L.L. Palestrina's Missa Brevis

Over the weekend I discovered the Missa Brevis by Palestrina. Particularly, the Kyrie Eleison spoke to me immediately as a possible new favorite. The piece is written in relatively basic chant counterpoint. However, the it contained something I never expected to encounter in chant music, an extreme amount of passion.

So much chant music, despite its beauty, is by definition very placid. This piece was filled with dramatic lines, rich harmonies, and drastic suspensions. The old texts come to life with new creativity.

I saw Palestrina as a bridge between the music we are currently listening to in class, to the future world of music in the Baroque and onward. He was one of many composers of the period, who helped music to grow up.

It seems to embody the best of both worlds, in the creation of a blissful state of passion. The paradox is resolved upon the listening thereof.

L.L. Ancient instruments

In the listening lab today we explored the sounds of instruments from nearly thousands of years ago. To be able to hear what the sound of a medieval court could have been was enlightening and enriching. I've always found it difficult to really put myself into the mood to appreciate medieval and renaissance settings, but to have music to set the scene allows for a more real experience of the time.

Each instrument had an interesting sound, and some more pleasing than others. Some were downright abrasive, and a few were very gentle and expressive. When medieval instruments are brought up, the usual suspects, the lute, and the early recorder were usually the only examples I could think of. There were hundreds of different instruments, each with their own unique qualities and capabilities.

My mind has been trained to see the history of music from 1700 forward. The reason being that the music which I will perform in my life is solely from this time onward, almost without exception. This class thus far has been very valuable in the sense that it has expanded the range of time and musical experience back beyond what used to be the wall of creative musicality for me.