Missa Pange Lingua- Josquin des Prez

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was assigned to do an analysis of the Kyrie from Josquin's Missa Pange Lingua for Written Theory class. We were actually allowed to chose our own piece to analyse, and it was fun to see what pieces my colleagues had chosen to work on.

I chose the Josquin for a few reasons, the first being that Missa Pange Lingua is probably my most favourite polyphonic Mass out of the countless settings our choir has sung. I also chose it because I was always fascinated by the counterpoint that Josquin uses throughout the Mass. Years ago, when first starting out as Alto section leader, this Mass was a huge challenge for me to sing. In an attempt to make it easier, I went through the score and indicated all the places where the alto line mimicked or was mimicked by another part, as well as those passages in which the alto line moved with another part rhythmically. Little did I know that I was outlining in broad strokes Josquin's use of counterpoint. And it makes my musicianly heart swell with pride to see my teenaged handwriting all over my score, with the notes pointing out all the parallels between the voice parts. Also, the Pange Lingua chant is my favourite plainchant, and one thing I never had done, and wanted to do, was to figure out how much of the plainchant Josquin used in order to set the motifs for his paraphrase Mass.

As I worked on the analysis, I was amazed to find that in the Kyrie alone, Josquin pulled at least 3 motifs from the chant, and incorporated them into his polyphonic setting. The main theme, which is pulled from the first 10 notes of the chant, is used repeatedly, with different embellishments, and it jumps from voice part to voice part in an intricate fugue-like setting. Josquin also likes to set up his counterpoint between the Altos/Basses and then the Sopranos/Tenors. It's not until the third movement of the Kyrie that Josquin puts the counterpoint between the two outer voices, setting up a sequential motif that leads the Sopranos and Basses to move in parallel thirds, while the inner voices move in contrary motion to the outer lines.

It is just simply brilliant composing, which is even more impressive considering it's use of modality rather than tonality, as Josquin keeps the Mass in the Phrygian mode in which the original chant was set. This also explains the extensive use of counterpoint between two voices, rather than extensive homophonic writing, relying more on the implied harmony than harmonic progressions. Indeed, Josquin's use of an open fifth at cadences underscores his use of implied harmony, and to the listener it is positively striking.

Well, before I bore my readers any further, I'd just like to add that in my study of the piece, I learned that the Missa Pange Lingua is believed to be the last Mass that des Prez composed. As a musician, I cannot imagine having written a more fitting final piece.

Pange lingua gloriosi

Sing, O tongue,

Corporis mysterium

of the mystery of the glorious Body

Sanguinisque pretiosi

and of the precious Blood

Quem in mundi pretium

which the King of the nations,

Fructus ventris generosi

the fruit of a noble womb

Rex effudit gentium

shed for the sake of the world.