Contrafactum

Contrafactum

In vocal music, contrafactum (pl. contrafacta) refers to "the substitution of one text for another without substantial change to the music".[1]

While translations meant for singing do not usually constitute intentional "substitution", examples of contrafacta which do constitute wholesale substitution of a different text include the following types:

  • An existing tune already possessing secular or sacred words is given a new poem, as often happens in hymns (typically Protestant ones); sometimes more than one new set of words is created over time. Examples:
  • Intentional parodies (as opposed to mere translations) of lyrics, especially for satirical purposes, as practiced in the United States by "Weird Al" Yankovic with popular music, humorist Tom Lehrer with his song "The Elements", which uses a tune from The Pirates of Penzance, Forbidden Broadway with musicals, the Capitol Steps, and Mark Russell (the last two involving political parody).

Legal issues

While the above examples involve either music that is in the public domain or lyrics that were modified by the original lyricist, one obvious consideration in producing a contrafactum of someone else's music in modern times is the copyright of the original music or lyrics upon which the contrafactum would be based.

See also

References

  1. ^ Faulk, Robert; Martin Picker. "Contrafactum". Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy. http://www.grovemusic.com. Retrieved 2006-07-25. 
  2. ^ "Tunes by name". Cyberhymnal. http://www.hymntime.com/tch/tun/tun-d.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-04. 

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • contrafactum — noun a) The substitution of one text for another without substantial change to the music. b) The use of a secular melody with a religious text …   Wiktionary

  • Contrafactum — Modern term for a piece of music where a different text is set to the notes from that originally intended; e.g. an English text might be set to an originally Latin motet. An example would be the recasting of the lines (originally in Latin) Now at …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

  • Contrafactum — (Lat. counterfeit )    The practice of fitting an existing vocal work with a new text. In the Middle Ages this occurred frequently with the establishment of new feasts or simply the composition of new sequence or hymnodic poetry. After the 15th… …   Historical dictionary of sacred music

  • contrafactum — con·tra·fac·tum …   English syllables

  • contrafactum — noun see contrafact …   Useful english dictionary

  • Johannes Pullois — (numerous variant spellings of his name include Pillays, Pilloys, Pylois, Pyloys, Pyllois, Puilloys, Puylloys, Puyllois) (died August 23, 1478) was a Franco Flemish composer of the Renaissance, active in both the Low Countries and Italy. He was… …   Wikipedia

  • Fuentes musicales medievales de España — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Fuentes de canto mozárabe o hispánico Artículo principal: Canto mozárabe Fuentes Fuentes de canto gregoriano Fuentes de monodia lírica latina Ávila, Cat …   Wikipedia Español

  • Anexo:Fuentes musicales de la Edad Media de España — Fuentes de canto mozárabe o hispánico Artículo principal: Canto mozárabe Fuentes Fuentes de canto gregoriano Fuentes de monodia lírica latina Ávila, Catedral, Sala de Cantorales, Vitr. 4ª Barcelona, Archivo de …   Wikipedia Español

  • Johannes Pullois — Johannes (Jan) Pullois Pillays – Pilloys – Pylois Pyloys Pyllois – Puilloys – Puylloys Puyllois …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Контрафактура — (нем. Kontrafaktur, от позднелат. contrafactum), подтекстовка вокальной мелодии новыми стихами взамен первоначальных. Термин контрафактура не был распространён в исторические времена (встречается бессистемно начиная со второй половины XV… …   Википедия

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”