Palestrina's masses are largely what sustain the reputation his music has because they tend to be quite uniform of surface and can come across as somehow perfect. In the motets, however, there is a much wider variety of moods and the texture is often enriched by, if nothing else, a single feature that is comparatively rare in the masses: the use of chordal passages that bring a strong element of contrast, if not surprise, into the music. Jubilate deo is an excellent example of this; it is a vigorous, business-like motet of good strength and very modest ambitions. It begins with a balanced, arched line on jubilate. Palestrina is noted for maintaining the sense of balance in his music by almost always equaling any movement up or down with equal movement in the opposite direction. This initial line is an example of how such balance is sometimes nullifying. But this dull beginning belies the rest of the piece, which quickly moves on to become, and remain, highly declamatory. Much of the motet is now made up of homophony and dialogue between two halves of the split choir. Imitation, normally the staple technique, certainly occurs, but is so much less important than in the typically performed works and there are even contrapuntal exchanges that aren't imitative at all. On "Gloria Patri," it almost turns over entirely to a homophony decorated with brief suspensions that push the music forward until the very end of the piece. Jubilate deo, at times approaching gruffness, gives a very different musical impression than the long passages of tepidly correct counterpoint so frequently encountered in the masses.

© All Music Guide

Portions of Content Provided by All Music Guide.
© 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. All Music Guide is a registered trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.