I can’t remember how this bit of music got into my life. I’ve been listening to it every now and again since I had a CD player – and I think I may have bought it for no other reason than it was cheap and looked intriguing. But it has always carried me away to somewhere mystical. I’ve never spotted a performance of it anywhere, and it occurred to me that I know nothing whatever about it apart from its name. So here’s a what I found out with a bit of googling, AI and editing.
Et Ecce Terrae Motus (And Behold, the Earth Moved), also known as the “Earthquake Mass,” is one of the most remarkable compositions of the Renaissance period, written by Antoine Brumel around 1497. This 12-voice mass setting stands as a monumental achievement in polyphonic composition, pushing the boundaries of what was considered possible in sacred music of the late 15th century.
Brumel, who worked primarily in France and Italy, composed this mass during a period when most sacred works were written for four to six voices. The decision to write for 12 independent vocal parts was revolutionary for its time. The mass takes its name from the dramatic text painting of its opening section, where overlapping voices create a sonic representation of seismic movement.
The historical context is crucial – this was composed during a period of significant transformation in European music. The Franco-Flemish school was at its height, with composers like Josquin des Prez establishing new standards for polyphonic complexity. However, Brumel’s approach in the Earthquake Mass went far beyond contemporary practices. While his contemporaries were perfecting the balanced, four-voice texture that would become standard, Brumel created a work of unprecedented density and scale.
The mass’s structure follows the traditional Ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei), but its treatment is anything but conventional. Brumel employs dense layering of voices creating massive sonic blocks, complex rhythmic interactions between voice parts, and strategic use of reduced voices for contrast. He utilises extended melismatic passages that create a swirling, almost vertiginous effect, alongside bold harmonic progressions that were ahead of their time.
The influence of Et Ecce Terrae Motus on later music turns out to be significant. It served as a direct inspiration for composers like Thomas Tallis, whose 40-voice motet Spem in alium (c. 1570) follows in its tradition of massive polyphonic writing. The work also prefigured the Venetian polychoral style of the late 16th century, the development of large-scale sacred works, the exploration of spatial effects in music, and the use of extreme textural contrast as a compositional device.
The mass remained relatively unknown for centuries but experienced a revival in the 20th century. Modern composers like György Ligeti and Krzysztof Penderecki found inspiration in its dense textures and innovative approach to vocal writing. The work’s influence can be heard in pieces like Ligeti’s Lux Aeterna and various micropolyphonic compositions of the post-war avant-garde.
The technical demands of performing Et Ecce Terrae Motus are formidable, requiring exceptional skill from singers and careful acoustic considerations. This complexity, combined with the practical challenges of assembling 12 skilled voices, has contributed to its relative rarity in performance. However, when successfully executed, the mass creates an overwhelming sonic experience that demonstrates the full potential of human voices in harmony.
The work represents a fascinating intersection between Medieval and Renaissance sensibilities. While its massive scale and complexity point forward to the Baroque era’s grand compositions, its modal framework and use of cantus firmus techniques connect it to Medieval traditions. This dual nature makes it a unique bridge between musical epochs.
The Earthquake Mass stands as one of the most ambitious compositions of its era, demonstrating that the supposed limitations of Renaissance musical practice were more flexible than often assumed. Its influence continues to resonate through the centuries, inspiring composers and performers to push the boundaries of what is possible in vocal music.
And I probably paid less than a quid for my introduction to it.
