[+] Steib, Murray. "A Composer Looks at His Model: Polyphonic Borrowing in Masses from the Late Fifteenth Century." Tijdschrift van de Koninklijke Vereniging voor Nederlandse Muziekgeschiedenis 46 (1996): 5-41.
In the second half of the fifteenth century, many composers from both France and Italy were experimenting with polyphonic quotation. An examination of the masses of three composers shows the different ways in which polyphonic borrowing was accomplished. Johannes Martini tended to quote both cantus firmus and other polyphonic voices literally. Heinrich Isaac paraphrased cantus firmus and other voices of the models, often using entire phrases but freely changing the vertical alignment as well as the melodic content. Josquin des Prez mixed literal and paraphrased borrowings, usually using less than an entire phrase worth of material. In terms of borrowing techniques, it is very unlikely that the anonymous Missa O rosa bella III was composed by Martini, as Reinhard Strohm has suggested.
Works: Johannes Martini: Missa Ma bouche rit (6-7, 10-11), Missa La martinella (6-10); Heinrich Isaac: Missa Comme femme desconfortée (11-18); Josquin des Prez: Missa Fortuna desperata (18-22); Anonymous: Missa O rose bella III (23-24).
Sources: Johannes Ockeghem: Ma bouche rit (7, 10-11); Johannes Martini: La martinella (9-10); Gilles Binchois: Comme femme desconfortée (13-18); Antoine Busnois: Fortuna desperata (18-22); John Bedyngham: O rose bella (23-24).
Index Classifications: 1400s
Contributed by: Felix Cox
