Missa Gaudeamus

Because of its style the work is probably the earliest among the other masses based on a gregorian plainsong that Josquin started composing by the middle of his compositional career (the others being Ave maris stella, De Beata Virgine, Da pacem and Pange lingua).

B bringing similar examples taken from the works of Guillaume Dufay, he also points out as such strong resemblance to one particular source despite another could indicate that composers of that time did not necessary wrote down their cantus firmus from memory.

The motif made up by the first six notes of the introit, which makes up the word Gaudeamus, is the most recognizable melodic material, and can be recognized 6 times in the Kyrie, 14 in the Gloria, 2 in the Credo, 12 in the Sanctus and 27 in the Agnus Dei; as this numbers are far from proportional to the length of the various sections, Elders suggests an intentional and numerological plot behind the numbers of Gaudeamus statements in each section, as symbols related to the Book of Revelation, disclosing the profound inspiration of the work as a history of salvation.

The aforementioned Gaudeamus Omnes introit, transposed up a fifth, is quoted rather unchanged in the cantus firmus at the tenor up to "Mariae Virginis" in the Kyrie, completely in the Gloria and the Credo.

[1]: 101 The treatment of the cantus firmus itself is not uniform, as, often, the tenor, rather than sustaining the other voices with long notes, follows their rhythmic gestures (e.g. Christe, Kyrie II, second half of Gloria).

[1]: 95 This less rigid utilization of the pre-existing material in addition to cantus firmus anticipates the paraphrasing technique which will be widely adopted in the last Missa Pange lingua.