Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Praetorius, Terpsichore, part 6: ns 35, 76, 147, 161, 162

This post picks up on several earlier ones to offer additional examples of strong linear motion across the last phrase of a strain or the entire section. These are all courantes, three with melodies by Praetorius, the other two "incerti."

n35: the first of the more than 160 courantes in Terpsichore is in two sections. In the second strain the range C5-G5 is established firmly (a), G5 held, then at (b) a partial descent, and the pattern is repeated from (c) through (e), at which point the range C5-C5 is covered yet again and expanded by one for the cadence on A. (It's not marked, but note the 6-8 cadenza perfetta in the cantus and tenor (middle voice).)



n76: this is the first strain of three. A strong contrast of arpeggio and descent through the octave (first bracket) with a long plodding line back up through that octave (second bracket and beamed line) to a cadence on G5.


n147: author of the melody unknown; this is one in a series of courantes in once-transposed Dorian mode (final G; one flat in the signature). The box shows a simple linear ascent to the cadence on D5. In the second strain, the figure in part or whole occurs four times in a row.


n161: another melody of uncertain authorship. In two sections, where the second has unusual imbricated rising and falling lines, the former shown in the box, the latter in the beamed line.


n162: by Praetorius, in two sections. The second is 10 bars long, and another very deliberate linear ascent to the final takes six of those bars.