Francisco Guerrero héritier de la tradition franco-flamande: onze pièces basées sur un ostinato

Abstract

In his religious works, Francisco Guerrero several times uses a type of contrapuntal composition rather unusual in his period: writing on cantus firmus ostinato. For German musicologists, it represents one of the last forms of the medieval isorythmic motet. The architectural study, especially elaborate, is regulated by a real musical arithmetic scheme issued from ars música mathematica. Therefore, Guerrero dignifies his predecessors tradition illustrated by the Josquin des Prés's Miserere for 5 voices. He also succeeds his master Cristobal de Morales, appearing to make use of some of the former's models. Nevertheless he knows how to compose in an up-to-date manner and give oratorial meaning and efficiency to the ostinato, as the greatest rhetoricians. This peculiarity of this musical personality harmoniously combines with its innovating side -that of villancicos and polychorals motets- in order to give evidence of his universal genius.