The canon
The canon is a form of musical composition which, despite an apparent simplicity, is highly complex in structure. Derived from the ancient Greek word kanōn, meaning ‘rule’ or ‘precept’, this technique is based on the strict imitation of an initial melody by one or more secondary voices.
The canon works according to a precise structure in which the main voice, called the dux (guide) or antecedent, states the musical theme. The following voices, called comes (companions) or consequents, reproduce this theme with a precise time delay. The superimposition of the voices generates a counterpoint of remarkable harmonic richness, in which each melodic line nevertheless retains its independence.
The canon, from simple to complex
Johannes Tinctoris, an influential 15th-century theorist, defined the canon as ‘a rule indicating the composer’s intention behind a certain obscurity’ (regula voluntatem compositoris sub obscuritate quadam ostendens). This definition highlights the inherently enigmatic nature of the canon: the performer must decipher the composer’s intentions from clues that are sometimes cryptic.
The diversity of canonical techniques testifies to the inventiveness of composers. The simple canon, the most basic form, is content with exact imitation in unison or octaves, as illustrated by the famous Frère Jacques (Brother John).
Composers have not failed to exploit the dual effect of the canon: apparent simplicity (it is always the same melodic line) and subtlety of the solution. Thus, the more sophisticated ‘proportional’ canons involve different speeds of execution for each voice.
Josquin des Prés (c.1450-1521) provides an example of this in his Missa L’homme armé super voces musicales.
The canon, emblem of musical enigma
During the 15th and 16th centuries, a genuine fascination developed for encrypted forms: riddles, puzzles, allegories, hieroglyphics and emblems. This passion for hermeticism permeated all the arts, with music becoming a privileged field for experimentation.
The techniques employed reveal boundless creativity. Verbal instructions in Latin, drawing on biblical, classical or philosophical sources, guide the performer towards the solution. Visual symbols and allegorical images enrich the score with an iconographic dimension, transforming music notation into a true visual art.
🔎 FInd out more
→ Discover canons from the 15th and 16th centuries
→ Read about the history of musical riddles : Katelijne Schiltz, Music and Riddle Culture in the Renaissance
