|
The Lute Works of Ser Marco dall'Aquila (ca. 1470-after 1537)
Please note: This
site is being replaced with another one
arranged to make it easier for readers to access
the
transcriptions and tablature.
To be taken to the new pages, click here.
Copyright (c) 2007 by Arthur J. Ness (Boston)
All Rights Reserved.
For use by private individuals.
Commercial use without permission is forbidden.
The Marco Motive
Josquin's motet "Benedicta es" was one of the most popular vocal compositions
used for intabulations by lutenist-composrs of the Renaissance. Francesco da Milano also composed a parody fantasia
using it (No. 87 in my Harvard Uniiversity Press edition, with an anonymous intabulation of the motet itself in the appendix,
No. 30).
The following work, Ricercar No. 3, has been called the most
beautiful ricercar of the Renaissance. It uses the "broken style" (style brisé) that Marco seems to have invented.
At least no one in his time (with the possible exception of Alberto da Ripa) uses it until advert of style luthé
in the 17th century when it becomes such an ubiquitous international feature in lutenist performance. Of course
it is possible the technique was improvised in Marco's day, and not written out. I have devised a notation with
laisser vibrer ties to show passages in broken style. It is so much easier to read than the tied notes advocated
by others.
The Marco motive (shown above) appears only once, near the end (meas. 21). But we'll see more of it,
including its prominent use in an amazing metrical accelerando. The final cadence with the bass note crossing the
tenor is a familiar one in the frottola repertory and is called the "octave leap cadence." Marco and Fracesco da Milano
often use it.
The "Marco Motive" appears almost ubiquitously. all over the place in
this ricercar. The remainder and tablature here (and elsewhere) will apprear as soon as I master this quirky computer
program. I won't permit use of *.PDF format, but I may later decide to make the entire edition--tablature and transcription--available
in *.PDF format. What do you think?.
![pg04act.jpg](../sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/<DIV><FONT size=4 face=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif>The "Marco Motive" appears all over the place in this ricercar. The remainder and tableture here (and elsewhere) will apprear as soon as I master this quirky computer program. It won't permit use of *.PDF format. D---it.</FONT></DIV>)
I've never seen tablature with barlines drawn as here, with two semiminims
in one bar alternating with another with one minim. It's the beat pattern of a triple tactus, that is two semiminims
for the down stroke, and one semiminim up: down, down, up. It is to inform the player to play the two measures as triple
meter (3/2, here), and not as compound duple (6/4). But compound duple is used later as a contrast in the final
section (it's another instance of Marco's sense of musical shape by means of meter).
|
