Page 21 - April.indd

A Stylistic Synthesis

were generally short sequences either confirming a given On a more local level, however, Martines often pres-
key (e.g., the Romanesca or “do-re-mi”) or modulating ents strikingly unexpected harmonic progressions. She
between closely related keys (e.g., the Prinner or fonte). 31 frequently writes abrupt third relations, such as quick
Similarly, the chromatic devices used by Martines—di- moves from D major tonality to a half cadence on
minished seventh chords, augmented sixth chords, and F-sharp in movements 1 (m. 85, see fi gure above) and
surprising modulations—were as allowable in Handel’s 7 (m. 26). Movement 4 travels from A minor to F-sharp
day as in hers, and indeed appear frequently through- major over the course of its first three measures (Figure

out his Dixit. Nevertheless, Martines’s use of this full pal- 9 on page 20).
ette of devices forms an important part of her style and Martines twice arrives at a “deceptive cadence” in the
shows her creative assimilation of the various harmonic penultimate phrase of a movement (movement 5 m. 126;
options available. movement 7 m. 50). Instead of the conventional V-vi
Within individual movements, Martines’s use of har- progression, she moves in both cases from V to a Ger-
mony contrasts highly conservative use of large-scale man augmented sixth chord built on VI. The cadence
key areas and modulations with wildly adventurous local near the end of movement 7 is particularly dramatic
progressions and chords. Most of her movements stub- (Figure 10 on page 20). Martines’s contemporary Mo-
bornly refuse to explore keys other than tonic and dom- zart makes a similar, but slightly less audacious, harmon-
inant; as noted above, the two fugues (movements 4 and ic move in the corresponding spot in his Dixit Dominus
7) barely modulate and only present their subjects in two K. 193, written in the same year as Martines’s setting. 32
keys. The non-fugal movements are similarly tonic-dom- Mozart writes a non-vi deceptive cadence in exactly the
inant focused. Movement 3 stays exclusively in the tonic same place—the “amen” in the fi fth-to-last bar, at the
and dominant keys. Movement 1 tonicizes B minor (vi) end of the penultimate phrase—but his V of V is some-
leading to a brief passage in E minor (ii), mm. 86-93; what more sedate than Martines’s augmented 6th.
movement 2 goes through the circle of 5ths and briefl y Movement 6 is a chromatic and modulatory passage.
tonicizes A major (II) in mm. 35-46, but these moments In the fi rst ten measures, the bass ascends a full octave
are very short and still involve keys that are closely relat- largely through chromatic motion, and then immediately
ed to tonic and dominant. moves through a diminished third (F-natural to D-sharp

Table 9. Sectional Analysis of Movement 2, mm. 1-51

Section Measures Concluding Cadence

Instrumental introduction 1-16 PAC tonic

“Virgam virtutis tuae emittet Dominus ex Sion” 17-31 HC to V/V

“dominare in medio inimicorum tuorum” 31-51 PAC dominant

Table 10. Sectional Analysis of Movement 3, mm. 1-38

Section Measures Concluding Cadence

Instrumental introduction 1-17 PAC tonic
First statement of entire psalm verse 18-29 HC to V/V

Melismatic restatement of final two words, “genui te” 30-38 PAC dominant

CHORAL JOURNAL April 2021 Volume 61 Number 9 19