# Some hype for Ockeghem by the modernist composer Ernst Krenek



## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

I found this interesting enough to merit mentioning:



> Ockeghem's "highly unorthodox" use of dissonance is considered by Krenek to be "one of the outstanding features of his style." According to Krenek, Ockeghem's music does not "at all live up to the theoretical demands of his friend (Tinctoris)" but "exploits the tensions of dissonant combinations in an unconventional way." Ockeghem's use of dissonance is considered by Krenek a source of great expression, giving his music "a flavor of rugged melancholy and…situations of strength and intensity of feeling not easily found elsewhere" and makes the music "sound bold and progressive."


I don't personally perceive dissonance strongly, so I haven't noted this feature of his music myself.

This is from a dissertation posted in another thread:

http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc68063/

Any thoughts on Ockeghem in general or that remark by Krenek in particular?


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## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

I read parts of Krenek's "Johannes Ockeghem", and he says he has studied original manuscripts of Ockeghem's masses and that editors often "correct" passages that go against their expectations of proper harmonic practice, thinking they are copyists errors or other errors. In addition, singers may sometimes apply musica ficta when they should not. He does admit he's not a musicologist but mostly goes by his instinct of what is the more musically interesting interpretation.

The little volume: https://ia601204.us.archive.org/0/items/johannesockeghem00kren/johannesockeghem00kren.pdf

Anyway, I guess the editions and interpretations that are available are less dissonant than Krenek's idea of how the music should go.

I just listened through Missa Caput again trying to notice diminished fifths, and while I don't think I noticed any, the awesomeness of the mass knocked my socks off. Again. It's one incredible work of music. There weren't all that many diminished fifths corrected with musica ficta either, judging from the edition I downloaded from the internet, so I wouldn't say it makes a big difference which way these are sung.


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