Two part renaissance motets for beginners
  • Vincent
    Posts: 6
    I am starting up an Early Music Ensemble for people in the community who may have limited musical ability. The group has a particular focus on the renaissance and I am looking for some suggestions regarding very easy 2 part motets to teach them. I've heard that Ockeghem and di Lassus may have some written some. I can't seem to find the sheet music for the former and I'm wondering if the sheet music and/or recordings of these motets are freely available?
  • Xopheros
    Posts: 120
    The Bicinia by Lassus are not easy and often have awkward melody phrases. The same applies to the Bicinia by Jean de Castro, who was particularly fond of long syncopated passages. And although I particularly like the Bicinia Sacra by Othmayr, the setting that we recently sung with our family turned out to be more complicated than I had initially thought so that we had to devote more practicing time to it than planned. The Bicinia in Georg Rhaw's large collection (you must scroll down in the facsimile to find the sacred Latin pieces by Josquin, Stoltzer and others) are simpler and might be doable for your ensemble.

    FWIW, I have also contributed to the genre and these settings are (I think) more accessible. Very simple is the fugated setting of "Attende Domine", which albeit requires accompaniment, e.g., by an organ. A capella settings include a Magnificat secundi toni, "Nun lobet Gott" (there is an English edition, too), "O Holy Spirit enter in", or "Come let us sing unto the Lord" (should be easy because the melody is well known).
    Thanked by 1Vincent
  • davido
    Posts: 1,208
    Keep in mind that most Renaissance music that we have was not for people with limited musical ability. Music for those people was probably not written down and preserved for posterity. Definitely an uphill battle.
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,445
    Forum member Heath has taken snippets from Renaissance works and set them as English motets. Take a look and see if these might help: https://englishmotets.com/
  • Vincent
    Posts: 6
    Xopheros - very helpful - thank you.
  • Vincent
    Posts: 6
    Good point, davido, thanks.
  • Vincent
    Posts: 6
    Thanks Irishtenor - I'll take a look.
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,986
    The Ockeghem meant may be the 2vv parts of the Requiem, parts of the Kyrie and Sicut cervus. With a few (mostly English) exceptions, bicinia are for adjacent ranges and won't help you with a mixed chorus. You might be much better off with 4vv homophony like Missa Iager.
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