Isorhythmic Motet: Taleas A-I And B
Analysis: Isorhythmic Motet
There were a total of five separate talea consisting of three colores. The first three talea were in 3/2 time and the final two were in 6/8. Taleas A-I and B-I share the same color, while A-III and B-III also share the same color. A-II had the only unique color. While there are no actual repetitive talea in the upper voices, there are many cyclical repeated rhythms. For example, the triplum in measures eleven through eighteen match the exact rhythm for the eight bars at measures forty-five through fifty-two. There are many repeated rhythms throughout all the parts, yet I feel that likely, most of these rhythms are repeated only due to the lack of available rhythms in this meter. As for the relation of the triplum and motetus to the tenor, there is scarcely any, if any at all. The phrasing of these upper parts seems to be random, and the pitches, while they only cover a range of a ninth in the upper part, do not cycle …show more content…
He uses these to an extent, but not as often as would be normal. This creates a very complex motet, but there are a few less obvious ways in which he divides the piece. At the end of almost every triplum phrase, the motetus hockets the triplum with a moving line of its own, thus providing finality to the line. Also, Machaut has given each part a definite role. The triplum is the quickest moving line and is mostly syllabic. The motetus is far more melismatic, and it varies the speed of the rhythm. The tenor has no words, and is easily the slowest moving line. This division allows the listener to easily discern between the lines, yet in this variety, he makes it nearly impossible to provide regularity. The phrasing is very random between the parts, which does not allow them to synchronize. The alternation between perfect and imperfect subdivisions also defeats the purpose of cyclical
There were a total of five separate talea consisting of three colores. The first three talea were in 3/2 time and the final two were in 6/8. Taleas A-I and B-I share the same color, while A-III and B-III also share the same color. A-II had the only unique color. While there are no actual repetitive talea in the upper voices, there are many cyclical repeated rhythms. For example, the triplum in measures eleven through eighteen match the exact rhythm for the eight bars at measures forty-five through fifty-two. There are many repeated rhythms throughout all the parts, yet I feel that likely, most of these rhythms are repeated only due to the lack of available rhythms in this meter. As for the relation of the triplum and motetus to the tenor, there is scarcely any, if any at all. The phrasing of these upper parts seems to be random, and the pitches, while they only cover a range of a ninth in the upper part, do not cycle …show more content…
He uses these to an extent, but not as often as would be normal. This creates a very complex motet, but there are a few less obvious ways in which he divides the piece. At the end of almost every triplum phrase, the motetus hockets the triplum with a moving line of its own, thus providing finality to the line. Also, Machaut has given each part a definite role. The triplum is the quickest moving line and is mostly syllabic. The motetus is far more melismatic, and it varies the speed of the rhythm. The tenor has no words, and is easily the slowest moving line. This division allows the listener to easily discern between the lines, yet in this variety, he makes it nearly impossible to provide regularity. The phrasing is very random between the parts, which does not allow them to synchronize. The alternation between perfect and imperfect subdivisions also defeats the purpose of cyclical