Music in the Middle Ages - LHSMusicAppreciation.com
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Transcript Music in the Middle Ages - LHSMusicAppreciation.com
The Renaissance
1450-1600
Renaissance – A New Birth
Began in 1450 – Invention of the
Printing Press
Ended in 1600
An age of discovery and exploration
Renaissance Timeline
Changing Attitudes
The beginning of a gradual decline in
the church’s influence in Europe
A period of exploration and
questioning in almost all activities
Musically, this meant more freedom for
composers and performers
Changing Attitudes
Observation became the basis for
modern scientific method
As opposed to the absolute authority of
the Church. Ex – Galileo
Pleasurable aspects of sensory
experience became important
guidelines in the arts.
Music did not necessarily have to “do”
anything, but was appreciated on a
sensory level
Characteristics of the Renaissance
Humanism—The dominant intellectual
movement of the Renaissance, humanism
focused on human life, experiences, and
accomplishments, replacing the medieval
focus on religious doctrine and the afterlife.
Exploration—This Age of Exploration saw
voyages of discovery and conquest by
Columbus, Magellan, and many others.
Characteristics of the Renaissance
Classicism—The “rediscovery” of the
language, literature, philosophy, art, and
architecture of ancient Greece and Rome
fascinated people of the Renaissance.
Reformation—The power of the Catholic
Church was profoundly shaken by
Protestant reformers. Key figures were
Martin Luther, Jean Calvin, and King Henry
VIII. The Counter-Reformation was the
church’s response.
Characteristics of the Renaissance
Interest in Education—The rise of
secular power meant the rise of
education outside the church.
Aristocrats and the upper middle
class hired scholars to educate their
children.
Art in the Renaissance
Religious subjects still important
Increase in secular paintings and sculptures
Inspired by Greek and Roman art,
Renaissance artists depicted the world
around them with new clarity and
perspective. This golden age of art and
architecture boasts the creations of artists
such as Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Titian,
Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo, and
Leonardo da Vinci.
Music in the Renaissance
The discoveries of Pythagoras (tuning and
ratios in music) were reexamined and
expanded for the first time in centuries.
The Greek philosophers and their ideas
about music and expression were taken to
heart by some late Renaissance composers.
Renaissance composers explored music’s
pleasurable, expressive qualities, as
opposed to the intellectual, mannered
qualities prized by ars nova composers.
The Renaissance composer…
favors beautiful, a cappella sonorities
uses consonant harmonies
carefully controls dissonance
mixes textures
increasingly attempts to express
feelings (Joy, Sadness, etc.)
A reaction to Machaut and others
Listen to Machaut – Music had
become very complex
Complex polyphony, difficult to
understand the words
These traits began to appear in
church music
How bad did it get?
“There does not exist a single piece of
music, not composed within the last
forty years, that is regarded by the
learned as worth hearing.” –
Johannes Tinctoris (1435 – 1511)
Tinctoris studied music and music
theory.
Dufay and Early Homophonic Music
“Ave maris stella” (harmonization of
plainchant hymn)
A-A-A form (each verse is the same)
odd verses sung as chant
even verses
use paraphrase
use homophonic setting
Paraphrasing – building on chant
values melodic character of chant
(unlike medieval organum)
gives it specific meter & rhythm
embellishes it
emphasizes the sensuous aspect of chant
Early homophony
paraphrased melodies emphasized in
top voice (beginning of treble
dominated style)
supporting polyphonic voices create
simple chords
result is plainchant harmonization
sounds homophonic
emphasizes sonorous effect of rich
chords
Banning music in the Church
Composers began to integrate secular
melodies into church music
Music was so complex (ex. Machaut)
that the words were impossible to
follow.
Counter-Reformation
Council of Trent, 1545
The Catholic Church’s response to the
Protestant Reformation led by Martin
Luther; considered reforming worship
and practices of the Church
Also considered banning complex
polyphonic music
Palestrina, Pope Marcellus Mass
(1557)
Marcellus was Pope for only 3 weeks
before he died. According to legend,
Palestrina used this opportunity to
demonstrate that the new
compositional techniques – polyphony
and homophony – could be
appropriate for worship.
The Pope Marcellus Mass was an instant
classic and is still performed today.
Palestrina, Pope Marcellus Mass
melodies are simpler, more singable
harmonies are richer
modes are similar
rhythms are simpler
textures mix homophony and
polyphony
tone color is richer—six voices a
cappella
About the Mass
Mass became standardized as a multimovement musical form during the
Renaissance period
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Agnus Dei
Josquin Desprez: Para lingua Mass
(tr 8-9)
Intended for worship
Used music to express ideas and feelings
Uses imitation and sequence: melodic
voices enter one after another on different
pitches to create a of polyphonic texture
Instead of competing, the voices take turns
vying for attention
Other Renaissance techniques:
Accurate Declamation
Accurate declamation – using
rhythms to replicate natural speech
Melismatic music was no longer in
favor
declamation = the manner in which
words are set to music
accurate = rhythms closely match
natural speech
Word Painting
musical illustration of the meaning of
a word or phrase
rapid notes for words like “run” or
“fly”
high notes of upward leaps for words
like “up” or “lift”
dissonance for words like “grief,”
“cruel,” “harsh,”
Listen: Woelkes, “As Vestas…” (tr
12)
Examples of Word Painting:
“running” – rapid notes
“two by two” – duet
“three by three” – trio
“all alone” – solo
Instrumental music in the
Renaissance
Listen – Daphne
Listen – Kemp’s Jig
Stylized dance music - originally
intended for dancing, but eventually
written to be listened to and not
necessarily for dancing