Cantus Firmus Mass

• A cantus firmus mass, also known as a tenor mass, had a four-voice texture. The tenor voice sang the cantus firmus, which was a melody taken from a preexisting, often secular, song. The other voices in the texture -- the contratenor bassus, contratenor altus and cantus -- were constructed around the cantus firmus. The name of the mass would be derived from the name of the song from which the cantus firmus melody was taken.
  
  

Parody Mass

• The 16th century brought about the parody mass, also known as the imitation mass. Each movement was based on the same piece of borrowed material from a motet, madrigal or chanson, but rather than being used as a cantus firmus in a single voice, the borrowed melody would be broken up and would appear in multiple voices.
  
  

Paraphrase Mass

• In this polyphonic mass type, each movement was structured on the same monophonic melody. This melody -- from an already written chant, chanson or motet -- would be divided up between the various voices instead of being used in just one voice as a cantus firmus. It could also be adjusted at will, or paraphrased, as it was broken up. This was paired with imitation in the rest of the voices to create texture.
  
  

Motto Mass

• Also known as a "head motive mass" or a "motto beginning mass," this was a type of polyphonic mass in which all of the movements were linked by their use of the same opening motivic figure. This most commonly occurred in the tenor voice. The melody used throughout the mass came from a preexisting piece of music, and each movement is freely composed after its occurrence. The motto mass led to the creation of the cantus firmus mass.