Conductus

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Beginning of the Conductus Salvatoris hodie from the manuscript W2 of the Herzog August Library

A conductus is an accompaniment song in the discantus movement , which, alongside organum and motet, was one of the most important genres of Ars Antiqua music . Performances were accompanied by a conductus, for example the entry or exit of spiritual dignitaries of a church.

The conductus was created during the St. Martial School (where it was referred to as versus ). Unlike other genres of the time, the conductus did not continue to exist as such after the Notre Dame school , but was absorbed into other musical genres. The name was only continued as a stylistic feature.

The texts, with both spiritual and secular content, were based on Latin models with a serious and solemn character. They were in the form of polyphonic poems, the structure of which was decisive for the composition . The singing was in one or more voices, although the two-part voice predominated. Most of the singing was based on a tenor , the voice is mostly syllabic , but could also be melismatic at the end of the stanza .

The word is derived from the Latin words Con (from Latin cum, with) and ductus (from ducere, lead or lead, participle lead ). Carried the word-based translation: the music accompanies it commissioned on duty (and be honored by it to the end) person.

literature

supporting documents

  1. a b c d Karl H. Wörner: History of Music . P. 93.
  2. ^ Karl H. Wörner: History of Music . P. 90.