Listen carefully to the 3-page score excerpt. Recordings are freely available online, such as on YouTube.
In an analytical paper of 3-6 pages (double-spaced, 1 inch margins) in PDF or Word format only, describe
how Josquin based his mass movement upon its monophonic source, the famous l’homme armé song.
Your paper must include these parts:
1) Discuss if the song as given was adopted exactly or whether Josquin’s cantus firmus differs in some
details of melody and rhythm.
2) Discuss comparative cadence placement between the original song and Josquin’s polyphony (mm. 1-
35 only). First identify cadences in the song by measure number. Then, following the tenor line in the
mass, see if they are matched by cadences in the polyphony. Polyphonic cadences are to be defined by
the presence of a cantizans/tenorizans pair only, whatever else your modern tonal ears may hear.
When discussing cadences in Josquin, describe them as authentic, evaded, and/or elided.
3) Discuss the use of imitation at the beginning of the movement and at mm. 23-29. Clearly identify
imitation in terms of pitch interval and time interval between specific voices.
4) Discuss the editor’s suggestions for musica ficta in mm. 10-13. Why are all the flats there and are
they all necessary? Can this passage be done any other way (without ficta or with alternative ficta)?
Give specific reasons you agree or disagree with the given ficta.
5) In mm. 36-60, describe in detail the relationships between all of the voices in terms of Renaissance
mensuration.
Sample Solution
