Gallus Dressler
Encyclopedia
Gallus Dressler was a German composer and music theorist who served as Kantor in the church school at Magdeburg
.Though a few of his works have remained in the choral repertoire, he is best known for his theoretical writings, especially his Praecepta musicae poeticae (MS, 1563), which contains some of the earliest detailed description of the compositional process of the Renaissance motet
.
.
After a brief tenure at Jena in 1558, Dressler succeeded Martin Agricola
as Kantor of the church school in Magdeburg
, where most of his career was spent. His compositions were almost entirely in the genre of the Latin motet
, largely ignoring the Lutheran chorale
, though he is noted for some of the first German-language motets.
Dressler studied at Wittenberg
, receiving the master's degree in 1570, and was closely associated with the Philippists
. In fact, when the more orthodox wing of Lutheranism became ascendant in Magdeburg, Dressler left for a position in Anhalt.
. Dressler's explication of musica poetica
can be summarized in two principles: the application of the rhetorical principles of exordium, medio, and finis to the structure of a motet, and the application of the grammatical principle of a "clausula" (sentence) to smaller musical units demarcated by cadences
.
The modal aspect of Dressler's musical poetics agrees in principle with that of Pietro Pontio
and other contemporary theorists, but Dressler takes it a step further by teaching the use of the principal cadences of the given musical mode
(cadences to the final and dominant degrees) to assert stability in the exordium and the finis, and cadences to other degree during the medio to provide contrast and interest.
Dressler's treatise also includes a brief but perceptive sketch in which he identifies four phases in the history of Renaissance music: the John Dunstaple/Guillaume Dufay
generation, Josquin des Prez
, the post-Josquin generation (dominated, in his mind, by Clemens non papa), and Dressler's own contemporaries.
The Latin text as published by Bernhard Engelke in Geschichtsblätter für Stadt und Land Magdeburg, XLIX-L (1914-1915) is available online through Thesaurus Musicarum Latinarum, but it is somewhat flawed. A new critical text and English translation by Robert Forgacs was published in 2007 by the University of Illinois Press.
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
.Though a few of his works have remained in the choral repertoire, he is best known for his theoretical writings, especially his Praecepta musicae poeticae (MS, 1563), which contains some of the earliest detailed description of the compositional process of the Renaissance motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
.
Life
Dressler was born in Nebra in Thuringia, but probably received most of his musical education in the Netherlands. He seems particularly influenced by Clemens non papa, and a perusal of the musical examples he cites in his theoretical writings shows that he was strongly influenced by the Franco-Flemish generation immediately following Josquin des PrezJosquin Des Prez
Josquin des Prez [Josquin Lebloitte dit Desprez] , often referred to simply as Josquin, was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance...
.
After a brief tenure at Jena in 1558, Dressler succeeded Martin Agricola
Martin Agricola
Martin Agricola was a German composer of Renaissance music and a music theorist.He was born in Schwiebus in Lower Silesia. His German name was Sohr or Sore....
as Kantor of the church school in Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
, where most of his career was spent. His compositions were almost entirely in the genre of the Latin motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
, largely ignoring the Lutheran chorale
Chorale
A chorale was originally a hymn sung by a Christian congregation. In certain modern usage, this term may also include classical settings of such hymns and works of a similar character....
, though he is noted for some of the first German-language motets.
Dressler studied at Wittenberg
Wittenberg
Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a city in Germany in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, on the river Elbe. It has a population of about 50,000....
, receiving the master's degree in 1570, and was closely associated with the Philippists
Philippists
The Philippists formed a party in early Lutheranism. Their opponents were called Gnesio-Lutherans.-Before Luther's Death:Philippists was the designation usually applied in the latter half of the sixteenth century to the followers of Philipp Melanchthon...
. In fact, when the more orthodox wing of Lutheranism became ascendant in Magdeburg, Dressler left for a position in Anhalt.
Praecepta musicae poeticae
Dressler's chief contribution comes to us in this unpublished manuscript, which from its organization and tone may have been his notes for teaching composition classes. As such it is one of the first sources to give in detail a practical approach to the composition of the Renaissance motetMotet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
. Dressler's explication of musica poetica
Musica poetica
Musica poetica was a term commonly applied to the art of composing music in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century German schools and universities. Its first known use was in the Rudimenta Musicae Planae of Nicolaus Listenius...
can be summarized in two principles: the application of the rhetorical principles of exordium, medio, and finis to the structure of a motet, and the application of the grammatical principle of a "clausula" (sentence) to smaller musical units demarcated by cadences
Cadence (music)
In Western musical theory, a cadence is, "a melodic or harmonic configuration that creates a sense of repose or resolution [finality or pause]." A harmonic cadence is a progression of two chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music...
.
The modal aspect of Dressler's musical poetics agrees in principle with that of Pietro Pontio
Pietro Pontio
Pietro Pontio was an Italian theorist and composer.Pontio was born and died in Parma. He is best known for his 1588 treatise Ragionamento di Musica, which is thought to have influenced Claudio Monteverdi....
and other contemporary theorists, but Dressler takes it a step further by teaching the use of the principal cadences of the given musical mode
Musical mode
In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
(cadences to the final and dominant degrees) to assert stability in the exordium and the finis, and cadences to other degree during the medio to provide contrast and interest.
Dressler's treatise also includes a brief but perceptive sketch in which he identifies four phases in the history of Renaissance music: the John Dunstaple/Guillaume Dufay
Guillaume Dufay
Guillaume Dufay was a Franco-Flemish composer of the early Renaissance. As the central figure in the Burgundian School, he was the most famous and influential composer in Europe in the mid-15th century.-Early life:From the evidence of his will, he was probably born in Beersel, in the vicinity of...
generation, Josquin des Prez
Josquin Des Prez
Josquin des Prez [Josquin Lebloitte dit Desprez] , often referred to simply as Josquin, was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance...
, the post-Josquin generation (dominated, in his mind, by Clemens non papa), and Dressler's own contemporaries.
The Latin text as published by Bernhard Engelke in Geschichtsblätter für Stadt und Land Magdeburg, XLIX-L (1914-1915) is available online through Thesaurus Musicarum Latinarum, but it is somewhat flawed. A new critical text and English translation by Robert Forgacs was published in 2007 by the University of Illinois Press.