Click Here to access the website you will explore for the reflection: St. Donatian Mass by Jacob Obrecht.
"On 14 October 1487 at seven in the morning the Saint Donatian Mass composed by Jacob Obrecht commissioned by Adriane de Vos in memory of her husband Donaes de Moor was first sung at Mass in the Jacobskerk in Bruges."
Consider the following questions and write a Blog comment with your answers to these and/or other questions you might have. Read your classmates comments.
- What are the performing forces? Only voices, only instruments, or a combination of the two?
- What is the texture of the music?
- How would you characterize the rhythm? Does it seem to float, or flow smoothly, or is there a clearly defined beat?
- Do you hear the instances of imitation between the parts?
- Is the text sacred or secular? In what language is it sung? Are there instances of word painting that enhance the meaning of the text?
- Finally, think back to the class discussion on preservation. Would you consider this as preservation or is it only performance?
During this performed piece of the Mass, only monophonic voices are heard. I believe it is performed, and not preserved, due to the crispness of sound without flaw(s). In this sacred text sung in Latin, in which the first and last phrases are imitations, there is a floating rhythm.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is a performance. But the preservation comes with the performance. This ancient piece of music is not available for all to enjoy - preserved for future audiences.
ReplyDeleteGood ideas.
Mrs. Ponce