Frederick Ritter Lectures: 2nd

“The great epoch of Catholic church music and the Madrigal from the latter part of the fourteenth century to the death of Palestrina , in 1594.”

Lecture by Professor Fred Louis Ritter. Long review of lecture that was first heard at Vassar. The first lecture took place on November 9. “. . . He then gave an historic account of the musical composers who flourished in the Netherlands and France from Dufoy [sic] to Palestrina. He spoke in the highest terms of Oppecquam [Ockeghem?], Chaucquin [Josquin] des Pres and others who preceded Palestrina, creating smiles from the numerous ladies among the audience as he spoke of their religious compositions, the themes of the masses being generally taken from some popular song of the period, of which it invariably bore the name. Thus some famous masses are known to musical historians as ‘The Knight in Armor,’ ‘Adieu my Loves’ and ‘How Pale His Face.’ But at the time of Palestrina the religious composers from fuller knowledge of their science, richer invention and a better appreciation of religious decorum, invented their own themes and ceased to rely upon the chansons of the street. . . .”

“. . . The lecturer detailed at length the history of music in the middle ages, crediting the Flemish composers with counterpoint and the Italians with the invention of the fugue. The rise and progress of the madrigal was sketched, and the career of Palestrina was specially dwelt upon. The lecture was full of information of interest to the musical student.”

Long review detailing contents of the second lecture.

[reprinted from the New York Weekly Review] “Mr. Ritter's Second Lecture. In his second lecture, delivered last Tuesday evening, on the history of music (embracing the great epoch of Catholic church music and the madrigal, from the latter part of the fourteenth century to the death of Palestrina in 1594) Mr. Ritter traced the gradual progress of musical art among the Netherlanders, Italians, English and Germans. In speaking of the great school of the Netherlanders (Dutch, Flemish or Gallo Belgique school), he related the inventions and improvements in musical forms, which were the work of those great composers, whose very names are scarcely known to our amateurs, and indeed to many of our musicians. Dufay, Okeghem, Willaerth, Josquin des Prés, especially, present an instructive subject of study. The little that is known of him is blended with so many foolish anecdotes and false statements, that it was satisfactory to hear something trustworthy in regard to this great man. For, as Mr. Ritter said, ‘a singular fate seems to have persecuted our greatest masters; their real existence, their real characters have been obscured by a store of absurd, untrue, and worthless anecdotes and criticisms, the work of dry theorists and superficial judges, who were never able to understand or appreciate genius when it did not accord with their figures. So it was with Josquin des Pres, the first really great genius who marked an epoch in musical art. So it was with Mozart, the last great universal musical genius. Even Schubert and Beethoven did not wholly escape a similar fate. After relating the circumstances that led to the invention of printing notes, Mr. Ritter gave a succinct sketch of the progress of music in France, Spain and England. The noble life and maxims of the great Morales presented a glorious example to our own musical youth—would they, or could they but follow it. The rise and flourishing period of the English madrigal was thoroughly discussed, and the best English composers in this form were mentioned, as well as many cultivators of the madrigal in the various Italian cities; a fine parallel was drawn between these schools. The life of the great Palestrina then followed; his various biographies, his works, and the well known event, which gave to Palestrina the title of ‘Saviour of church music,’ were canvassed; ‘Though I could never understand, while studying and deeply feeling the beauties of the works of Palestrina's contemporaries and predecessors, that church music then needed a saviour,’ said Mr. Ritter; ‘yet it may have been then, as in our own day, that singers and organists ignored the noble works of truly great and inspired masters, and substituted in their stead, the vulgar, frivolous, insipid productions of mercenary art.’ Mr. Ritter considers that in Palestrina's beautiful works ‘Catholic church music found its greatest and purest revelation; they mark the culminating point, and at the same time, I may say, the close, of a great and unique epoch in musical art.’ In giving an account of the life and labors of Orlando di Lasso or Orlandus Lassus, Mr. Ritter explained the reasons that, in his judgement, have blinded Dr. Burney, and other meritorious historians, in regard to the value of Lasso's works, and deterred students from that study of his compositions (in common with those of all other great musically gifted minds) which is indispensable to progress in our own time. The lecture closed with a review of those masters and works (up to about A. D. 1600) which gave to the Italian school that prestige which it retained in Europe until the beginning of our century.’”