Ockeghem: Master of Polyphonic Innovation

Johannes Ockeghem, active in the mid-to-late fifteenth century, is celebrated for his highly complex

contrapuntal writing, unusually wide vocal ranges, and fluid melodic lines that avoid

predictable patterns. His Missa Prolationum demonstrates his mastery of mensuration canons,

in which voices perform the same melody simultaneously at different speeds, creating rich,

layered polyphony. This work reflects both technical brilliance and the Renaissance emphasis on continuity,

coherence, and expressive depth. Ockeghem’s secular songs show a similar balance of melody

and rhythm, combining structural sophistication with emotional nuance. His innovations

in voice independence and contrapuntal complexity influenced later composers, bridging medieval