The Renaissance

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What was the Renaissance?

Period following the middle ages (1400 1600) “Rebirth” of classical Greece and Rome Began in Italy Moved to northern Europe

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Causes of the Renaissance

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Lessening of feudalism Church disrespected Nobility in chaos Growth of Middle Class through trade

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Fall of Constantinople Greek scholars fled to Italy Education Nostalgia among the Italians to recapture the glory of the Roman empire

Objectives

During the middle ages

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Find God Prove pre-conceived ideas During the Renaissance

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Find man

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Promote learning

Northern and Late Renaissance

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RELIGION/POLITICS – Reformation; much political & religious violence

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IDEAS – a skeptical Humanism

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ART – a realism of everyday life: PORTRAITS, LANDSCAPES; oil painting

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MUSIC – conservative perfection (Palestrina) & new approaches (madrigals)

Renaissance

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1 st period to name itself and say nasty things about earlier times: “Gothic” & “Dark Ages” Term means “Rebirth” Looking back to Classical culture – Ancient Greece and Rome

Middle Ages - people were parts of a greater whole; members of a family, trade guild, nation, or Church Renaissance - human beings first began to think of themselves as individuals

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Timeline

Guttenberg Bible —1456 Columbus reaches America —1492 Leonardo da Vinci: Mona Lisa —c. 1503 Michelangelo: David —1504 Raphael: School of Athens —1505 Martin Luther’s 95 theses—1517 Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet —1596

Humanism

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Pursuit of individualism Recognition that humans are creative Appreciation of art as a product of man Basic culture needed for all Life could be enjoyable Love of the classical past

Renaissance Man

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Broad knowledge about many things in different fields Deep knowledge of skill in one area Able to link areas and create new knowledge

Realism

That painting is the most to be praised which agrees most exactly with the thing imitated.

- Leonardo da Vinci

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Names! Artists known by name – 1 st contemporary art historian (1550) Individuality celebrated in this era

Shakespeare

Part of a general revival of theater, which we need to mention now, because OPERA is about to develop in the Baroque period.

HAMLET - 1602

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Church is still the biggest power structure Beginning of banking Private fortunes & power Starts in Italy – specifically Florence

Renaissance timeline

1400 Donatello

David

Josquin

Ave Maria . . .

Michelangelo

David

Michelangelo Raphael Leonardo REFORMATION 1500 1600

Summary – Italian Renaissance

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POLITICS – Italian city-states; power from money

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EARLY RENAISSANCE – Florence

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HIGH RENAISSANCE – Rome

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ART – Classical ideals revived; BIG 3

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IDEAS – Humanism returns

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MUSIC – Josquin & imitative counterpoint

Add a third active line that goes well with the cantus firmus and the other line

The Old Way

Add a nice active line that goes well with the cantus firmus Start with a bit of chant – a cantus firmus

The Emerging Way?

Still very “linear” in conception, especially in its emphasis on IMITATIVE COUNTERPOINT, but more “vertical” in organization? (Careful control of dissonance; favoring triads.)

Basic structure

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Words dominate Tone painting

• Printed in part-book or opposing-sheet format • Originated in Italy • English madrigal lighter & simpler • Intended for amateur performers (after dinner music)

Josquin

(to the tune of the Beatles’ “Michelle”) Josquin, the Man, Wrote smooth counterpoint as no one can, That guy Josquin.

Josquin Desprez

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1 st “Great Composer” glorified by contemporary and following generations

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new approach to composition?

a piece by Josquin

Musical Notation

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Invented to publish books of music Invented instruments Instrumental arrangements appeared

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The Reformation 1517

Martin Luther – a composer himself Effort to reform creates new church Sides with rulers against peasant revolts Printing press disseminates The Word Boost to individualism Consequences for music: Mass gone; hymns

The Counter-Reformation

Giovanni Palestrina

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Adult life in Rome Choirmaster, singer,/ director of music

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Reactionary period Church suppressed music that did not enhance words of the Mass

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Polyphony was distracting Works were conservative

Giovanni Palestrina

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Wrote over 100 masses Gregorian chant

Mass in Honor of Pope Marcellus

Influenced later music

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Buried in St. Peter’s Basilica “The Prince of Music”

Palestrina

Chant a source of musical materials (revival & last gasp of cantus firmus technique) Very refined; no text painting Repetition avoided “16 th Century Counterpoint” still taught today – why? To teach control, focus & line We usually celebrate innovators in history – Palestrina was a consolidator and perfecter of a soon-to-fade style

Palestrina – a story

The Church was about to ban polyphonic music from the church, because it obscured the sacred text. In response, Palestrina then composed the Missa Papae Marcelli, which, depite its 6-part texture, features very clear text-setting. The powers-that-be heard its merit & beauty and music was SAVED!

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Charming story, often told, but alas not true.

Secular Music

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New instruments

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Chansons favored in the court Courtly Love

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Madrigals Poetry and Music

Music at Court

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Dances

Instrumentation unspecified; usually a consort (group) of a family of instruments of uniform timbre

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Dances are collected into suites (Baroque) which evolve into symphonies (Classical)

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Instrumental Music

Still subordinate to vocal music Used more often to accompany voices Sometimes played adapted vocal music alone Published music stated that parts could be sung or played Dancing became ever more popular Composers did not specify instrumentation

Music at Court

Madrigals

Origin of term obscure A type of song for multiple voice parts Text is a rhyming poem, usually with sections of repetition & is usually abou

t Love

Music at Court

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Madrigals

Popular-at-court-&-wealthy-homes music In Italy and England Participatory, not passive music text-painting importance of words

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homorhythmic texture

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