Author
Anonymous- In the style of Pérotin (French, fl. 13th century), head of the Notre Dame School
- Wikipedia article on Pérotin
Time and Place
- Notre Dame School, in Paris (Wikipedia), which was instrumental in the early development of polyphony and rhythmic modes
- circa 1200, during the period known as Ars antiqua.
About the Piece
(much of the description comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)- Genre is organum in 3 voices
- Text praises Mary for destroying heresies
- Two top voices move over a sustained lower voice (tenor) in several rhythmic patterns.
- Still decently conjunct.
- Most of the piece is highly melismatic, only giving way to neumatic monophony at the end of the piece.
- The polyphony is sung in fifths, giving it a hollow sound
- Text is in Latin
Purpose
- Sacred
- Written for one of the Offices
- Sung at feasts to honor Mary
Reflections
I didn't really like this piece as much as the previous one. It makes good "background noise", but I think listening to it directly bores and frustrates me. I just wish the singer would hurry up and finish the word and move on to the next. I know this is exactly the opposite of what I said about the first chant; I think it depends on what mood I am in.