Scholars have distinguished between two mutually exclusive categories of sixteenth- century instrumental compositions: (1) those that are more or less elaborated versions of vocal models such as masses, motets, madrigals, and chansons and (2) fantasias or ricercares that are independent of vocal models. This distinction is imprecise and misleading because many fantasias and ricercares contain musical material derived from vocal models, usually without attribution. In comparatively rare instances a fantasia or ricercare names the title of its model, such as lute music composer Jean-Paul Paladin's Fantasia sopra Quand'io penso al martir', a fantasia based on Arcadelt's madrigal Quand'io penso al martir', or Paladin's Fantasia sopra Ave sanctissima, based on Sermisy's motet Ave sanctissima. These two works demonstrate the wide variety of compositional techniques used by fantasia composers in their approach to borrowing from vocal models, ranging from brief oblique references to lengthy passages of exact quotation. They also demonstrate that fantasia composers often mixed (apparently) original with borrowed material. It is thus not reasonable to view sixteenth century instrumental music as forming only two categories (derived from vocal music or "free"), because most of it lies somewhere between these two extremes.

Works: Paladin: Fantasia sopra Quand'io penso al martir' (20-29), Fantasia sopra Ave sanctissima (32-35).

Sources: Arcadelt: Quand'io penso al martir' (20-29); Sermisy: Ave sanctissima (32-35).

Index Classifications: 1500s

Contributed by: Scott Grieb