Emblem of a Musical Renaissance: Reassessing Josquin Des Prez's Miserere mei, Deus

Abstract

This essay reassesses Miserere mei, Deus by Josquin des Prez (c.1503) as a case study for interrogating the idea of a "musical Renaissance." Drawing on Reinhard Strohm’s distinction between musical “evolution” and “revival,” it explores how Josquin’s motet embodies both continuity and innovation during a period of significant intellectual and artistic transformation. Through close analysis of rhetorical and structural devices—such as ostinato, imitation, caesura, and modal harmony—the essay examines how Josquin engages with humanist ideals of emotional expression, individuality, and textual clarity. While many features suggest a stylistic rebirth in opposition to medieval ritualism, others reveal a gradual evolution from earlier traditions, including the cantus firmus and modal tuning systems. Ultimately, the essay argues that Miserere mei, Deus occupies a liminal space between past and future, complicating any straightforward claim that Josquin’s work is emblematic of a Renaissance in music. Instead, the motet reflects the transitional character of its time—both a culmination of medieval techniques and a foundation for the ars perfecta of later polyphonic writing.