Expectatio Iustorum

ABSTRACT

Expectatio iustorum is the 5th of Lassus’ bicinia. Written in phrygian mode [authentic
deuterus] transposed to A, it presents a series of (mainly) strict imitations [strenge
Imitationen], based on a text from Librum Proverbiorum of the Bible [10:28]. Most notably,
the canons follow a pretty strict pattern of progressive enlargement and diminution
concerning the interval of the imitations. Notably, this bicinium contains a one-of-a-kind
feature in the 12 Cantiones: a [Wechselnote] of 1/4 duration.

In addition to exploring the work in its constituent parts, I would like to study its
relationship with the text.

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Expectatio [j]ustorum, the 5th of Lassus’ Cantiones duarum vocum, is a bicinium written in
phrygian mode [authentic deuterus, the 3rd of the gregorian modes] transposed to A. It
features a series of canons [Kanones], of progressively increasing and decreasing interval
in their imitations.

Here a summary of the imitations in the piece:

SOGGETTO TAKTE IMITATION IMITATIONSI TAKT(E) TEXT

s = strenge NTERVALL
f = freie
A 1 s + mutatio 4 2 Expectatio
B 2 s 5 4 iustorum
C 4 s 5 6 lætitia
D 7 s 6 9 spes autem
E 10 s 8 11 impiorum
F 12 s 5 13 perivit
G 16 s 6 16 fortitudo
H 18 s 6 18 simplicis
I 20 f 5 20 via
J 21 f 6 22 Domini
K 23 s 5 24 et pavor
L 25 s 4 26 qui operantur
M 27 s + mutatio 5 28 malum

What follows is an analysis on the score:

S = Soggetto

I = Imitation

(s) = strenge Imitation

(f) = freie Imitation

fK = f. Kontrapunkt

KS = Kadenzstufe

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 Ex - pec - ta - ti - o iu - sto -

Ex - pec - ta - ti - o iu - sto - - - rum læ -

- - rum

ti - - - - - ti - a spes au - - - - -

spes au - - - - - - - - - tem im - pi - o - - -

- - - - tem
im - pi - o - - - rum pe - -

bit

- rum pe - - - - - ri - -

- - - - - - - - - ri - bit

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 sim - - - - - pli - cis vi -

- a Do - - - mi - ni et pa - -

- - vor
his qui o - pe - ran - - - tur

et pa - - - - vor his qui o - pe -

ran - - - tur

Luca Bardelle 4 12203692

The relationship with the text

The text is used more as a series of sounds than as a programmatical basis. To prove
this, one can point at the fact that every word in the piece is associated with a different
Soggetto.

This implies a very curated use of the syllabic material: we can observe that some of the
syllables that are normally considered to be diphthongs are divided [læ - ti - ti - a], almost
creating a stretching of the words that is already strongly present in the melismi. However,
in some of Lassus’ bicinia we can observe a certain textual adherence so it is not to be
excluded that some passages are meant to be programmatic. In this regard, a long,
descending [Sequenz] on the word “malum” could indicate a relationship to the source
material.

In this final moment [m. 31], an ‘es’ is written (instead of an ‘e’) in order to avoid the
tritone with the upper part without renouncing to the ‘b’.

The [Tonart] itself is a strong compositional choice that seems to go in that direction of
reflecting the biblical source: phrygian has a certain ethos, a connotation deriving from
Ancient Greek culture, that suits the passage perfectly.

The cadential moments are also referred to the text: each of the cadences is placed at the
end of a sentence:

TEXT KADENZ TAKT(E)

Expectatio iustorum lætitia, Dorische 15
spes autem impiorum
peribit:
fortitudo simplicis via Phrygische 22-23
Domini,
et pavor his qui operantur Phrygische 32-33
malum.

In conclusion, while not explicitly related to its meaning, this piece is strongly related to
the source material in a phonological and syntactical perspective, using the divisions and
phrasings of the text to build the conduct of the work.

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Score
Kontrapunkt Prüfung
Luca Bardelle

          

                    

       
5

                        


       
 
9

                      

       
13

                 