Motets

A motet is a polyphonic vocal composition whose text is usually sacred. In its earliest form, it emerged in medieval Europe as a setting for liturgical or devotional texts, crafted for three or more voices and often built on a preexisting chant or plainchant cantus firmus. Over time, motets expanded in complexity and variety, becoming a central genre of European church music.

Medieval motets began in the 13th century at the Notre Dame school, with composers adding a newly composed text above an existing chant in the lower voices. This practice allowed several texts to be sung simultaneously in independent vocal lines. In the 14th century, motets of the Ars Nova, including works by Philippe de Vitry and Guillaume de Machaut, explored more dramatic rhythmic and textual combinations, sometimes employing isorhythm and multiple texts.

Renaissance motets (15th–16th centuries) developed into a dominant sacred form in Latin. Composers such as Josquin des Prez, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Orlande de Lassus, and Tomás Luis de Victoria wrote motets that emphasized balanced polyphony, careful text setting, and expressive, imitative counterpoint. The cantus firmus technique diminished in prominence as motets became more through-composed and text-driven, though some early examples still feature a structural cantus firmus.

In later periods, the motet remained associated with religious use, often performed a cappella by choir, though Baroque composers experimented with instrument accompaniment and more elaborate textures. Today, the term motet denotes a traditional, text-driven sacred choral work but can also refer to modern choral settings that invoke the form’s medieval and Renaissance lineage.