Quam Pulchra Es by John Dunstable (c. 1390 -1453)

This piece is called a sacred motet, and is not the same as earlier motets which were built from a plain chant melody and could have two different texts in the upper two voices.  Now, in the renaissance we get a new version of motet.  All of the voices have the same words, but they are often sung at slightly different times. I can hear moments where the voices line up perfectly, sometimes even in unison, but at other times they are making use of imitative polyphony, and are mostly concerned with counterpoint between the two voices.  This particular piece is very peaceful and beautiful.  There is very little dissonance present, and much of the time the intervals between voices are 3rds or 6ths.   Dunstable's music helped influence all of those from the Burgundian school, including Dufay and Binchois.