The first phrase of the melody is quoted quite literally from the chant, even in terms of its rhythm. The
declamation is nearly syllabic. Thereafter the chant is more or less decoratively paraphrased: but
melismas tend to come at or near the ends of phrases, and accented syllables are placed on longer note-
values, both procedures being calculated to maintain the intelligibility of the text.
The final entry, in the bassus, is in each case the least adorned and the most straightforwardly
declaimed. It is the “crown” of the point. The fact that the crown comes at the bottom of the pitch range,
and that the first three points proceed as identical straightforward descents from top to bottom, can be
interpreted as a “semantic” illustration of Gabriel’s descent, as divine messenger, from God’s abode in
heaven to Mary’s abode on earth.
As a final point about shaping, and about Josquin’s exemplary craftsmanship, note the difference
between the final point, on “virgo serena,” and the three previous ones. The order of entries is varied at
last; but more importantly, so is the time interval between the entries, which is subtly tightened, stretto-
fashion—the tenor following the superius after only one beat instead of two, and the four voices all
gathering in to
EX. 14-6B Josquin des Prez, Ave Maria ... Virgo serena, mm. 9–14