Page 45 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained
P. 45
RENAISSANCE 1400–1600 43
TONGUE, PROCLAIM
THE MYSTERY OF THE
GLORIOUS BODY
MISSA PANGE LINGUA (c.1515), JOSQUIN DESPREZ
osquin Desprez, born in Desprez’s contemporary, the
IN CONTEXT France around 1450, was Italian printer Ottaviano Petrucci,
J an early beneficiary of the perfected a method for printing
FOCUS printing press. Until the invention music in three passes: the staves,
Dissemination of music
of the technology in the mid-15th followed by notes, and then the
BEFORE century, music was copied out by words. Petrucci’s first publication,
c.1415–1420 The largest hand, by professional copyists. Odhecaton, a selection of nearly
collection of 14th-century According to the 16th-century 100 secular pieces, mostly by
Italian music, the Squarcialupi Swiss music theorist Heinrich Franco-Flemish composers,
Codex illuminated manuscript, Glarean, Desprez “published his including Desprez, Alexander
is compiled in Florence. works after much deliberation Agricola, Antoine Busnois, and
and with manifold corrections.” Jacob Obrecht, appeared in 1501.
1457 The Codex Psalmorum, This care and attention made To meet the challenge of a first
produced in the German his compositions a favorite in the collection of polyphonic music for
city of Mainz, is the first emerging music publishing market. the Mass with underlayed text,
printed book to contain Petrucci chose to devote his Misse
music, although the notation (1502) to works solely by Desprez.
is handwritten.
A late Mass
AFTER Missa Pange lingua was one
c.1520 English printer John of Desprez’s final compositions,
Rastell produces the first Now that Josquin is dead, taking its central melody from
music where the staves, he is putting out more works a hymn for the Feast of Corpus
notes, and text are printed than when he was alive! Christi written by the 13th-century
in a single impression. Georg Forster Italian friar and theologian Thomas
German composer (1510–1568)
1710 The Statute of Anne, Aquinas. The work was not ready
enacted in Britain, gives in time for Petrucci’s final book
authors copyright over their of masses in 1514, but it survived
printed work for the first time, in manuscript form and was
a right finally extended to finally published in 1532. ■
music composition in 1777.
See also: Messe de Notre Dame 36–37 ■ Missa l’homme armé 42 ■
Canticum Canticorum 46–51 ■ St. Matthew Passion 98–105
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