4 ���������������������
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WHITE NOTATION ������
6 : 4 : 2 : 3���������
6 (the Temple’s total length) ���4 (the length of the nave)���
2 (the length of the sanctuary and width of the building)���
3 (the height of the building)������������
!
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INFLUENCE of ENGLISH MUSIC������
Kings of England held territory in northwest���and southwest France.���
���Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453): England���
and France fighting for control of France.��� ���
English rulers traveled with English musicians especially to Flanders and Burgundy.���
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England
Flanders
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England Flanders
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CONTENANCE ANGLOISE���(“English guise” or “quality”) ���
��� French poet Martin Le Franc used this phrase���
to describe the pleasing sound of English music about 1440���
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CONTENANCE ANGLOISE���(“English guise” or “quality”) ���
��� Le Franc praises Guillaume Du Fay and Binchois ���
for creating beautiful music influenced by ���the English sound ���
as heard in the music of John Dunstable ������������������������
������������������
CONTENANCE ANGLOISE���(“English guise” or “quality”) ���
������ ������������������������������
������������������
CONTENANCE ANGLOISE���(“English guise” or “quality”) ���
��� Theorist Tinctoris,���
writing a generation later,���looked to these three composers as creators of���
a NEW ART������������������������
������������������
CONTENANCE ANGLOISE��� ���
Characteristics of the English sound������
Frequent use of harmonic thirds and sixths,���often in parallel motion (Fa-Burden) ���
Few dissonances ���Simple melodies ���
Syllabic text setting���Homophonic textures ���
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CONTENANCE ANGLOISE��� ���
Characteristics of the English sound������
Chant voice in the middle of texture���Lowest voice a third below ���
Top voice a parallel fourth above the chant������
Stream of parallel “6-3” sonorities.������������������
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CONTENANCE ANGLOISE��� ���
FABURDEN ������
Practice of improvised “6-3” sonorities ������������������������������
������������������
JOHN DUNSTABLE ���(c.1390-1453) ���
��� The most highly regarded English composer of���
the first half of the fifteenth century������
Served many noble patrons, including the Duke of Bedford, who was Regent of France in 1422���
���Probably spent part of his career in France���
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JOHN DUNSTABLE ���(c.1390-1453) ���
��� The English composer most often cited as ���
influencing continental composers ������
His compositions are preserved chiefly in���manuscripts copied on the continent.���
���His works include settings of the Mass,
isorhythmic motets, and other sacred works ������������
������������������
JOHN DUNSTABLE ���(c.1390-1453) ���
��� His most numerous and important works are���
his three-part sacred pieces ������
Some have a cantus firmus in the tenor, serving as the foundation for the other voices ���
������������������
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JOHN DUNSTABLE ���(c.1390-1453) ���
��� Others elaborate the cantus firmus in the top
voice using paraphrase technique.������
Chant (cantus firmus) is placed in the top voice.������
Cantus firmus is given a rhythmic structure ���and melodically ornamented by adding notes
around those of the chant.������������
������������������
JOHN DUNSTABLE ���(c.1390-1453) ���
���“Quam pulchra es”���
���Marian Motet���
������������������������
������������������
JOHN DUNSTABLE ���(c.1390-1453) ���
��� Freely composed, not based on an existing melody���
The three voices nearly equal in importance.���Homorhythmic���
The form is based on the phrases of the text.���Naturalistic rhythmic declamation���
Faburden appears in a few phrases, leading to���cadences.���
���������������
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MOTET 2.0������
Previously in the Ars Nova:���any work with different texted���voices above a cantus firmus ���
���������������������������
������������������
MOTET 2.0������
The Ars Nova Isorhythmic motet������
Old-fashioned by ca. 1400������
Disappeared by ca. 1450������������������������
������������������
MOTET 2.0������
New definition by 1450:������
Any musical setting of a���sacred extra-liturgical text,���
whether an original chant was used or not���������������������������
������������������
MOTET 2.0������
From 1500 onwards:������
Any sacred polyphonic Latin-texted piece������
Sometimes also applied to religious music using���texts in other languages ���
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