Josquin de Prez, Ave Maria description PDF

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Abigail Morehead MUHI200 S 2 Dr. Burkart 01 September 2019 “Ave Maria… virgo serena” (Hail Mary… gentle virgin) Josquin des Prez Ave Maria, composed in 1470’s – 1480’s, is a profound a capella motet that brought in an imitative polyphony texture. Starting in measure 1, Josquin de Prez starts the piece with “Ave Maria” being imitated through the first 4 measures. In measure 4 the sopranos start the new imitation with, “gratia plena, then “dominus tecum” to “virgo serena”. In measure 16 the imitation splits to sopranos and altos together, and tenors and basses together. Sopranos and altos lead the imitation, ending the imitation in measure 19, all 4 voices come together to sing, “Sollem plena gaudio, Caelestia, terrestrial nova replet laetitia”. Imitation picks back up in measure 32. In measures 27-33 & measures 39-47 sopranos and altos, tenors and basses exchange singing. These different forms continue through the end of the motet. Continuing with the idea of texture, Josquin de Prez adds in some homorhythmic texture in numerous places of imitation and scattered measures. For example, measures 73 and 75. “Ave Maria” is Latin for “Hail Mary”. In “Ave Maria”, the text is a strophic poem, meaning the text repeats the same rhyme scheme, each beginning with “Ave”. In this poetic idea Josquin de Prez uses rhyming couplets in the beginning and the end. The poetry alternates between the beginning and the end, creating five quatrains. Some of these rhymes are, “annunciation…salvation”, “virginity…chastity”, and “humility…fertility”. The text of this piece is syllabic, though some words have small melismatic endings. “Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum, virgo serena.” Is the cantus firmus, which was only to be at the beginning of the piece is plainchant based. Josquin de Prez induced word painting into his motet, bringing the

Latin to life in the church. Word painting means depending on what is sung, the notation and rhythm will accompany the meaning. “Ave Maria” starts out in duple meter, 4/2. Starting measure 47 the meter changes to triple meter, 6/2. Measure 55 the meter changes back to duple, 4/2. Looking closely in the motet, Josquin de Prez changes back to simple triple meter for 4 measures, mm. 68-71, then back to duple, 4/2. Throughout the motet Josquin de Prez uses a multitude of 3rds and 6ths. However; cadences lands on open intervals, 5ths and octaves, for the hollow sounding cadence. Overall, the piece is consonant, leaving “Ave Maria” sounding well balanced and fulfilled....