Compositional techniques Palestrina and Corelli
Compositional techniques- Palestrina and Corelli Pieces analysed: * Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli, Agnus Dei 1 * Corelli: Trio Sonata 1 opus 1 No.1 Adagio Palestrina wrote sacred church choir music and Corelli wrote secular music for string ensembles. ... Palestrina has to consider the vocal lines for the separate voices and the meaning of the words involved in vocal music. ... This made a difference in Palestrina’s style. But Palestrina proved to the Council of Trent that it was still possible to write simplistic polyphonic music for more then 4 voices and make the words clearly heard. This is what the council wanted and what Palestrina proved was possible: In Corelli’s string music there were neither words nor strict rules involved. ... When you look at the original written score of Palestrina pieces they don’t have regular bar lines nor a “felt” time signature. ... Corelli did work with a time signature and the music is much more rhythmically strong. In most of Corelli’s pieces all the instruments start off together and continue in homophonic structure and don’t go their separate ways so much. In the two pieces I’m analysing, the Palestrina starts with an imitation of the motive, as he likes to use fugue like beginnings most. Compared to Corelli style, Palestrina’s is much more polyphonic.