Unit 1 Motet

Question 1

Motet (Renaissance) background and origins

Answer 1

- 13th motet: 
based on cantus firmus
3 voice texture
polytextual
combined sacred & secular elements

-14th century (ars nov style):
greater complexity: rhythm, harmony, counterpoint
still built on cantus firmus, polytextuality

-15th century:
vocal polyphony
single text
experiment with new approaches to contrapuntal writing

Question 2

Motet (Renaissance) characteristic features

Answer 2

• polyphonic texture
• single Latin text (no longer polytextual)
• sacred, non-liturgical genre
• imitative counterpoint (often contrasted w/ homorhythmic sections)
• new harmonic language (3rds, 6ths)

Question 3

points of imitation

Answer 3

• in imitative counterpoint: series of thematic entries

- motive/ theme passed from 1 voice to another

Question 4

homorhythmic texture

Answer 4

• multi-voiced composition
• all voices same rhythm
• chordal (homophonic) texture results
• couple w/ syllabic text setting: text clear
• listener attention drawn to top voice