In Praise of Spurious Saints: The Missae Floruit egregiis by Pipelare and La Rue
M. Jennifer Bloxam
The cult of saints exerted a profound influence on the liturgy and plainsong Roman Catholic church in later Middle Ages, as individual churches evolved local traditions to celebrate held dear by certain communities. Sacred polyphonic composition during this period also reflects stimulation musical creativity engendered veneration special saints. This study explores particularly fine example intersection liturgy, chant, polyphony inspired adoration late Ages. introduction new saint, Livinus, Flemish city Ghent eleventh century provides starting point for investigation, which introduces newly-discovered body his honor, notably rhymed Office, preserved manuscripts spanning twelfth through sixteenth centuries. From corpus composer Mattheus Pipelare (c. 1450-c. 1515?) selected no fewer than sixteen chants inclusion four-voiced Missa Floruit egregiis infans Livinus; identification these heretofore unknown cantus firmi prompts fresh look at provenance, style structure remarkable Mass, proves be historia akin other multiple firmus Masses period, those Jacob Obrecht. essay concludes with an examination de Sancto Job Pierre la Rue, whose debt Pipelare's Livino is elucidated discussion its background compositional technique.
Journal of the American Musicological Society