ABSTRACT

Discussions of the thirteenth-century motet have emphasized the presence of preexistent materials, most notably a chant segment in the tenor, and refrains, both textual and musical, in the upper voices. Mout me fu grief/Robin m'aime/Portare (Mo 7, 265)4 offers a rich opportunity for futher investigation of how preexistent materials function in a late-thirteenth-century motet. Beyond Glossing. An overview of the tonal designs of 16 other thirteenth-century motets based upon the Portare chant segment suggests that at least one reason for the chant segment's popularity was the variety of tonal treatment it permitted. The play upon the two tones goes beyond the seesawing observed in the chant itself and in a motet such as Mo 159: in Mout me fu grief both melody and harmony create tension between G and C, which becomes a primary goal in the cohesive tonal design of the entire piece.