I'm a bit starved for some conversation on early music and I still have a couple weeks before I go back to school. Not sure how much I'll get here, but I figured I'd give it a try.
So here's a piece by Gregorio Allegri, 1582-1652.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKj1iK2W ... re=related
It's a fairly simple piece, particularly since it was written in the early Baroque yet is more indicative of the late Renaissance. It Utilizes two choirs. One of 4 members singing Fauxbordon, with the other having 5 members and a slightly more elaborate material. It also as intermittent Plainsong.
That being said, I've always loved this piece, it's just so beautiful. However I heard I story recently that just makes me appreciate it even more.
Back when this piece was written, composers where hired by churches, courts, or patrons. It wasn't till beethoven that composers were just composers. So when you wrote a piece for the church, court, or your patron, they owned the rights to it. After this piece was written, it was owned not by any little local church, but the Vatican. The Vatican recognizing the beauty and "mystery" of the piece, wanted to keep it under lock and key, only allowing it out for rehearsals and performances. No one could study it, no one could copy. Anyone who did try to copy it, did so under the threat of excommunication.
What the Vatican wasn't expecting though, was a visit from a young 14 year old Mozart along with his Father in 1770. After hearing the piece but twice, he transcribed it from memory and thus was the first unauthorized copy.
So there it is. What do you think about the piece? What do you think about the story? Blah blah blah so on and so on.....
