Vocal polyphony

Does anyone have any advice relating to authentic Renaissance vocal polyphony and how to separate sentences with different start times (like Palestrina's Sicut Cervus)? I can do it for a measure or three, but an entire piece can descend into modern cacophony.

Hello @MichaelCarzon,

Welcome to the forum!

21 hours ago, MichaelCarzon said:

but an entire piece can descend into modern cacophony.

What do you mean by "modern cacophony"? Since you are citing Palestrina's piece, the seconda prattica, such as in many of Bach's piece can also be considered as "modern cacophony" compare to the Ars Perfecta which Palestrina achieved. For Palestrina's style he is using all sorts of prepared dissonance as they are all prepared by suspension, and he tends to fill all the gaps by the leaps in the melody by having steps to the contrary direction.

21 hours ago, MichaelCarzon said:

how to separate sentences with different start times (like Palestrina's Sicut Cervus)?

I've just listened to the piece for the first time, and the motet is using a common technique when the entrance of each voice are from the same head of the theme, and the tail will continue with free counterpoint.

21 hours ago, MichaelCarzon said:

Does anyone have any advice relating to authentic Renaissance vocal polyphony

Fux's Gradus ad Parnassum will be a crucial read since Fux was studying Palestrina's pieces to write this treatise, and the master in the dialogue actually represents Palestrina. 

But on the other hand, there's nothing as "authentic" Renaissance vocal polyphony, since within that time period itself lots of different styles appear from different composers: Du Fay, Machaut, Dunstable, Josquin, Palestrina, Byrd, Monteverdi all have different styles and there's no one who is the authentic Renaissance one.

Henry