Inviolata, integra et casta es Maria
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Composed by Josquin des Prez, the motet first appeared in print around 1519, with the publication of Motetti de la corona, libro quarto by Ottaviano Petrucci. The cantus firmus is a twelfth-century Gregorian melody titled Inviolata that was traditionally performed during Candlemas; Josquin based his composition on a particular version of Inviolata sung at the Basilica of Our Lady, Tongeren.
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Structure
The motet is scored for five voices: three free ones and two singing the cantus firmus, which is divided into three sections and expressed in whole notes. The time interval between the voices singing the cantus firmus decreases with each section, from three breves to two to one. In the opening bars (1–15), perfect modus is employed, creating a dignified atmosphere, whereas imperfect modus is established at the start of the second part. The five-breve phrase "O benigna, O regina, O Maria" is repeated thrice in the third section, with all five voices singing the same chords. In total, the motet is made up of some 144 (12 x 12) breves, a reference to the "holy" figure associated with Mary and the "woman of the apocalypse" with "a crown of twelve stars" around her head in the Book of Revelation.
Legacy
The motet is one of Josquin's most famous works, and was reworked by several composers especially during the early sixteenth century, such as Antonio de Cabezón and Philippe Verdelot.