From the mid-15th to the late 16th century, the polyphonic mass was considered both in practical and theoretical terms to be the central form of expression of Western art music, within which key compositional developments took place. Around 1500, moreover, there developed a sensitivity for the effective use and functionalisation of polyphonic music in both spiritual and secular ceremonies and rituals. This volume examines the polyphonic mass as an instrument for effective symbolic public communication within liturgical, artificial, denominational and political parameters, taking the style and history of the genre into account.