Byrd: Kyrie Flashcards
Who composed the Mass for Five Voices?
William Byrd (1543-1623)
Byrd was a prominent English composer of the Renaissance period.
What is the estimated date of composition for the Mass for Five Voices?
Between 1594 and 1595
The exact date of composition is unclear.
In which mode are the Kyrie and Agnus Dei composed?
Aeolian mode transposed to C
Most modern editions notate this as C minor.
What modern elements are imposed on Byrd’s music?
Time signatures, strict bar lines, and dynamics
These elements did not exist in the original compositions.
What technique does Byrd use to provide unity in the mass?
Head motif technique
A melodic idea links the beginning of each section of the mass.
How is the word setting characterized in Byrd’s music?
Sensitive to the rhythm of the text and mainly syllabic
Melismas typically occur on the penultimate syllable of a phrase.
What vocal combination does Byrd exploit in the Agnus Dei?
SATTB
Byrd uses ever-changing combinations of these voices.
What is the melodic shape of the head motif in the Kyrie?
Stepwise movement around a central note (G)
This motif is used as a point of imitation in the composition.
Fill in the blank: The soprano in the Kyrie is answered by the first tenor on _______.
C
What is anticipated by the dominant/tonic relationship of the parts in the Kyrie?
The process of fugal imitation
This reflects the compositional techniques of the Tudor period.
What musical feature is elongated in the soprano, bass, and first tenor during the eleison?
A rising scalic melisma.
What type of cadence is formed at the end of the contrapuntal lines?
A perfect cadence with tierce de Picardie.
What motif is associated with ‘Christe eleison’?
A lower auxiliary followed by a descending scale.
Who harmonizes the ‘Christe eleison’ motif in thirds?
The second tenor with support from the alto.
What chord does the music move to on the second half of bar 13?
An F minor chord.
What rhythmic pattern characterizes the final Kyrie motif?
A falling scalic motif in dotted rhythm.
How is the Kyrie motif treated when it returns in the basses?
The last two pitches are treated in augmentation.
What role does the second tenor play in the harmonic background?
Acts as an internal pedal.
What type of cadence is reached at the end of the final section?
An imperfect cadence in C minor.
What forms a double suspension on the third beat of bar 25?
The alto and first tenor.
Fill in the blank: The suspensions are resolved with decorative _______.
lower auxiliary notes.
First Kyrie
•based motif off stepwise movement
•rising Scalia melisma
•suspensions normally prepared in previous beat
•contrapuntal texture
•ends with perfect cadence and tierce de Picardie
2nd Kyrie
•starts with 3rds. New motif
•descending scale and passing notes
•imitation, later transposed to F
•suspension from a descending sequence
•tierce de picardie in F(subdom)
3rd Kyrie
•is a falling Scalic motif- dotted rhythm
•pedal in C, contrapuntal texture
•2 beat intervals. Augmentation
•static F minor
•motif from start returns with Bnatural then in C
•ends with suspension and lower auxiliary
•imperfect cadence
