Back in the 16th century, composers loved to build on each other’s work to fuel their creativity. A great example of this is the song “L’homme armé”. It was borrowed, adapted and arranged into countless polyphonic pieces – sometimes for fun, sometimes as a nod to the past, and sometimes to preserve the collective memory where music played an important role. According to Pietro Cerone’s early 17th-century definition, the genre of the mass blends composition with compilation, with borrowing as a central element.
This atelier showcases this phenomenon through different musical settings of the Neo-Latin poem “Philomena”, whose earliest version is attributed to Nicolas Gombert. With expert guidance, you’ll delve into the history of musical transmission and uncover lesser-known works by Vicente Lusitano, Claudin de Sermisy and Philippe Verdelot.
