Examples of cantus firmus motets
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    For my upcoming chant talk, I would love to allow the audience to see/hear a beautiful chant followed by a motet based on that same cantus firmus.

    Give me your favorite chant/motet pairing!
  • Chaswjd
    Posts: 268
    Although it is probably not what you are looking for, you might try the Magnificat from Monteverdi's Marian Vespers. In many sections you can hear one voice singing the chant tone while other voices sing around it. It is not traditional polyphony but is does make the point rather well.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2pcz5fnT_w
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,413
    One with a familiar cf that comes immediately to mind is Victoria's Genitori genitoque. The opening section quotes the cantus in the bass. It is readily found in Oxford's A Sixteenth Century Anthem Book.

  • MarkS
    Posts: 282
    Tu es Petrus: many motet settings, but if you go with Palestrina you get both a motet and a 'motto' Mass! Also: beautiful!
  • CCoozeCCooze
    Posts: 1,259
    Heinrich Isaac:
    Advent I: "Alleluia. Ostende nobis, Domine"
    Quasimodo Sunday: Communio: "Mitte manum tuam"

    Those probably aren't my favorite, per se, but they popped into my head when I read this..
    Thanked by 2MarkS tomjaw
  • Stella611
    Posts: 112
    Factus es Repente (from Pentecost), and motet of the same name by Aichinger. Definitely uses some of the melodic pieces of the chant to form his motet.

    Regina Caeli (SATB) by Palestrina; Great example of using the simple tone chanted melody in the motet.

    Ave Maria (SATB) by Victoria; also uses parts of the chant melody.

    The Morales 5-part requiem most definitely has one of the voices singing the chant melodies of the requiem chants as a cantus firmus line. BEAUTIFUL requiem setting it is, too!

    I think there are a variety of other motets we sing that probably included pieces of the chant melodies they are based of off... by I can't say we've sung very many that fully use the chant melody, drawn out, in one voice part as a cantus firmus.
  • CCoozeCCooze
    Posts: 1,259
    Isaac is a great study for such a subject, just in general, by the way.
    Thanked by 3tomjaw Aristotle Esguerra CHGiffen
  • CGM
    Posts: 697
    This isn't exactly what you have in mind, but the Duruflé Requiem uses chant melodies (sometimes without alteration, and other times with) throughout its movements. And the piece is so incredibly beautiful.
  • CGM
    Posts: 697
    I also like the Lobo "Pater peccavi," where the cantus firmus is a three-word, two-pitch motive that recurs several times in one of the soprano voices.
  • MarkS
    Posts: 282
    Or, if you want an explicit CF 'motet' you could consider something like Viderunt ones and the Perotin setting of same.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI6e4Q11NeM
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    Not a favorite of mine, but this is another one with an obvious CF in the Bass: Mozart - Cibavit Eos It might be useful to show what polyphony sounded like in the 18th century.
  • Aristotle EsguerraAristotle Esguerra
    Posts: 1,186
    Mode VI selections:
    Isaac, Qui manducat
    Victoria, Pange lingua ("more hispano")
  • ajcmusic
    Posts: 5
    Victoria O quam gloriosum motet and Mass. The opening of the Kyrie quotes the second phrase of the motet, in quocum Christe.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,192
    The Taverner Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas quotes the chant "Gloria tibi Trinitas" in every movement, usually at a very slow pace, in breves. This is arguably Taverner's greatest musical testament.

    John Taverner: Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas - Sanctus & Benedictus

    Gloria_tibi_Trinitas.jpg
    2028 x 429 - 219K
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • wingletwinglet
    Posts: 41
    I love Josquin's Missa Pange Lingua, which has a stunning fugal treatment of the chant that even retains the Mode III--even just the Kyrie is good to study, although it's not a motet.

    Durufle's Tota pulchra comes to mind, as well as Palestrina's O crux ave and Victoria's Regina Caeli a 4.
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,413
    Thanks, Chuck, for the Taverner reference to the Gloria tibi antiphon. Those who aren't already aware should be interested to know that this antiphon as quoted by Taverner in the in nomine section of Sanctus in this mass is the inspiration for the traditional In nomines and Gloria tibi Trinitases in English organ literature of the Tudor and Stuart eras. Purcell even wrote an In nomine for a consort of viols, as did others. One ever so once in a while encounters a more recent example - but seldom any more. Just several years ago our member, Dr Gregory Hamilton, wrote one for me.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,192
    And thank you, Jackson. I'm quite familiar with the tradition of composing In nomine works, derived from the Taverner. When I sang with Zephyrus and performed the Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas both in Charlottesville, Virginia and at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington, D.C., I was the bass soloist for the In nomine section (as well as other sections of the mass). Actually, the Gloria tibi Trinitas chant is also heard (in the baritone line) prominently at the beginning of the Benedictus section, just before the In nomine section.

    The Gloria tibi Trinitas chant occurs repeatedly (ie. more than once) in every moment.
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • Heath
    Posts: 966
    A lot of great ideas in this thread, thanks!
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