UNIT 1
Music of the Medieval, Renaisance
and Baroque Period
Music comes from the Greek work Mousikos
relative to Muses which are figures derived from
the Greek and Roman mythology. In Greek, it is
referred to a techne which means teachnique. It
did not indicate a particular art, but all the arts
ofthe muses are referred to something that is
“perfect”. It is an expensive medium as old as
humanity.
The Music of the
Medieval Period
Lesson 1
Medieval Period
• also known as the Middle Ages, is a
period from 700 to 1450.
• With the support of the Roman Catholic
church, music during this period was
organized according to the needs of the
liturgical services with Latin as the text.
Since the ninth century, composers
have written music based on what they
call Chant.
• Major developments during this period
include the rise of sacred music called
Gregorian Chant and towards the latter
part, secular songs.
Secular music gave ways
to the music of the
troubadours, trouveres,
jongleurs,
and
minnesingers.
Chant
is a song, melody or something repeated over and
over again. An example of a chant is a simple church
hymn.
Gregorian Chant
liturgical music of the Roman Catholic Church, used
to accompany the text of the mass and the canonical hours,
or divine office.
Purpose of Music
• In the traitional societies, rituals
and music are interconnected.
• Ancient
civilization
were
associated with rituals and
music during the earlier times
were transmitted through what
we call oral tradition.
• Written notation in music
started during the Medieval time
and made an impact in the
development of music.
Evolution of Western Music
Notation
• Musicians during the early period work only for the
church.
• Middle Ages brought us the Gregorian Chant, a
monophonic liturgical music, until the 1000s.
• It also referred to as plainchants, plain song, or monody.
• Few aunthentic exmples of secular music were collected
because all writings were done by monks whose main
purpose is to record sacred music during that time.
• Music is an integral part of human existence. From the
early years to the present, researchers discovered that
music has a therapeutic effect to listeners.
• Religious and Christian songs can evoke a powerful,
spiritual, emotion among listeners. Thus, it can lift one’s
spirit and soothe one’s soul.
Vocal Music
Plain song or chant
• is a monophonic melody that uses sacred text.
• Text setting may be syllabic (one of note of music
per syllable), neumatic (also known as semiornate) with one neume per text syllable, or
melismatic (several neumes per syllable of text).
• monophonic melody consisting of a single
musical line, without accompaniment
• A Gregorian Chant is a liturgical mass of the Roman
Catholic church.
• A Gregorian Chant is arranged into four, followed by
eight, and finally twelve modes.
• During the early Middle Ages, it is usually sung by
choirs of men and boys in churches and towards the
latter part, women of religious order in the chapels.
• It is the practice of the Catholic, performed in masses
and monastic rites.
Characteritics of Gregorian
Chants
•
•
•
•
•
Monophonic or unison
Free meter
Modal
Latin Liturgy
Use of Neums notation
Neums and notations used in a
Gregorian Chant
Towards the Middle Ages, a struggle in conflict
with the church and state was witnessed. Musicians
emerged for secular music and call themselves as
Minstrels. They are four different types of Minstrels:
1. Jongleurs- they are entertainers who travels all over
Europe bringing with them troupes such as musicians,
jugglers, acrobats and dancers.
2. Troubadours- they are poet musicians of a superior
class from southern France.
3. Trouveres- they came about 50 years after the
Troubadours but from the central and northern France.
4. Minnesingers- they are German equivalent of the
Troubadours. Frauenlob was one of the best known
Minnesingers.
Characteristics of a Troubadours Music:
• Usually monophonic
• Tells of bravery and courtly love
• Originated in France
Instrumental Music
• since monophonic music is the primary structure of
Medieval music, instrument became secondary as an
accompaniment to the dance and musical notation.
Keyboard
• is a musical instrument played using a keyboard, a
row of levers which are pressed by the fingers. The
most common of these are the piano, organ, and
various electronic keyboards, including synthesizers
and digital pianos.
Strings
• is a musical instrument that produces sound by means
of vibrating strings. The most common string
instruments in the string family are guitar, electric
bass, violin, viola, cello, double bass, banjo,
mandolin, ukulele, and harp.
Composers in Medieval Period
Adam de la Halle (1245-1306)
• He was known as the greatest and the last of the
trouveres.
• Adam was described as a “Master of Music” and had
produced a remarkably useful body of works.
• The most famous of his plays is the Le Jeu de Robin
et de Marion (The play about Robin and Marion).
• It contains the most music in which spoken dialogue
combined with songs.
• It was first Naples court where he was working.
Musical Works
Chansons
36
Jeux Partis
18
Rondeux (Dance song)
16
Motet
5
Plays
3
Total
78+
Hildegard Von Bingen OSB (1098 September 7, 1179)
“Sibyl of Rhine, Saint Hildegard”
• was a remarkable woman, a first in many field.
• She was a poet, author, philosopher, theologian,
singer, musician, composer, playwright, artist,
architect, biographer, doctor, botanist, herbalist,
visionary, preacher, seer, prophet,and a saint.
THANK YOU