MHST 334 Music of Josquin
Josquin (ca. 1450-1521) has long been considered the most important composer of the early Renaissance, a period that saw enormous changes in European culture, not least the first appearance of polyphonic music in print. In recent years Josquin’s biography has undergone massive revision, the ramifications of which have yet to be sorted through. In this course we will study Josquin’s music in detail, as well as the impact his reputation has had on the broader understanding of European music in the decades around 1500, and whether a better knowledge of his contemporaries’ works might alter our view of him as the leading composer of his time. Topics to be addressed include: the major sacred and secular genres of polyphony, Josquin’s engagement with earlier composers’ works, methods of comparative analysis, details of the notational system used in the 15th and 16th centuries, differences between manuscripts and prints as musical sources, and an assessment of the new critical edition of his works. Course requirements include a transcription assignment, an analytical essay, and a final exam.