When we now try to grasp the essence of the Flemish school there are the following main characteristics:

 

• Beauty of sound (Dutch: Welluidendheid): the sound is getting more polished, dissonants (yes, even for our modern ears) that existed in early music (as a result of the development of independence voices) are being avoided and the sound gets clearer and more beautiful. I find the music of Jacob Obrecht one of the highlights. Obrecht lets the high voices sing long lines, and weaves a pattern of extraordinary beauty.

Listen to Salve Regina

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6Nkk_HtYos

• Technical masterpieces: how can you construct a complete mass, with a duration of approx. 30 minutes and 3 – 5 voices all moving along independent lines. And the result is stunning. And many pieces are still not yet fully understood, sometimes there are special combinations of numbers leading to a word with a special meaning. And still you can enjoy the music as if it is the simplicity itself. But isn’t that the essence of a true masterpiece, very complex in its construction and yet “easy” to listen.

• All voices are equal in its importance. Although high pitched voices tend to take the lead they are of equal importance. For this we must remember we have come a long way from the “unisono” sound. If you start letting polyphony expand it seems logic that all voices are of equal importance, but it is a true effort, a true achievement since it requests great skill to arrive at this point.