Pope Marcellus Mass

Pope Marcellus Mass: Kyrie, by Palestrina or Missa Papae Marcelli is believed to be written in 1562, this composition is a Renaissance Style Polyphonic mass. It is very much so a Renaissance piece, it was made in 1562 towards the latter end of the Renaissance period, but still very much before the end which around 1600, the piece had four or more melodic fragments performed simultaneously, which is known as Polyphony, a staple of the Renaissance period. Throughout the piece there are no instruments, it is strictly acapella, the voice types used in the song include SATB (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass). This mass was sung at Papal coronations until 1963 when Pope Paul VI decided to halt the tradition of Papal Inaugurations. Today the piece is mainly used as a study tool for listeners to understand the 16th Century Renaissance Style. This is not a song I would typically listen to on my own, it’s a Renaissance style mass making it an …show more content…
More clues that point to this piece being of the Baroque style are that it has a single melodic idea and that the dynamic shifts drastically from loud to soft quite often, which are both staples in Baroque style music. The piece was written for 2 trumpets, 2 oboes, 2 violins, along with a single timpani and viola. This piece also included the SATB vocal ranges in their choir and solo accompaniments. This piece is popular even today, I knew of it before this class simply from Church services and in other popular events. I wouldn’t typically listen to it on my own because it revolves around the church, is in another language, and is an older style