Although Palestrina wrote his two L'homme armé masses nearly a century after the majority of masses in this tradition were written, it is clear that he was consciously looking to this tradition for guidance in his own compositions, perhaps as an act of emulation. The influence of the L'homme armé masses of Josquin and Morales is evident, and evidence confirms that Palestrina would have been familiar with these works. Palestrina further followed earlier traditions in his choice of mode, prolation, and notation. It has been suggested that Palestrina chose to use the L'homme armé melody to prove he could equal Josquin's earlier achievements, although this is likely not the sole reason. In acknowledging the practices of the past, it is possible that Palestrina was trying to create a place for himself not only within the L'homme armé tradition, but within the revered traditions associated with composition and the Capella Sistina.

Works: Palestrina: Missa L'homme armé [1570], Missa L'homme armé [1582].

Sources: Josquin: Missa L'homme armé sexti toni (192), Missa L'homme armé super voces musicales (192, 197); Morales: Missa L'homme armé [1540] (192-94), Missa L'homme armé [1544] (192-94); De Orto: Missa L'homme armé (199-200).

Index Classifications: 1500s

Contributed by: Sherri Winks