In Nomine (in 11/4) by John Bull

Michael Maxwell Steer plays one of the most remarkable musical experiments of the 16thC, recorded live at a concert in Handel House, London on 5 July 2007. This compositional tour de force by John Bull (1562-1628 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bull_(composer)) compares with Tallis's Felix Namque http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgAb2AjkgWE in its extended use of a plainsong cantus firmus. However Bull does something which was unique at the time by making every third bar 3 beats within an otherwise 4 beat piece. This has has the effect of making a cycle of 11 beats. Nobody before Stravinsky ever experimented with irregular bars, certainly not in the 16thC. But it's not a stunt, it's also a wonderful piece. The piece comes from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book. For more about Michael Maxwell Steer visit http://msteer.co.uk/edu/3temperament.htm

Category:

Music

Tags:

• john bull
• in nomine
• stravinsky
• harpsichord
• Michael Maxwell Steer
• ColourMuse
• Handel
• House
• Museum
• recital
• concert

[maxwellsteer]

I dont subscribe to other channels, simply because I already have enought to keep up with. But please write, you will easily find me on the web.

[MagicDolphinGO]

What does in nomine mean?

[maxwellsteer]

You will find an entry on it in Wikipedia. It wont let me copy the link.

[flibbertergibbet]

I think you'll find Glinka and Tchaikovsky were doing unequal bars long before Stravinsky, hence Stravinsky and others were able to develop them, because they were part of their musical heritage!

[maxwellsteer]

@flibbertergibbet If you really want to be pedantic, it wasnt 'long' before Stravinsky, it was merely a generation - and I would incline to doubt that they had much influence on S, whose lifelong ability was to distil musical ideas AHEAD of the pack, not as a response to the experimentation of others. The issue here is that Bull's rhythmic experimentation was as sui generis AS Stravinsky's or as Gesualdo's tonal experimentation.

[flibbertergibbet]

@maxwellsteer I'd like to point out the difference between pedantry and ACCURACY: with greatest respect, what you actually wrote is "Nobody before Stravinsky ever experimented with irregular bars". Not true!

[maxwellsteer]

@flibbertergibbet Well now, the issue would concern the word irregular. I dont know the piece/s of Glinka you're refering to, but is there anything other than the 5/4 movt in Pathetique in Tchaik? As far as Im aware even that movt isnt, strictly, 'irregular' bars since the metre remains constant. You could argue that that is also true of the In Nomine since the metric pattern is consistent, yet its notation as 4/4+4/4+3/4 validates my statement, unless you can Glinka me to the contrary!

[Fervorum]

11/4, was he drunk when wrote this?

[BlackHeartDarkSoul]

<3 <3 <3

My very favourite kind of instrumental music!!!!

[mrdavethecomposer]

Such flowing style....

[gspaulsson]

listening to riu riu chiu again, it's weirder than that. It's basically in cut time, but the refrain is in 2/2 -3/4- 5/4 - 3/2 if I catch it correctly. Also a lot of folk music is in odd time signatures like 7/8 - some of the Romanian and Hungarian folk songs that Bartok and Kodaly collected, but also some Appalachian fiddle music.

[gspaulsson]

@MagicDolphinGO It means "in the name of" (usually in nomine Domini = in the name of the Lord)

[gspaulsson]

Actually, "irregular" time-signatures were quite common in renaissance music, cf. the 16th c. Spanish carol "Riu riu chiu" in 5/4 time

[comprehensiveboy]

Please listen to Mike Oldfileds 'Ommadawn' and tell me if you think it sounds relalted in some way.