Montovano: Lirum Bilirum

This piece sounds like a motet from the Renaissance. It begins with a stringed instrument on arrpegiated chords that sounds like a mix between a harp and harpsichord. Then the singers begin in four part harmony. The bass keeps the steady pulse just entering in one note beats separated by rests. The upper voices all sing homophonically with unison rhythms and intervals on different pitches. The ornaments sound very Renaissancey. Then more voices enter and the two sections play back and forth like they're communicating over the constant pulse. This section seems like a triple period. There is an A phrase with another similar A phrase that follows a phrase slightly different in the middle. The end of the third phrase becomes very animated until it slows and pauses into the B section. The B section begins with two identical phrases. These phrases sound entirely different, however, due to the dynamic shift used with them. Then the A section returns and makes the B section stronger with the repeated material before the piece is concluded. This kind of music is probably actually very complex but after listening to so much of the modern music of today it seems so pure and healing through its simplicity in instrumentation.