La Quintina

Dufay, Missa la mort de Saint-Gothard

 

Preserved in the Modena alpha Ms 13 choir book, the Missa la mort de Saint-Gothard is among the finest musical works associated with the court of Ercole d’Este. Almost certainly copied in 1480 by Johannes Martini, this work, currently unreleased on disc, raises numerous questions regarding its incomplete form, the choice of its melodic framework, and its authorship. While the fragmentary nature of the Missa la mort de Saint-Gothard could be linked to liturgical practices specific to Ferrara, the study of the musical historiography surrounding this work reveals discrepancies concerning the origin of its cantus firmus, as well as its anonymous attribution in the source. With La Quintina, we hope to bring this masterpiece of 15th-century polyphony out of obscurity.