Michael Silies
Die Motetten des Philippe de Monte (1521–1603)
1. Edition 2009
738 pages
ISBN 978-3-89971-708-2
V&R unipress
Abhandlungen zur Musikgeschichte -
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Until being appointed imperial bandmaster (kaiserlicher Hofkapellmeister) at the court of Maximilian II in the spring of 1568 Philippe de Monte (1521-1603) appeared as a composer of secular works. At that time only one motet was available in print. Only when he began his employment at the imperial court de Monte did his intensive and prolific preoccupation with this genre started. This lasted beyond Maximilians death under his successor Rudolf II. During his employment for both emperors, de Monte composed around 250 motets. This Study offers for the first time a comprehensive survey of sources, texts and functions as well as of musical form and structure of these works. The fascinating point behind this survey into the age of confessionalization, is the fact that de Monte composed almost all his motets during his employment as an imperial bandmaster for two emperors, who could not be more different with respect to character, political strategy, cultural interest and religious attitude.
